Alaska Air Group (NYSE: ALK ), the parent company of Alaska Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines, and Horizon Air, is one of the larger players in the North American airline industry. With an operational focus on the West Coast of America, the group caters to one ofMountain Valley Value Investments specializes in identifying undervalued companies with strong growth potential across various sectors. Focused on long-term value and buying at the right price, we leverage deep industry insights and rigorous analysis to u ...

The Q4 earnings season has remained strong with companies from various sectors standing out in this week’s lineup. Notably, as of yesterday, earnings from the S&P 500 members were up 19.2% from Q4 2023.Able to crush their bottom-line expectations on Thursday, here are two intriguing stocks to keep an eye on in the coming weeks. Alaska Air Group – ALKZacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) Alaska Air Group (ALK)  stood out in the transportation sector as Q4 EPS of $0.97 blasted estimates of $0.47 a share by 106%. More im ...

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The Company has made reference in this presentation to financial metrics which are not in accordance with GAAP. Pursuant to Regulation G, we have provided reconcliliations of non-GAAP financial measures to their most directly comparable financial measures reported on a GAAP basis within the Fourth Quarter 2024 Earnings Release filed concurrently with this presentation. Prior year non-GAAP financial metrics have been reconciled in previous SEC filings, and can be referenced therein. ALASKA AIR GROUP Q4 2024 ...

Financial Data and Key Metrics - The company reported its fourth quarter 2024 earnings, with detailed results available in the earnings release and accompanying slides on the investor relations website [4] Business Line Data and Key Metrics - No specific data or metrics related to individual business lines were mentioned in the provided content [4] Market Data and Key Metrics - No specific data or metrics related to individual markets were mentioned in the provided content [4] Company Strategy and Industry Competition - No specific details on company strategy, development direction, or industry competition were mentioned in the provided content [4] Management Commentary on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - No specific commentary from management on the operating environment or future outlook was mentioned in the provided content [4] Other Important Information - The earnings call included updates from Ben Minicucci (President and CEO), Andrew Harrison (Chief Revenue Officer and CCO), and Shane Tackett (Chief Financial Officer) [4] - Several other members of the management team were also available to answer questions during the Q&A portion of the call [4] Q&A Session Summary - No specific questions or answers from the Q&A session were mentioned in the provided content [4]

Alaska Air Group, Inc. (ALK) reported solid fourth-quarter 2024 results, wherein both earnings and revenues surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate. Quarterly earnings per share (EPS) of 97 cents outpaced the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 47 cents and improved more than 100% on a year-over-year basis. The reported figure exceeded the guided range of 40-50 cents.The bottom line benefited from solid revenue growth, cost and operational performance throughout the quarter and holiday travel periods. ALK also benef ...

Reported record full year revenue of $11.7 billionFourth quarter and full year adjusted earnings per share exceed high end of previously reported guidanceRepurchased approximately $250 million in outstanding shares in the fourth quarterAnnounced record performance-based pay, totaling six weeks pay for most Alaska and Horizon employeesSEATTLE, Jan. 22, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Alaska Air Group Inc. (NYSE: ALK) today reported financial results for the fourth quarter and full year ended December 31, 2024.Air Group ...

Alaska Air Group (ALK) came out with quarterly earnings of $0.97 per share, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.47 per share. This compares to earnings of $0.30 per share a year ago. These figures are adjusted for non-recurring items.This quarterly report represents an earnings surprise of 106.38%. A quarter ago, it was expected that this airline would post earnings of $2.20 per share when it actually produced earnings of $2.25, delivering a surprise of 2.27%.Over the last four quarters, the company ...

Revenue and Earnings Performance - Record full year revenue of $11.7 billion in 2024[1] - Fourth quarter adjusted earnings per share of $0.97, exceeding guidance by $0.50 at the midpoint[5] - Full year adjusted pretax margin of 7.1%, among the highest in the industry[2] - Full year 2025 adjusted earnings per share guidance of >$5.75[10] - Total operating revenue increased by 38% to $3.534 billion in Q4 2024 compared to $2.553 billion in Q4 2023[22] - Passenger revenue grew by 37% to $3.178 billion in Q4 2024 from $2.326 billion in Q4 2023[22] - Cargo and other revenue surged by 113% to $132 million in Q4 2024 from $62 million in Q4 2023[22] - Operating income rose by 128% to $73 million in Q4 2024 compared to $32 million in Q4 2023[22] - Net income improved significantly to $71 million in Q4 2024 from a net loss of $2 million in Q4 2023[22] - Passenger revenue for Q4 2024 increased by 9% to $3.178 billion compared to the pro forma $2.928 billion in Q4 2023[57] - Total operating revenue for Q4 2024 grew by 10% to $3.534 billion from the pro forma $3.221 billion in Q4 2023[57] Cash Flow and Financial Position - Generated $1.5 billion in operating cash flow for the full year 2024[12] - Total assets increased to $19.768 billion as of December 31, 2024, up from $14.613 billion as of December 31, 2023[23] - Cash and cash equivalents grew substantially to $1.201 billion as of December 31, 2024, compared to $281 million as of December 31, 2023[23] - Net cash provided by operating activities was $1.464 billion for the full year 2024, with $274 million generated in Q4 2024[26] Share Repurchases and Capital Allocation - Repurchased $250 million in outstanding shares in Q4 2024, totaling $312 million for the year[16] Operational Metrics and Performance - Q4 2024 RASM increased by 7.0% compared to pro forma 2023[5] - Q4 2024 CASMex increased by 8.6% compared to pro forma 2023[5] - Revenue passengers increased by 32% to 14,339,000 in Q4 2024 compared to 10,903,000 in Q4 2023[36] - RPMs (traffic) grew by 35% to 19,068,000,000 in Q4 2024 from 14,153,000,000 in Q4 2023[36] - ASMs (capacity) rose by 33% to 22,744,000,000 in Q4 2024 from 17,077,000,000 in Q4 2023[36] - Load factor improved by 0.9 percentage points to 83.8% in Q4 2024 compared to 82.9% in Q4 2023[36] - Economic fuel cost per gallon decreased by 26% to $2.54 in Q4 2024 from $3.42 in Q4 2023[36] - Adjusted income before income tax increased to $137 million in Q4 2024 from $57 million in Q4 2023[40] - Adjusted pretax margin improved to 3.9% in Q4 2024 from 2.2% in Q4 2023[40] - Revenue passengers increased by 5.8% to 14.339 million in Q4 2024 from 13.559 million in Q4 2023[57] - RPMs (traffic) grew by 3.8% to 19.068 billion in Q4 2024 from 18.374 billion in Q4 2023[57] - ASMs (capacity) increased by 2.5% to 22.744 billion in Q4 2024 from 22.181 billion in Q4 2023[57] - Load factor improved by 1.0 percentage point to 83.8% in Q4 2024 from 82.8% in Q4 2023[57] - Yield increased by 4.7% to 16.67 cents in Q4 2024 from 15.92 cents in Q4 2023[57] - RASM grew by 7.0% to 15.54 cents in Q4 2024 from 14.52 cents in Q4 2023[57] - CASMex increased by 8.6% to 11.57 cents in Q4 2024 from 10.65 cents in Q4 2023[57] - Total operating expenses for Q4 2024 were $3,461 million, compared to $3,312 million in Q4 2023[59] - Aircraft fuel costs decreased to $702 million in Q4 2024 from $919 million in Q4 2023[59] - CASMex (operating costs excluding fuel, freighter costs, and special items per ASM) increased to 11.57¢ in Q4 2024 from 10.65¢ in Q4 2023[59] - ASMs (available seat miles) increased to 22,744 million in Q4 2024 from 22,181 million in Q4 2023[59] - Freighter costs increased to $37 million in Q4 2024 from $15 million in Q4 2023[59] - Special items - operating increased to $91 million in Q4 2024 from $15 million in Q4 2023[59] - Total operating expenses, excluding fuel, freighter costs, and special items, increased to $2,631 million in Q4 2024 from $2,363 million in Q4 2023[59] Strategic Initiatives and Future Plans - Announced plans to add 12 international widebody destinations by 2030[16] - Launched Huaka'i by Hawaiian, offering exclusive travel benefits to HawaiianMiles members[16] Debt and Leverage - Debt-to-capitalization ratio, including leases, increased to 58% in 2024 from 46% in 2023[47] - Adjusted net debt to EBITDAR ratio rose to 2.4x in 2024 from 1.4x in 2023[49] Integration and Transition Costs - Integration costs related to the acquisition of Hawaiian Airlines totaled $80 million in Q4 2024 and $208 million for the full year 2024[33] - Fleet transition costs resulted in a benefit of $40 million in Q4 2024 compared to an expense of $30 million in Q4 2023[33] Key Metrics and Management Focus - CASMex is a key metric used by management and the Air Group Board of Directors to assess cost performance[61] - Adjusted pretax income is a critical metric for the employee incentive plan, covering the majority of Air Group employees[61] - Fuel expense represents a significant percentage of total operating expenses, and fluctuations in fuel prices impact unit revenue in the mid-to-long term[61]

When deciding whether to buy, sell, or hold a stock, investors often rely on analyst recommendations. Media reports about rating changes by these brokerage-firm-employed (or sell-side) analysts often influence a stock's price, but are they really important?Let's take a look at what these Wall Street heavyweights have to say about Alaska Air Group (ALK) before we discuss the reliability of brokerage recommendations and how to use them to your advantage.Alaska Air currently has an average brokerage recommenda ...