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Allegiant Travel Company Third Quarter 2016 Financial Results

October 26, 2016 4:00 PM

LAS VEGAS, Oct. 26, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Allegiant Travel Company (NASDAQ: ALGT) today reported the following financial results for the third quarter 2016, as well as comparisons to prior year equivalents:

Three Months Ended September 30, Nine Months Ended September 30,
Unaudited20162015Change 20162015Change
Total operating revenue (millions)$333.5 $300.0 11.2% $1,026.9 $951.3 8.0%
Operating income (millions)$76.8 $77.1 (0.3)% $302.4 $277.9 8.8%
Net income (millions)$45.5 $44.5 2.2% $178.3 $163.7 8.9%
Diluted earnings per share$2.75 $2.62 5.0% $10.73 $9.55 12.4%
Return on capital employed (LTM)* 24.8% 18.7%

* - see appendix for calculation

“We had a very busy summer this year,” stated Maurice J. Gallagher, Jr., chairman and CEO of Allegiant Travel Company and I want to thank all of our team members for their tremendous effort and hard work through a challenging set of months. It is due to them that we can announce another profitable quarter, our 55th consecutive. In addition, John Redmond joined the company as President of Allegiant Travel Company. John has a terrific background in the hospitality space with years of executive experience at large organizations such as MGM Resorts International and Caesars Entertainment. We also are underway in our transition of the company to an all Airbus fleet with current expectations to operate over 90 aircraft by the end of the decade. Finally, we also launched the Allegiant World MasterCard Credit Card program in conjunction with Bank of America. While it is too early to determine any trends, we are excited about the opportunities from this program."

Notable highlights

Percent change vs Q3 2015
ASMs*19%
Cities9%
Routes24%

* - ASMs are scheduled available seat miles

Fourth quarter 2016 revenue trends

Fourth quarter and full year 2016 cost trends

Guidance, subject to revision
October 2016 4Q16
Estimated TRASM year-over-year change(7) to (5)% (7.5) to (5.5)%
Fixed fee and other revenue guidance 4Q16
Fixed fee and other revenue (millions) $16 to $18
Capacity guidance
System4Q16 1Q17 FY16
Departure year-over-year growth15 to 19% 14 to 18%
ASM year-over-year growth10 to 14% 10 to 14% 15 to 17%
Scheduled
Departure year-over-year growth15 to 19% 14 to 18%
ASM year-over-year growth10 to 14% 10 to 14% 15 to 17%
Cost guidance4Q16 FY16
CASM ex fuel* – year-over-year change10 to 12% 1 to 3%
CAPEX guidance FY16
Capital expenditures (millions) $386

* - CASM ex fuel – cost per available seat mile excluding fuel expense

Aircraft fleet plan by end of period
Aircraft - (seats per AC) 3Q16YE16
MD-80 (166 seats) 48 48
757 (215 seats) 4 4
A319 (156 seats) 15 17
A320 (177 seats) 16 16
Total 83 85

Aircraft listed in table above include only in service aircraft, planned retirements and future aircraft under contract (subject to change)

Allegiant Travel Company will host a conference call with analysts at 4:30 p.m. ET Wednesday, October 26, 2016 to discuss its third quarter 2016 financial results. A live broadcast of the conference call will be available via the Company’s Investor Relations website homepage at http://ir.allegiantair.com. The webcast will also be archived in the “Events & Presentations” section of the website.

Las Vegas-based Allegiant (NASDAQ: ALGT) is focused on linking travelers in small cities to world-class leisure destinations. The airline offers industry-low fares on an all-jet fleet while also offering other travel-related products such as hotel rooms, rental cars and attraction tickets. All can be purchased only through the company website, Allegiant.com. Beginning with one aircraft and one route in 1999, the company has grown to over 80 aircraft and more than 300 routes across the country with airfares less than half the cost of average domestic roundtrip ticket. For downloadable press kit, including photos, visit: http://gofly.us/YFuyb.

Under the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, statements in this press release that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are only estimates or predictions based on our management's beliefs and assumptions and on information currently available to our management. Forward-looking statements include our statements regarding future unit revenue, future operating expense, ASM growth, departure growth, fixed-fee and other revenues, expected capital expenditures, number of contracted aircraft to be placed in service in the future, timing of aircraft retirements, as well as other information concerning future results of operations, business strategies, financing plans, industry environment and potential growth opportunities. Forward-looking statements include all statements that are not historical facts and can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as the words "believe," "expect," “guidance,” "anticipate," "intend," "plan," "estimate", “project”, “hope” or similar expressions.

Forward-looking statements involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions. Actual results may differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements. Important risk factors that could cause our results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements generally may be found in our periodic reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission at www.sec.gov . These risk factors include, without limitation, an accident involving, or problems with, our aircraft, our reliance on our automated systems, volatility of fuel costs, labor issues and costs, the ability to obtain regulatory approvals as needed , the effect of economic conditions on leisure travel, debt covenants, terrorist attacks, risks inherent to airlines, demand for air services to our leisure destinations from the markets served by us, our dependence on our leisure destination markets, our competitive environment, our reliance on third parties who provide facilities or services to us, the possible loss of key personnel, economic and other conditions in markets in which we operate, governmental regulation, increases in maintenance costs and cyclical and seasonal fluctuations in our operating results.

Any forward-looking statements are based on information available to us today and we undertake no obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of future events, new information or otherwise.

Detailed financial information follows:

Allegiant Travel Company
Consolidated Statements of Income
(in thousands, except per share amounts)
(Unaudited)
Three Months Ended September 30, Percent
2016 2015 change
OPERATING REVENUE:
Scheduled service revenue$177,361 $170,002 4.3
Ancillary revenue:
Air-related charges 127,301 107,554 18.4
Third party products 11,259 9,890 13.8
Total ancillary revenue 138,560 117,444 18.0
Fixed fee contract revenue 9,183 4,640 97.9
Other revenue 8,377 7,870 6.4
Total operating revenue 333,481 299,956 11.2
OPERATING EXPENSES:
Aircraft fuel 69,305 68,272 1.5
Salary and benefits 73,424 58,968 24.5
Station operations 32,252 26,454 21.9
Maintenance and repairs 26,263 25,369 3.5
Depreciation and amortization 25,881 24,346 6.3
Sales and marketing 5,650 4,053 39.4
Aircraft lease rentals 472 695 (32.1)
Other 23,394 14,717 59.0
Total operating expense 256,641 222,874 15.2
OPERATING INCOME 76,840 77,082 (0.3)
OTHER (INCOME) EXPENSE:
Interest income (1,028) (301) 241.5
Interest expense 6,938 6,687 3.8
Other, net (61) (67) (9.0)
Total other (income) expense 5,849 6,319 (7.4)
INCOME BEFORE INCOME TAXES 70,991 70,763 0.3
PROVISION FOR INCOME TAXES 25,538 26,305 (2.9)
NET INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO ALLEGIANT TRAVEL COMPANY$45,453 $44,458 2.2
Earnings per share to common shareholders (1):
Basic$2.76 $2.63 4.9
Diluted$2.75 $2.62 5.0
Weighted average shares outstanding used in computing earnings per share to common shareholders (1):
Basic 16,389 16,831 (2.6)
Diluted 16,406 16,869 (2.7)

(1) The Company's unvested restricted stock awards are considered participating securities as they receive non-forfeitable rights to cash dividends at the same rate as common stock. The Basic and Diluted earnings per share for the periods presented reflect the two-class method mandated by accounting guidance for the calculation of earnings per share. The two-class method adjusts both the net income and the shares used in the calculation. Application of the two-class method did not have a significant impact on the Basic and Diluted earnings per share for the periods presented.

Allegiant Travel Company
Operating Statistics
(Unaudited)
Three Months Ended September 30, Percent
2016 2015 change*
OPERATING STATISTICS
Total system statistics:
Passengers2,939,055 2,420,819 21.4
Revenue passenger miles (RPMs) (thousands)2,645,533 2,235,683 18.3
Available seat miles (ASMs) (thousands)3,121,762 2,597,658 20.2
Load factor84.7% 86.1% (1.4)
Operating expense per ASM (CASM) (cents)8.22 8.58 (4.2)
Fuel expense per ASM (cents)2.22 2.63 (15.6)
Operating CASM, excluding fuel (cents)6.00 5.95 0.8
ASMs per gallon of fuel70.6 69.2 2.0
Departures21,384 17,330 23.4
Block hours47,739 39,347 21.3
Average stage length (miles)864 878 (1.6)
Average number of operating aircraft during period84.0 74.7 12.4
Average block hours per aircraft per day6.2 5.7 8.8
Full-time equivalent employees at end of period3,287 2,654 23.9
Fuel gallons consumed (thousands)44,187 37,518 17.8
Average fuel cost per gallon$1.57 $1.82 (13.7)
Scheduled service statistics:
Passengers2,904,295 2,383,556 21.8
Revenue passenger miles (RPMs) (thousands)2,603,849 2,204,760 18.1
Available seat miles (ASMs) (thousands)2,997,529 2,526,292 18.7
Load factor86.9% 87.3% (0.4)
Departures20,398 16,563 23.2
Block hours45,740 38,094 20.1
Total scheduled service revenue per ASM (TRASM) (cents)**10.54 11.38 (7.4)
Average fare - scheduled service$61.07 $71.32 (14.4)
Average fare - ancillary air-related charges$43.83 $45.12 (2.9)
Average fare - ancillary third party products$3.88 $4.15 (6.5)
Average fare - total$108.78 $120.59 (9.8)
Average stage length (miles)869 894 (2.8)
Fuel gallons consumed (thousands)42,439 36,458 16.4
Average fuel cost per gallon$1.59 $1.83 (13.1)
Percent of sales through website during period94.6% 95.2% (0.6)

* Except load factor and percent of sales through website, which is percentage point change.** Various components of this measurement do not have a direct correlation to ASMs. These figures are provided on a per ASM basis to facilitate comparison with airlines reporting revenues on a per ASM basis.

Allegiant Travel Company
Consolidated Statements of Income
(in thousands, except per share amounts)
(Unaudited)
Nine Months Ended September 30, Percent
2016 2015 change
OPERATING REVENUE:
Scheduled service revenue$568,089 $556,842 2.0
Ancillary revenue:
Air-related charges 376,944 326,055 15.6
Third party products 34,482 31,663 8.9
Total ancillary revenue 411,426 357,718 15.0
Fixed fee contract revenue 22,690 11,993 89.2
Other revenue 24,743 24,745
Total operating revenue 1,026,948 951,298 8.0
OPERATING EXPENSES:
Aircraft fuel 182,969 216,985 (15.7)
Salary and benefits 211,185 171,119 23.4
Station operations 96,313 74,768 28.8
Maintenance and repairs 82,016 70,488 16.4
Depreciation and amortization 75,962 73,597 3.2
Sales and marketing 16,774 16,907 (0.8)
Aircraft lease rentals 924 2,092 (55.8)
Other 58,363 47,402 23.1
Total operating expense 724,506 673,358 7.6
OPERATING INCOME 302,442 277,940 8.8
OTHER (INCOME) EXPENSE:
Interest income (2,932) (948) 209.3
Interest expense 21,567 20,531 5.0
Other, net (142) (117) 21.4
Total other (income) expense 18,493 19,466 (5.0)
INCOME BEFORE INCOME TAXES 283,949 258,474 9.9
PROVISION FOR INCOME TAXES 105,669 94,853 11.4
NET INCOME 178,280 163,621 9.0
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interest (44) (100.0)
NET INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO ALLEGIANT TRAVEL COMPANY$178,280 $163,665 8.9
Earnings per share to common shareholders (1):
Basic$10.74 $9.57 12.2
Diluted$10.73 $9.55 12.4
Weighted average shares outstanding used in computing earnings per share to common shareholders (1):
Basic 16,493 17,010 (3.0)
Diluted 16,514 17,050 (3.1)

(1) The Company's unvested restricted stock awards are considered participating securities as they receive non-forfeitable rights to cash dividends at the same rate as common stock. The Basic and Diluted earnings per share for the periods presented reflect the two-class method mandated by accounting guidance for the calculation of earnings per share. The two-class method adjusts both the net income and shares used in the calculation. Application of the two-class method did not have a significant impact on the Basic and Diluted earnings per share for the periods presented.

Allegiant Travel Company
Operating Statistics
(Unaudited)
Nine Months Ended September 30, Percent
2016 2015 change*
OPERATING STATISTICS
Total system statistics:
Passengers8,410,422 7,139,876 17.8
Revenue passenger miles (RPMs) (thousands)7,831,436 6,734,217 16.3
Available seat miles (ASMs) (thousands)9,302,051 7,814,146 19.0
Load factor84.2% 86.2% (2.0)
Operating expense per ASM (CASM) (cents)***7.79 8.62 (9.6)
Fuel expense per ASM (cents)***1.97 2.78 (29.1)
Operating CASM, excluding fuel (cents)5.82 5.84 (0.3)
ASMs per gallon of fuel71.6 69.8 2.6
Departures61,271 50,976 20.2
Block hours142,515 118,999 19.8
Average stage length (miles)896 900 (0.4)
Average number of operating aircraft during period83.4 73.6 13.3
Average block hours per aircraft per day6.2 5.9 5.1
Full-time equivalent employees at end of period3,287 2,654 23.9
Fuel gallons consumed (thousands)129,862 111,881 16.1
Average fuel cost per gallon***$1.41 $1.94 (27.3)
Scheduled service statistics:
Passengers8,321,716 7,034,244 18.3
Revenue passenger miles (RPMs) (thousands)7,714,172 6,647,978 16.0
Available seat miles (ASMs) (thousands)8,967,614 7,612,202 17.8
Load factor86.0% 87.3% (1.3)
Departures58,744 48,833 20.3
Block hours137,066 115,434 18.7
Total scheduled service revenue per ASM (TRASM)(cents)**10.92 12.01 (9.1)
Average fare - scheduled service$68.27 $79.16 (13.8)
Average fare - ancillary air-related charges$45.30 $46.35 (2.3)
Average fare - ancillary third party products$4.14 $4.50 (8.0)
Average fare - total$117.71 $130.01 (9.5)
Average stage length (miles)901 915 (1.5)
Fuel gallons consumed (thousands)125,291 108,837 15.1
Average fuel cost per gallon***$1.41 $1.96 (28.1)
Percent of sales through website during period94.3% 95.1% (0.8)

* Except load factor and percent of sales through website, which is percentage point change.** Various components of this measurement do not have a direct correlation to ASMs. These figures are provided on a per ASM basis to facilitate comparison with airlines reporting revenues on a per ASM basis.*** Includes effect of fuel tax refund of $8.3 million in the second quarter of 2016.

Summary Balance Sheet

(millions)9/30/2016 12/31/2015 Change
(unaudited)
Unrestricted cash
Cash and cash equivalents$48.7 $87.1 (44.1)%
Short-term investments$269.3 $245.6 9.6%
Long-term investments$65.2 $64.8 0.6%
Total unrestricted cash$383.2 $397.5 (3.6)%
Debt
Current maturities of long-term debt, net of related costs$137.4 $74.1 85.4%
Long-term debt, net of current maturities and related costs$561.5 $567.6 (1.1)%
Total debt$698.9 $641.7 8.9%
Total Allegiant Travel Company shareholders’ equity$442.3 $350.0 26.4%

Summary Cash Flow

Nine Months Ended September 30,
Unaudited (millions) 2016 2015 Change
Cash provided by operating activities $308.1 $267.6 15.1%
Purchase of property and equipment, including capitalized interest* $(264.1) $(173.9) 51.9%
Repurchase of common stock $(63.4) $(121.1) (47.6)%
Cash dividends paid to shareholders $(55.9) $(57.4) (2.6)%
Proceeds from the issuance of long-term debt $120.4 $93.0 29.5%
Principal payments on long-term debt $(63.5) $(46.4) 36.9%

* Includes aircraft pre-delivery deposits.

Appendix A
Additional Financial Information
(Unaudited)
Twelve Months Ended September 30,
Return on capital calculation (millions) 2016 2015
Net income attributable to Allegiant Travel Company $235.0 $168.5
Income tax 137.2 97.8
Interest expense 27.5 27.9
Less interest income (3.4) (1.2)
396.3 293.0
Interest income 3.4 1.2
Tax rate 36.9% 36.7%
Numerator 252.2 186.2
Total assets as of prior September 30 1,303.9 1,269.9
Less current liabilities as of prior September 30 358.1 326.0
Plus short term debt as of prior September 30 69.6 51.9
Denominator 1,015.4 995.8
Return on capital employed 24.8% 18.7%

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Source: Allegiant Travel Company

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