SkyWest's Stock Declines 1.7% Since Q2 Earnings Release

Core Insights - SkyWest, Inc. (SKYW) reported second-quarter 2025 results that exceeded expectations, with both earnings and revenues surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate and showing year-over-year improvement [1][2]. Financial Performance - Quarterly earnings per share were $2.91, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 24.4% and improving 59.9% year over year [2]. - Revenues reached $1.04 billion, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 5.3% and increasing 19.4% year over year [2]. - Revenues from flying agreements, which contributed 96.5% to total revenues, grew 17.8% from the previous year's figure of $987.5 million [3]. - Operating expenses were $865 million, up 16% from the year-ago quarter, attributed to increased flight production [5]. Operational Highlights - The airline carried 13.1% more passengers year over year, with departures increasing by 17.7% [3]. - The passenger load factor decreased by 1.6 points to 82.8% [3]. Strategic Initiatives - SkyWest has a multi-year flying contract with Delta Air Lines (DAL) to purchase and operate 16 new E175 aircraft, which will replace older models [4]. - By the end of 2028, SkyWest anticipates having nearly 300 E175 aircraft in its fleet [5]. - Capital expenditures during the reported quarter totaled $169 million, including the purchase of four CRJ550 aircraft and spare engines [8]. Shareholder Actions - The board approved a $250 million increase in the existing share repurchase plan, with $17.3 million spent to repurchase 195,000 shares at an average price of $88.61 [7]. - As of June 30, 2025, SkyWest had $267 million remaining under its current share repurchase program [7]. Cash and Debt Position - At the end of the second quarter, the company had cash and marketable securities of $727 million, down from $802 million at the end of the previous quarter [6]. - Long-term debt decreased to $2.5 billion from $2.7 billion at the end of the previous quarter [6]. Market Reaction - Despite the strong financial results, SkyWest's shares fell by 1.7% following the earnings release [1].