Copa Holdings' (CPA) Q1 Earnings & Revenues Beat, Improve Y/Y

Copa Holdings CPA reported first-quarter 2022 earnings (excluding 23 cents from non-recurring items) of 70 cents per share, which surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 36 cents. In the year-ago quarter, the company had incurred a loss of $2.23 per share due to coronavirus-led depressed air-travel demand.

Quarterly revenues of $571.6 million outperformed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $566.1 million and rose significantly year over year, thanks to an improvement in air-travel demand.

Operational Statistics

Below, we present all comparisons (in % terms) with first-quarter 2019 levels (pre-coronavirus).

Passenger revenues (contributed 94.7% to the top line) plunged 16.6% to $541.25 million in the first quarter due to 12.4% less capacity (measured in available seat miles/ASMs). Cargo and mail revenues jumped 40.6% to $21.54 million, owing to higher cargo volumes and yields. Total revenues declined 15% in the reported quarter.

Copa Holdings, S.A. Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise

Copa Holdings, S.A. Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise

Copa Holdings, S.A. price-consensus-eps-surprise-chart | Copa Holdings, S.A. Quote

On a consolidated basis, traffic (measured in revenue passenger miles or RPMs) fell 14.2%. As traffic decline was more than the amount of capacity contraction, load factor (% of seats filled with passengers) contracted 1.8 percentage points to 81.5% in the reported quarter. Passenger revenue per available seat miles dropped 4.8% to 9.6 cents. Additionally, revenue per available seat mile (RASM) fell 3% to 10.2 cents. Cost per available seat mile (CASM) increased 7.5%. Excluding fuel, the metric dipped 1.6%. Average fuel price per liter soared 37.4% to $2.87.

Total operating expenses declined 5.8% to $526.81 million due to lower wages, salaries, benefits and other employees' expenses, and sales and distribution costs. Expenses on wages, salaries and other employee benefits fell 21% due to reduced headcount. Sales and distribution costs declined 13.4%. Passenger servicing costs dropped 39%. Flight operation costs decreased 14.8%.

Other Details

Copa Holdings exited the first quarter with cash and cash equivalents of $249.01 million compared with $211.08 million at the end of December 2021. Total debt, including lease liabilities, was $1.6 billion at the end of the first quarter.

Copa Holdings, carrying a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), exited the first quarter with a consolidated fleet of 93 aircraft — 68 Boeing 737-800s, 16 Boeing 737 MAX 9s, and nine Boeing 737-700s. During the first quarter, the carrier took delivery of two Boeing 737 MAX 9 aircraft.

2022 Outlook

Due to escalating fuel prices, among other factors, Copa holdings expects second-quarter operating margin to be only 3-5%. The company expects capacity to be approximately 5.9 billion, which is equivalent to 96% of the second-quarter 2019 capacity. Load factor is estimated to be around 86% in the second quarter. Fuel price is estimated to be $4 per gallon.

For the full year, CPA expects capacity to reach approximately 98% of the 2019 level.

Performance of Other Airline Stocks

Gol Linhas Aereas Inteligentes GOL, carrying a Zacks Rank #3, incurred a loss (excluding $3.15 from non-recurring items) of 63 cents per share in the first quarter of 2022, narrower than the Zacks Consensus Estimate of a loss of 67 cents. The amount of loss narrowed year over year.

Gol Linhas’ net operating revenues of $616.2 million outperformed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $603.2 million. The top line not only surged more than 100% year over year, but also came in above the first quarter of 2019.

Azul AZUL, carrying a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell), incurred a loss (excluding $4.89 from non-recurring items) of $1.14 per share in the first quarter of 2022, narrower than the Zacks Consensus Estimate of a loss of $1.21. The amount of loss narrowed year over year as well.

Azul’s total revenues of $610.9 million missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $638.5 million but increased 82.9% year over year as air-travel demand improved, courtesy of widespread vaccination programs in Brazil.

Southwest Airlines LUV, carrying a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), incurred a loss (excluding 15 cents from non-recurring items) of 32 cents per share in the first quarter of 2022, narrower than the Zacks Consensus Estimate of a loss of 34 cents. Results were hurt by Omicron-induced woes in January and February. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

Southwest’s operating revenues of $4694 million outperformed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $4,663.8 million and also jumped more than 100% year over year. Passenger revenues improved more than 100% year over year.

Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report

Southwest Airlines Co. (LUV) : Free Stock Analysis Report

Gol Linhas Aereas Inteligentes S.A. (GOL) : Free Stock Analysis Report

Copa Holdings, S.A. (CPA) : Free Stock Analysis Report

AZUL (AZUL) : Free Stock Analysis Report

To read this article on Zacks.com click here.

Zacks Investment Research