Delta Air Lines Announces September Quarter Profit

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ATLANTA, Oct. 10, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Delta Air Lines DAL today reported financial results for the September quarter 2019 and provided its outlook for the December quarter 2019. Highlights of the September quarter 2019 results, including both GAAP and adjusted metrics, start on page four and are incorporated here.

Delta Air Lines and the Delta Connection carriers offer service to nearly 370 destinations on six continents. For more information visit news.delta.com. (PRNewsFoto/Delta Air Lines)

September Quarter Financial Highlights

  • Adjusted pre-tax income increased $361 million, or 22 percent versus prior year.
  • Adjusted earnings per share were $2.32, a 29 percent increase year over year; Earnings per share and adjusted earnings per share reflect 6.5 percent top-line growth, 2.5 points of operating margin expansion and $1.4 billion of free cash flow.
  • Total adjusted revenue, which excludes refinery sales, grew 6.5 percent to $12.6 billion; Total revenue and adjusted total revenue are a new quarterly record, as the company served a record 55.2 million passengers in the quarter.
  • Total unit revenue, adjusted, increased 2.5 percent; Total unit revenue and total unit revenue adjusted increases were driven by healthy leisure and corporate demand and an approximate one point benefit from the amended American Express agreement.
  • Consolidated operating cost per available seat mile ("CASM") decreased 2.1 percent compared to the September 2018 quarter, primarily due to lower fuel costs and higher capacity. Non-fuel unit cost (CASM-Ex) increased 2.4 percent compared to the prior year period, driven by employee costs, record passenger volumes and weather.
  • Returned $468 million to shareholders, comprised of $208 million of share repurchases and $260 million in dividends.
  • Generated $7.5 billion of operating cash flow and $4.0 billion of free cash flow on a year-to-date basis, after investing $3.5 billion into the business, primarily for aircraft purchases and modifications.

"Our powerful brand and competitive strengths drove another quarter of great results for our people, customers and owners. Our people bring our brand to life on every flight and I'm pleased to recognize their outstanding efforts with over $1 billion in profit sharing accrued so far this year," said Ed Bastian, Delta's chief executive officer. "Demand for the Delta product remains healthy, positioning the company for a strong close to 2019 with expectations for more than 20% earnings growth, over $4 billion in free cash flow and a 5th year of pre-tax earnings over $5 billion."

December Quarter 2019 Outlook

For the December quarter, Delta expects to deliver solid top-line growth and operating margin expansion. Year-over-year pre-tax margin is impacted by the one-time $91 million gain from the sale of the DAL Global Services business in the December 2018 quarter.


4Q19 Forecast

Earnings per share

$1.20 - $1.50

Pre-tax margin

9.5% - 11.5%

Fuel price, including taxes and refinery impact

$2.00 - $2.20

TRASM, adjusted (year-over-year)

Up 0% - 2%

CASM - Ex (year-over-year)

Up 4% - 5%

System Capacity (year-over-year)

Up ~4.5%


See Note A for information about reconciliation of projected non-GAAP financial measures
Total adjusted revenue and TRASM, adjusted above exclude refinery sales and DAL Global
Services (due to the sale of DGS in December 2018)

Revenue Environment

Delta's adjusted operating revenue of $12.6 billion for the September quarter improved 6.5 percent, $771 million higher than prior year quarter. This revenue result marks a quarterly record for the company, driven by improvements across Delta's business, including a nine percent increase in premium product ticket revenue and strong percentage increases in loyalty and third-party maintenance revenue. Cargo revenue during the quarter declined 17 percent driven by lower volumes and yield. Other revenue increased by $30 million as growth in loyalty and third-party maintenance was offset by $102 million lower third-party refinery sales. Premium products and non-ticket sources now comprise 52 percent of Delta's total revenue.

Passenger Revenue by Geographic Region:

  • Domestic revenues grew 7.8% in the quarter on 3.2% higher passenger unit revenue (PRASM) and 4.5% higher capacity. Domestic premium product revenue grew 11% and corporate revenue grew 8%, consistent with growth in the first half of the year.
  • Atlantic revenues grew 3.2% in the quarter on 4.9% higher capacity and a 1.6% decline in PRASM, driven almost entirely by foreign exchange rates. Premium cabin performance continues to outpace main cabin, where non-U.S. point of sale demand has been impacted by uncertain economic outlook in the region.
  • Latin revenues grew 1.2% on a 3.6% increase in unit revenue and 2.3% lower capacity. This revenue improvement was driven by continued double-digit unit revenue growth in Brazil and Mexican beach markets offsetting demand pressure from Hurricane Dorian.
  • Pacific revenues declined 4.6% in the quarter on 3.3% higher capacity and a 7.6% decline in unit revenues. Unit revenue performance was pressured by weaker macroeconomics, trade uncertainty and a nearly one point currency headwind.

"With our outstanding operations and unmatched service, more customers are choosing to fly Delta every day. Increased customer satisfaction is driving solid top-line performance -- September quarter revenues grew to a record $12.6 billion and we expect December quarter revenues to grow more than five percent versus prior year," said Glen Hauenstein, Delta's president. "Strong demand and our customer-focused commercial initiatives are putting us on track to achieve a $3 billion increase in revenues this year, a pace of growth well in excess of GDP."

Cost Performance

Total adjusted operating expense for the September quarter increased $345 million versus the prior year quarter, with 35% due to higher profit sharing expense. CASM-Ex was up 2.4 percent for the September quarter compared to the prior year quarter. This performance was driven by employee costs, record passenger volumes and the compounding effect of weather on the operation.

Adjusted fuel expense decreased $249 million, down ten percent relative to September quarter 2018. Delta's adjusted fuel price per gallon for the September quarter was $1.96, which includes a $49 million benefit from the refinery.

Adjusted non-operating expense for the quarter was $65 million higher versus the prior year quarter, driven primarily by pension headwind.

"We are making important investments in our people and facilities to drive sustainable growth in our business. Unit cost performance in 2019 of approximately two percent is consistent with our long-term target," said Paul Jacobson, Delta's chief financial officer.

Cash Flow and Shareholder Returns

Delta generated $2.2 billion of operating cash flow and $1.4 billion of free cash flow during the quarter after the investment of $814 million into the business primarily for aircraft purchases and improvements, and $150 million to support our strategic alliance with LATAM. Year to date, the company has generated $7.5 billion of operating cash flow and $4.0 billion of free cash flow.

For the September quarter, Delta returned $468 million to shareholders, comprised of $208 million of share repurchases and $260 million in dividends.

The Board of Directors has declared Delta's 26th consecutive quarterly dividend. The dividend of $0.4025 per share will be payable to shareholders of record as of the close of business on October 24, 2019, to be paid on November 14, 2019.

"With $7.5 billion in operating cash flow year-to-date, our strong cash generation sets Delta apart in the industry, and allows us to maintain consistent reinvestment in our business, an investment grade balance sheet and substantial cash returns to shareholders," added Paul Jacobson, Delta's chief financial officer.

LATAM Airlines Strategic Partnership

On September 26, 2019, Delta announced plans to enter into a strategic partnership with LATAM Airlines. Subject to customary conditions including regulatory approval, the company will invest $1.9 billion for up to 20 percent of the common shares of LATAM through a public tender offer at $16 per share, to be funded with newly issued debt and available cash. In addition, Delta will invest $350 million to support the establishment of the strategic partnership, $150 million of which was paid in the September quarter. Delta will also acquire four A350 aircraft from LATAM, and has agreed to assume LATAM's commitment to purchase 10 additional A350 aircraft.

Delta expects that the transaction will be accretive to earnings per share over the next two years and that the transaction will not impact the company's existing financial commitments to shareholders, including free cash flow and shareholder returns.

Strategic Highlights

In the September quarter, Delta achieved a number of milestones across its five key strategic pillars.

Culture and People

  • Rewarded Delta people through an additional $517 million in profit sharing accrual and paid $12 million in Shared Rewards, recognizing the performance of Delta's more than 80,000 employees through a busy summer.
  • Certified as a Great Place to Work for the fourth consecutive year, with 92% of respondents proud to work at Delta and 90% wanting to work at Delta for a long time, emphasizing the importance of culture as a competitive advantage.
  • Announced a 4% base pay increase for eligible ground and flight attendant employees, rewarding the best people in the business for industry-leading performance.

Operational Reliability

  • Delivered 202 days of zero mainline cancellations and 115 days of zero system cancellations through the first nine months of the year, an improvement of 12% and 19% respectively versus 2018 (based on Delta internal reporting for flights scheduled systemwide).
  • Reached record completion factor through the September quarter on a system and mainline basis, with mainline completion factor of 99.79%.
  • Carried an all-time record 55.2 million customers in the September quarter, 6% more than prior year.

Network and Partnerships

  • Announced plans for a strategic alliance with LATAM Airlines, combining the strengths of the leading airlines in North and South America that together will be the strongest competitor in five of the top six Latin American markets from the U.S. and serve 435 destinations worldwide.
  • Increased equity investment in Hanjin-KAL, the largest shareholder of Korean Air, to 10% demonstrating the airline's commitment to the success of its joint venture with Korean Air, which provides customers with seamless access to a robust trans-Pacific network.
  • Announced expanded trans-Atlantic service in 2020, including Boston to Rome, London-Gatwick and Manchester, broadening travel choices for customers across the Atlantic and offering the Delta One experience to customers on trans-Atlantic flights over six and a half hours in 2020.
  • Relocated to the new Satellite Terminal at Shanghai Pudong International Airport, creating a more seamless and convenient experience for customers, flying over 1,350 codeshare domestic flights per week to more than 40 cities across China.

Customer Experience and Loyalty

  • Debuted a refreshed portfolio of Delta SkyMiles American Express Cards, rewarding our customers in new and innovative ways to elevate the travel experience, with a variety of benefits ranging from double miles on restaurants worldwide, to Delta Sky Club access and one-time guest passes, to earning Medallion status faster.
  • Released the latest version of the Fly Delta app, providing customers with an improved travel experience through integrated security wait times in select markets, the option to pre-select meals in Delta One and domestic First Class, seat maps for all Delta and Delta Connection aircraft, and the auto-check-in feature on certain international routes.
  • Extended business traveler benefits for customers flying Virgin Atlantic and Aeromexico through Corporate Priority benefits, allowing better seat choice, priority boarding and priority service recovery, further removing seams in the travel experience.

Investment Grade Balance Sheet

  • Reported a 1.7x adjusted debt to EBITDAR ratio in line with our long-term leverage ratio target of 1.5x to 2.5x adjusted debt to EBITDAR, which is expected to allow Delta to maintain investment grade ratings through a business cycle.

September Quarter Results

Adjusted results primarily exclude the impact of unrealized gains/losses on investments.


GAAP

$
Change

%
Change

($ in millions except per share and unit costs)

3Q19

3Q18

Pre-tax income

1,947


1,688


259


15.3

%

Net income

1,495


1,322


173


13.1

%

Diluted earnings per share

2.31


1.92


0.39


20.3

%

Operating revenue

12,560


11,953


607


5.1

%

Total revenue per available seat mile (TRASM)

16.58


16.40


0.18


1.1

%

Operating margin

16.5

%

13.8

%

2.7


19.6

%

Operating cash flow

2,245


1,500


745


49.7

%

Consolidated unit cost (CASM)

13.85


14.14


(0.29)


(2.1)

%

Operating expense

10,489


10,308


181


1.8

%

Fuel expense

2,239


2,498


(259)


(10.4)

%

Average fuel price per gallon

1.94


2.21


(0.27)


(12.2)

%

Non-operating expense (income)

124


(43)


167


NM



Adjusted

$
Change

%
Change

($ in millions except per share and unit costs)

3Q19

3Q18

Pre-tax income

1,967


1,606


361


22.5

%

Net income

1,506


1,239


267


21.5

%

Diluted earnings per share

2.32


1.80


0.52


29.1

%

Operating revenue

12,554


11,783


771


6.5

%

Total revenue per available seat mile (TRASM, adjusted)

16.57


16.17


0.41


2.5

%

Operating margin

16.3

%

13.7

%

2.5


18.2

%

Free cash flow

1,430


655


775


NM


Consolidated unit cost (CASM-Ex)

9.84


9.61


0.23


2.4

%

Operating expense

10,508


10,163


345


3.4

%

Fuel expense

2,264


2,514


(249)


(9.9)

%

Average fuel price per gallon

1.96


2.22


(0.25)


(11.5)

%

Non-operating expense

79


14


65


NM


About Delta
Delta Air Lines DAL is the U.S. global airline leader in products, services, innovation, reliability and customer experience. Powered by its 80,000 people around the world, Delta continues to invest billions in its people, delivering a world-class travel experience and generating industry-leading shareholder returns. With its constant drive to invest, innovate and expand, Delta today is the world's No. 1 airline by total revenues.

  • Delta serves nearly 200 million people every year, taking customers across its industry-leading global network to more than 300 destinations in over 50 countries.
  • Headquartered in Atlanta, Delta offers more than 5,000 daily departures and as many as 15,000 affiliated departures including the premier SkyTeam alliance, of which Delta is a founding member.
  • Through its innovative alliances with Aeromexico, Air France-KLM, Alitalia, China Eastern, Korean Air, Virgin Atlantic, Virgin Australia and WestJet, Delta is bringing more choice and competition to customers worldwide.
  • Delta operates significant hubs and key markets at airports in Amsterdam, Atlanta, Boston, Detroit, London-Heathrow, Los Angeles, Mexico City, Minneapolis/St. Paul, New York-JFK and LaGuardia, Paris- Charles de Gaulle, Salt Lake City, São Paulo, Seattle, Seoul-Incheon and Tokyo.
  • Delta has been recognized as a Fortune's top 50 Most Admired Companies in addition to being named the most admired airline for the eighth time in nine years. Additionally, Delta has ranked No.1 in the Business Travel News Annual Airline survey for an unprecedented eight consecutive years and named one of Fast Company's Most Innovative Companies Worldwide for two consecutive years.
  • As an employer, Delta has been regularly awarded top honors from organizations like Glassdoor and recognized as a top workplace for women and members of the military. Delta CEO Ed Bastian was named among the "World's Greatest Leaders" by Fortune magazine in 2018.
  • Delta believes that its social responsibility lies at the intersection of its core values and core competencies, making a difference where Delta people live, work and fly by giving time, talents and one percent of the company's annual profits.
  • Diversity and Inclusion is core to Delta's culture and Delta believes it should be reflected in its people, the companies with which it does business, the way it treats customers and the manner in which it serves the world.
  • More about Delta can be found on the Delta News Hub as well as delta.com, via @DeltaNewsHub on Twitter and Facebook.com/delta.

Forward Looking Statements

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Statements in this press release that are not historical facts, including statements regarding our estimates, expectations, beliefs, intentions, projections or strategies for the future, may be "forward-looking statements" as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All forward-looking statements involve a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the estimates, expectations, beliefs, intentions, projections and strategies reflected in or suggested by the forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the cost of aircraft fuel; the availability of aircraft fuel; the impact of fuel hedging activity including rebalancing our hedge portfolio, recording mark-to-market adjustments or posting collateral in connection with our fuel hedge contracts; the performance of our significant investments in airlines in other parts of the world; the possible effects of accidents involving our aircraft; breaches or security lapses in our information technology systems; disruptions in our information technology infrastructure; our dependence on technology in our operations; the restrictions that financial covenants in our financing agreements could have on our financial and business operations; labor issues; the effects of weather, natural disasters and seasonality on our business; the effects of an extended disruption in services provided by third parties; failure or inability of insurance to cover a significant liability at Monroe's Trainer refinery; the impact of environmental regulation on the Trainer refinery, including costs related to renewable fuel standard regulations; our ability to retain senior management and key employees; damage to our reputation and brand if we are exposed to significant adverse publicity through social media; the effects of terrorist attacks or geopolitical conflict; competitive conditions in the airline industry; interruptions or disruptions in service at major airports at which we operate; the effects of extensive government regulation on our business; the sensitivity of the airline industry to prolonged periods of stagnant or weak economic conditions; uncertainty in economic conditions and regulatory environment in the United Kingdom related to the exit of the United Kingdom from the European Union; and the effects of the rapid spread of contagious illnesses.

Additional information concerning risks and uncertainties that could cause differences between actual results and forward-looking statements is contained in our Securities and Exchange Commission filings, including our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018. Caution should be taken not to place undue reliance on our forward-looking statements, which represent our views only as of October 10, 2019, and which we have no current intention to update.


DELTA AIR LINES, INC.

Consolidated Statements of Operations

(Unaudited)












Three Months Ended




Nine Months Ended




September 30,




September 30,



(in millions, except per share data)

2019

2018

$ Change

% Change


2019

2018

$ Change

% Change

Operating Revenue:










Passenger

$

11,410


$

10,796


$

614


6

%


$

32,032


$

30,107


$

1,925


6

%

Cargo

189


226


(37)


(17)

%


567


651


(84)


(13)

%

Other

961


931


30


3

%


2,969


2,938


31


1

%

Total operating revenue

12,560


11,953


607


5

%


35,568


33,696


1,872


6

%











Operating Expense:










Salaries and related costs

2,884


2,753


131


5

%


8,275


8,004


271


3

%

Aircraft fuel and related taxes

2,239


2,498


(259)


(10)

%


6,508


6,693


(185)


(3)

%

Regional carriers expense, excluding fuel

900


885


15


2

%


2,698


2,586


112


4

%

Contracted services

685


562


123


22

%


1,974


1,646


328


20

%

Depreciation and amortization

631


573


58


10

%


1,960


1,759


201


11

%

Passenger commissions and other selling expenses

539


535


4


1

%


1,505


1,473


32


2

%

Aircraft maintenance materials and outside repairs

424


371


53


14

%


1,334


1,233


101


8

%

Landing fees and other rents

460


439


21


5

%


1,321


1,254


67


5

%

Profit sharing

517


399


118


30

%


1,256


991


265


27

%

Ancillary businesses and refinery

279


410


(131)


(32)

%


945


1,396


(451)


(32)

%

Passenger service

345


329


16


5

%


938


892


46


5

%

Aircraft rent

110


99


11


11

%


318


291


27


9

%

Other

476


455


21


5

%


1,317


1,305


12


1

%

Total operating expense

10,489


10,308


181


2

%


30,349


29,523


826


3

%











Operating Income

2,071


1,645


426


26

%


5,219


4,173


1,046


25

%











Non-Operating Expense:










Interest expense, net

(70)


(73)


3


(4)

%


(228)


(244)


16


(7)

%

Unrealized gain/(loss) on investments, net

(35)


50


(85)


NM



(17)


(171)


154


(90)

%

Miscellaneous, net

(19)


66


(85)


NM



(174)


48


(222)


NM


Total non-operating (expense)/income, net

(124)


43


(167)


NM



(419)


(367)


(52)


14

%











Income Before Income Taxes

1,947


1,688


259


15

%


4,800


3,806


994


26

%











Income Tax Provision

(452)


(366)


(86)


23

%


(1,131)


(890)


(241)


27

%











Net Income

$

1,495


$

1,322


$

173


13

%


$

3,669


$

2,916


$

753


26

%











Basic Earnings Per Share

$

2.32


$

1.93





$

5.61


$

4.20




Diluted Earnings Per Share

$

2.31


$

1.92





$

5.59


$

4.18














Basic Weighted Average Shares Outstanding

646


686





654


695




Diluted Weighted Average Shares Outstanding

648


688





656


697














Note: The prior periods presented here have been recast to reflect adoption of certain new accounting standards.


DELTA AIR LINES, INC.

Passenger Revenue

(Unaudited)











Three Months Ended




Nine Months Ended




September 30,




September 30,



(in millions)

2019

2018

$ Change

% Change


2019

2018

$ Change

% Change

Ticket- Main cabin

$

6,021


$

5,873


$

148


3

%


$

16,680


$

16,139


$

541


3

%

Ticket- Business cabin and premium products

4,008


3,680


328


9

%


11,306


10,375


931


9

%

Loyalty travel awards

732


678


54


8

%


2,174


1,976


198


10

%

Travel-related services

649


565


84


15

%


1,872


1,617


255


16

%

Total passenger revenue

$

11,410


$

10,796


$

614


6

%


$

32,032


$

30,107


$

1,925


6

%































DELTA AIR LINES, INC.

Other Revenue

(Unaudited)











Three Months Ended




Nine Months Ended




September 30,




September 30,



(in millions)

2019

2018

$ Change

% Change


2019

2018

$ Change

% Change

Loyalty program

$

485


$

369


$

116


31

%


$

1,443


$

1,075


$

368


34

%

Ancillary businesses and refinery

291


433


(142)


(33)

%


990


1,475


(485)


(33)

%

Miscellaneous

185


129


56


43

%


536


388


148


38

%

Total other revenue

$

961


$

931


$

30


3

%


$

2,969


$

2,938


$

31


1

%











DELTA AIR LINES, INC.

Total Revenue

(Unaudited)













Increase (Decrease)





3Q19 versus 3Q18

Revenue


3Q19 ($M)


Change
YoY

Unit
Revenue

Yield

Capacity

Domestic

$

7,971


7.8%

3.2%

0.7%

4.5%

Atlantic


2,060


3.2%

(1.6)%

(2.0)%

4.9%

Latin America


683


1.2%

3.6%

3.2%

(2.3)%

Pacific


696


(4.6)%

(7.6)%

(7.2)%

3.3%

Total Passenger

$

11,410


5.7%

1.7%

0.1%

3.9%

Cargo Revenue


189


(16.5)%




Other Revenue


961


3.2%




Total Revenue

$

12,560


5.1%

1.1%



Third Party Refinery Sales


(6)






Total Revenue, adjusted

$

12,554


6.5%

2.5%











DELTA AIR LINES, INC.

Statistical Summary

(Unaudited)



Three Months Ended




Nine Months Ended




September 30,




September 30,




2019

2018

Change


2019

2018

Change

Revenue passenger miles (millions)

66,862


63,320


5.6

%


181,652


172,002


5.6

%

Available seat miles (millions)

75,742


72,875


3.9

%


209,911


200,842


4.5

%

Passenger mile yield (cents)

17.07


17.05


0.1

%


17.63


17.50


0.7

%

Passenger revenue per available seat mile (cents)

15.06


14.81


1.7

%


15.26


14.99


1.8

%

Total revenue per available seat mile (cents)

16.58


16.40


1.1

%


16.94


16.78


1.0

%

TRASM, adjusted - see Note A (cents)

16.57


16.17


2.5

%


16.90


16.42


2.9

%

Operating cost per available seat mile (cents)

13.85


14.14


(2.1)

%


14.46


14.70


(1.6)

%

CASM-Ex - see Note A (cents)

9.84


9.61


2.4

%


10.31


10.18


1.3

%

Passenger load factor

88.3

%

86.9

%

1.4

pts


86.5

%

85.6

%

0.9

pts

Fuel gallons consumed (millions)

1,154


1,135


1.8

%


3,215


3,137


2.5

%

Average price per fuel gallon

$

1.94


$

2.21


(12.2)

%


$

2.03


$

2.13


(4.7)

%

Average price per fuel gallon, adjusted - see Note A

$

1.96


$

2.22


(11.5)

%


$

2.03


$

2.14


(5.3)

%

Number of aircraft in fleet, end of period

1,066


1,026


40




















Note: The prior periods presented here have been recast to reflect adoption of certain new accounting standards. Except for number of aircraft in fleet, consolidated data presented includes operations under Delta's contract carrier arrangements.


DELTA AIR LINES, INC.


Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows


(Unaudited)







Three Months Ended



September 30,


(in millions)

2019

2018


Cash Flows From Operating Activities:




Net income

$

1,495


$

1,322



Depreciation and amortization

631


573



Deferred income taxes

460


354



Pension, postretirement and postemployment payments greater than expense

2


(64)



Changes in air traffic liability

(854)


(825)



Changes in profit sharing

517


399



Other, net

(6)


(259)



Net cash provided by operating activities

2,245


1,500







Cash Flows From Investing Activities:




Property and equipment additions:




Flight equipment, including advance payments

(549)


(570)



Ground property and equipment, including technology

(396)


(392)



Purchase of equity investments

(81)




Other, net

(99)


59



Net cash used in investing activities

(1,125)


(903)







Cash Flows From Financing Activities:




Payments on long-term debt and finance lease obligations

(355)


(648)



Repurchases of common stock

(208)


(325)



Cash dividends

(260)


(241)



Fuel card obligation, net

(628)


5



Net cash used in financing activities

(1,451)


(1,209)







Net Decrease in Cash, Cash Equivalents and Restricted Cash Equivalents

(331)


(612)



Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash equivalents at beginning of period

3,029


3,260



Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash equivalents at end of period

$

2,698


$

2,648







The following table provides a reconciliation of cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash reported within the Consolidated Balance Sheets to the total of the same such amounts shown above:







Current assets:




Cash and cash equivalents

$

1,899


$

1,380



Restricted cash included in prepaid expenses and other

46


54



Other assets:




Cash restricted for airport construction

753


1,214



Total cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash equivalents

$

2,698


$

2,648







Note: The prior periods presented here have been recast to reflect adoption of certain new accounting standards.



DELTA AIR LINES, INC.

Consolidated Balance Sheets

(Unaudited)








September 30,


December 31,

(in millions)

2019


2018

ASSETS

Current Assets:





Cash and cash equivalents

$

1,899



$

1,565



Accounts receivable, net

2,836



2,314



Fuel inventory

568



592



Expendable parts and supplies inventories, net

504



463



Prepaid expenses and other

1,137



1,406



Total current assets

6,944



6,340







Property and Equipment, Net:





Property and equipment, net

30,796



28,335







Other Assets:





Operating lease right-of-use assets

5,815



5,994



Goodwill

9,781



9,781



Identifiable intangibles, net

4,821



4,830



Cash restricted for airport construction

753



1,136



Other noncurrent assets

4,309



3,850



Total other assets

25,479



25,591


Total assets

$

63,219



$

60,266







LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY

Current Liabilities:





Current maturities of long-term debt and finance leases

$

2,196



$

1,518



Current maturities of operating leases

844



955



Air traffic liability

5,762



4,661



Accounts payable

3,470



2,976



Accrued salaries and related benefits

3,119



3,287



Loyalty program deferred revenue

3,200



2,989



Fuel card obligation

439



1,075



Other accrued liabilities

1,181



1,117



Total current liabilities

20,211



18,578







Noncurrent Liabilities:





Long-term debt and finance leases

7,923



8,253



Pension, postretirement and related benefits

8,457



9,163



Loyalty program deferred revenue

3,496



3,652



Noncurrent operating leases

5,441



5,801



Deferred income taxes, net

1,245



163



Other noncurrent liabilities

1,378



969



Total noncurrent liabilities

27,940



28,001







Commitments and Contingencies









Stockholders' Equity:

15,068



13,687


Total liabilities and stockholders' equity

$

63,219



$

60,266








Note A: The following tables show reconciliations of non-GAAP financial measures. The reasons Delta uses these measures are described below. Reconciliations may not calculate due to rounding.

Delta sometimes uses information ("non-GAAP financial measures") that is derived from the Consolidated Financial Statements, but that is not presented in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the U.S. ("GAAP"). Under the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission rules, non-GAAP financial measures may be considered in addition to results prepared in accordance with GAAP, but should not be considered a substitute for or superior to GAAP results. The tables below show reconciliations of non-GAAP financial measures used in this release to the most directly comparable GAAP financial measures.

Forward Looking Projections. The Company is not able to reconcile forward looking non-GAAP financial measures because the adjusting items such as those used in the reconciliations below will not be known until the end of the period and could be significant.

Pre-tax Income and Net Income, adjusted. We adjust pre-tax income and net income for the following items to determine pre-tax income and net income, adjusted for the reasons described below. We include the income tax effect of adjustments when presenting net income, adjusted.

MTM adjustments and settlements. Mark-to-market ("MTM") adjustments are defined as fair value changes recorded in periods other than the settlement period. Such fair value changes are not necessarily indicative of the actual settlement value of the underlying hedge in the contract settlement period. Settlements represent cash received or paid on hedge contracts settled during the period (defined below).

Equity investment MTM adjustments. We record our proportionate share of earnings/loss from our equity investments in Virgin Atlantic and Aeroméxico in non-operating expense. We adjust for our equity method investees' hedge portfolio MTM adjustments to allow investors to understand and analyze our core operational performance in the periods shown.

Unrealized gain/loss on investments. We record the unrealized gains/losses on our equity investments in GOL, China Eastern, Air France-KLM and Korean Air, which are accounted for at fair value in non-operating expense. Adjusting for these gains/losses allows investors to better understand and analyze our core operational performance in the periods shown.

DGS sale adjustment. Because we sold DAL Global Services, LLC ("DGS") in December 2018, we have excluded the impact of DGS from 2018 results for comparability.


Three Months Ended


Three Months Ended


September 30, 2019


September 30, 2019


Pre-Tax


Income


Net


Net Income

(in millions, except per share data)

Income


Tax


Income


Per Diluted Share

GAAP

$

1,947



$

(452)



$

1,495



$

2.31


Adjusted for:








MTM adjustments and settlements

(25)



6



(19)




Equity investment MTM adjustments

10



(2)



8




Unrealized gain/loss on investments

35



(13)



22




Total adjustments

20



(9)



11



0.01


Non-GAAP

$

1,967



$

(461)



$

1,506



$

2.32


Change year-over-year

$

361








Percent change year-over-year

22

%






29

%









Three Months Ended


Three Months Ended


September 30, 2018


September 30, 2018


Pre-Tax


Income


Net


Net Income

(in millions, except per share data)

Income


Tax


Income


Per Diluted Share

GAAP

$

1,688



$

(366)



$

1,322



$

1.92


Adjusted for:








MTM adjustments and settlements

(16)



(2)



(18)




Equity investment MTM adjustments

(7)



(1)



(8)




Unrealized gain/loss on investments

(50)





(50)




DGS sale adjustment

(9)



2



(7)




Total adjustments

(82)



(1)



(83)



(0.12)


Non-GAAP

$

1,606



$

(367)



$

1,239



$

1.80










Operating Revenue, adjusted and Total Revenue Per Available Seat Mile ("TRASM"), adjusted. We adjust operating revenue and TRASM for refinery sales to third parties to determine operating revenue, adjusted and TRASM, adjusted because refinery sales to third parties are not related to our airline segment. Operating revenue, adjusted and TRASM, adjusted therefore provide a more meaningful comparison of revenue from our airline operations to the rest of the airline industry. We adjust for the DGS sale for the same reason described above under the heading pre-tax income and net income, adjusted.












Three Months Ended



(in millions)


September 30, 2019


September 30, 2018


Change

Operating revenue

$

12,560



$

11,953




Adjusted for:






Third-party refinery sales

(6)



(108)




DGS sale adjustment



(63)




Operating revenue, adjusted

$

12,554



$

11,783



6.5

%

Year-over-year change

$

771

















Nine Months Ended



(in millions)


September 30, 2019


September 30, 2018


Change

Operating revenue

$

35,568



$

33,696




Adjusted for:






Third-party refinery sales

(94)



(537)




DGS sale adjustment



(182)




Operating revenue, adjusted

$

35,474



$

32,977



7.6

%




















Three Months Ended





September 30, 2019


September 30, 2018


Change

TRASM (cents)

16.58



16.40




Adjusted for:






Third-party refinery sales

(0.01)



(0.15)




DGS sale adjustment



(0.09)




TRASM, adjusted

16.57



16.17



2.5

%












Nine Months Ended





September 30, 2019


September 30, 2018


Change

TRASM (cents)

16.94



16.78




Adjusted for:






Third-party refinery sales

(0.05)



(0.27)




DGS sale adjustment



(0.09)




TRASM, adjusted

16.90



16.42



2.9

%









Operating Margin, adjusted. We adjust operating margin for MTM adjustments and settlements and third-party refinery sales for the same reasons described above under the headings Pre-tax income and net income, adjusted and Operating Revenue and TRASM, adjusted.





Three Months Ended







September 30, 2019


September 30, 2018


Change

Operating margin

16.5

%


13.8

%



Adjusted for:






MTM adjustments and settlements

(0.2)

%


(0.1)

%



Third-party refinery sales

%


0.1

%



Operating margin, adjusted

16.3

%


13.7

%


2.5 pts









Free Cash Flow. We present free cash flow because management believes this metric is helpful to investors to evaluate the company's ability to generate cash that is available for use for debt service or general corporate initiatives. Adjustments include:

Net redemptions of short-term investments. Net redemptions of short-term investments represent the net purchase and sale activity of investments and marketable securities in the period, including gains and losses. We adjust for this activity to provide investors a better understanding of the company's free cash flow generated by our operations.

Strategic investments. Cash flows related to our investment in Hanjin-KAL, the largest shareholder of Korean Air, are included in our GAAP investing activities. We adjust free cash flow for this activity because it provides a more meaningful comparison to the airline industry.

Net cash flows related to certain airport construction projects and other. Cash flows related to certain airport construction projects are included in our GAAP operating activities and capital expenditures. We have adjusted for these items, which were primarily funded by cash restricted for airport construction, to provide investors a better understanding of the company's free cash flow and capital expenditures that are core to our operational performance in the periods shown.





Three Months Ended

(in millions)



September 30, 2019

Net cash provided by operating activities


$

2,245


Net cash used in investing activities


(1,125)


Adjustments:



Strategic investments


81


Net cash flows related to certain airport construction projects and other

229


Total free cash flow


$

1,430











Nine Months Ended

(in millions)



September 30, 2019

Net cash provided by operating activities


$

7,468


Net cash used in investing activities


(3,796)


Adjustments:



Net redemptions of short-term investments


(206)


Strategic investments


169


Net cash flows related to certain airport construction projects and other

414


Total free cash flow


$

4,050











Three Months Ended

(in millions)



September 30, 2018

Net cash provided by operating activities


$

1,500


Net cash used in investing activities


(903)


Adjustments:



Net redemptions of short-term investments


(42)


Net cash flows related to certain airport construction projects and other

100


Total free cash flow


$

655


Non-Fuel Unit Cost or Cost per Available Seat Mile, ("CASM-Ex"). We adjust CASM for the following items to determine CASM-Ex for the reasons described below:

Aircraft fuel and related taxes. The volatility in fuel prices impacts the comparability of year-over-year financial performance. The adjustment for aircraft fuel and related taxes allows investors to understand and analyze our non-fuel costs and year-over-year financial performance.

Ancillary businesses and refinery. We adjust for expenses related to aircraft maintenance we provide to third parties, our vacation wholesale operations, our private jet operations as well as refinery cost of sales to third parties. 2018 results also include staffing services performed by DGS. Because these businesses are not related to the generation of a seat mile, we adjust for the costs related to these areas to provide a more meaningful comparison of the costs of our airline operations to the rest of the airline industry.

Profit sharing. We adjust for profit sharing because this adjustment allows investors to better understand and analyze our recurring cost performance and provides a more meaningful comparison of our core operating costs to the airline industry.





Three Months Ended







September 30, 2019


September 30, 2018


Change

CASM (cents)

13.85



14.14




Adjusted for:






Aircraft fuel and related taxes

(2.96)



(3.43)




Ancillary businesses and refinery

(0.37)



(0.56)




Profit sharing

(0.68)



(0.54)




CASM-Ex

9.84



9.61



2.4

%













Nine Months Ended







September 30, 2019


September 30, 2018


Change

CASM (cents)

14.46



14.70




Adjusted for:






Aircraft fuel and related taxes

(3.10)



(3.33)




Ancillary businesses and refinery

(0.45)



(0.70)




Profit sharing

(0.60)



(0.49)




CASM-Ex

10.31



10.18



1.3

%









Capital Expenditures, net. We present net capital expenditures because management believes investors should be informed that a portion of these capital expenditures are reimbursed by a third party.




Three Months Ended

(in millions)


September 30, 2019

Flight equipment, including advance payments


$

549


Ground property and equipment, including technology


396


Net cash flows related to certain airport construction projects


(131)


Capital expenditures, net


$

814









Nine Months Ended

(in millions)


September 30, 2019

Flight equipment, including advance payments


$

2,774


Ground property and equipment, including technology


1,090


Net cash flows related to certain airport construction projects


(358)


Capital expenditures, net


$

3,506






Operating Expense, adjusted. We adjust operating expense for MTM adjustments and settlements, third-party refinery sales and DGS sale adjustment for the same reasons described above under the headings pre-tax income and net income, adjusted and operating revenue and TRASM, adjusted to determine operating expense, adjusted.



Three Months Ended



September 30,

(in millions)

2019

2018

Operating expense

$

10,489


$

10,308


Adjusted for:



MTM adjustments and settlements

25


16


Third-party refinery sales

(6)


(108)


DGS sale adjustment


(53)


Operating expense, adjusted

$

10,508


$

10,163


Year-over-year change

$

345







Fuel expense, adjusted and Average fuel price per gallon, adjusted. The tables below show the components of fuel expense, including the impact of hedging and the refinery on fuel expense and average price per gallon. We then adjust for MTM adjustments and settlements for the same reason described under the heading pre-tax income and net income, adjusted.







Average Price Per Gallon



Three Months Ended



Three Months Ended



September 30,



September 30,

(in millions, except per gallon data)

2019

2018



2019

2018

Fuel purchase cost

$

2,313


$

2,526




$

2.00


$

2.23


Fuel hedge impact

(25)


(16)




(0.02)


(0.01)


Refinery segment impact

(49)


(12)




(0.04)


(0.01)


Total fuel expense

$

2,239


$

2,498




$

1.94


$

2.21


MTM adjustments and settlements

25


16




0.02


0.01


Total fuel expense, adjusted

$

2,264


$

2,514




$

1.96


$

2.22


Change year-over-year

$

(249)







Percent change year-over-year

(10)

%












Average Price Per Gallon



Nine Months Ended



Nine Months Ended



September 30,



September 30,

(in millions, except per gallon data)

2019

2018



2019

2018

Fuel purchase cost

$

6,568


$

6,814




$

2.04


$

2.17


Fuel hedge impact

(8)


(20)





(0.01)


Refinery segment impact

(52)


(101)




(0.01)


(0.03)


Total fuel expense

$

6,508


$

6,693




$

2.03


$

2.13


MTM adjustments and settlements

8


20





0.01


Total fuel expense, adjusted

$

6,516


$

6,713




$

2.03


$

2.14


Change year-over-year


$

(197)







Non-operating Expense, adjusted. We adjust for equity investment MTM adjustments and unrealized gain/loss on investments to determine non-operating expense, adjusted for the same reasons described above in the heading pre-tax income and net income, adjusted.



Three Months Ended

(in millions)

September 30, 2019

September 30, 2018

Non-operating expense/(income)

$

124


$

(43)


Adjusted for:



Equity investment MTM adjustments

(10)


7


Unrealized gain/loss on investments

(35)


50


Non-operating expense, adjusted

$

79


$

14


Change year-over-year

$

65







Adjusted Debt to Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, Amortization and Rent ("EBITDAR"). We present adjusted debt to EBITDAR because management believes this metric is helpful to investors in assessing the company's overall debt profile. Adjusted debt includes LGA bonds and operating lease liabilities. We calculate EBITDAR by adding depreciation and amortization to GAAP operating income and adjusting for the fixed portion of operating lease expense.





(in billions)


September 30, 2019

Debt and finance lease obligations


$

10


Plus: Operating lease liability


6


Adjusted Debt


$

16









Last Twelve Months Ended

(in billions)


September 30, 2019

GAAP operating income


$

6


Adjusted for:



Depreciation and amortization


3


Fixed portion of operating lease expense


1


EBITDAR



$

10






Adjusted Debt to EBITDAR



1.7x


SOURCE Delta Air Lines

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