Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company reported total revenue of $255.5 million for Q3 2025, a 2.4% increase compared to Q3 2024, driven by a 3.8% increase in total block hours [10] - GAAP EPS for Q3 was $0.03, while adjusted EPS was $0.07, with a GAAP pre-tax margin of 8% and an adjusted pre-tax margin of 2% [9] - Year-over-year adjusted margin expansion was achieved for the fourth consecutive quarter [9] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Cargo revenue increased by 60% year-over-year in September, with total cargo revenue for Q3 reaching $44 million, the highest quarterly cargo revenue in the company's history [5][11] - Revenue from the passenger segment, which includes scheduled service and charter business, decreased by 3.2% year-over-year due to reduced scheduled service operations [10] - Charter revenue grew by 15.6% in Q3, with charter block hours increasing by 11.1% [11] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Scheduled service ASMs (Available Seat Miles) decreased by 10.2% in Q3 as resources were shifted to support cargo growth [10] - The company expects scheduled service ASMs to decline between 8% and 9% in Q4 2025 compared to the previous year [11] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on cargo expansion, aiming to grow its cargo fleet to 20 aircraft, all of which are currently operational [5] - The strategy includes reallocating capacity between charter and scheduled services to maximize profitability and minimize earnings volatility [15] - The company plans to expand its passenger fleet to 50 aircraft by mid-2027 [9] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in achieving $300 million of run rate EBITDA after Q2 2027, despite potential delays due to various factors [6] - The company anticipates a strong winter peak season with no negative indicators in demand or competitive movements [33] - Management expects TRASM (Total Revenue per Available Seat Mile) to increase over 6% in Q4 and anticipates even stronger advances in Q1 2026 [6][72] Other Important Information - The company closed on a $108 million term loan facility with a fixed rate of 5.98% per annum, which will enhance liquidity [13] - Year-to-date, the company has completed $20 million in share repurchases and expects to spend between $80 and $90 million in CapEx for the full year of 2025 [14] Q&A Session Summary Question: Impact of cargo on seasonality - Management indicated that while cargo growth has affected peak period flying, they expect to rebuild scheduled service in subsequent quarters, maintaining traditional seasonality patterns [17][19] Question: Maintenance costs in Q4 - Management elaborated that increased maintenance costs are due to fleet expansion and heavy checks, with efforts to stabilize maintenance demand [20][28] Question: RASM progression and holiday bookings - Management reported strong sales into the winter period, with no negative indicators affecting RASM, and noted that Minneapolis is becoming a two-airline market, which is beneficial [32][34] Question: Scheduled service capacity growth - Management stated that scheduled service capacity is expected to grow significantly as they bring back frequencies and utilize more aircraft, focusing on peak periods [116][118] Question: Operating margins for next year - Management expressed optimism about margin expansion in 2026, citing improvements in TRASM and unit costs, despite some maintenance cost pressures [91][122]

Group 1 - The energy sector is volatile but essential for the global economy, suggesting that investors should consider including energy stocks in their portfolios [2] - The energy sector is divided into three segments: upstream (production), midstream (transportation), and downstream (refining and chemical products) [3] - Upstream and downstream segments are heavily influenced by commodity prices, which can lead to significant performance swings [4] Group 2 - ConocoPhillips operates solely in the upstream segment, focusing on oil and natural gas drilling, while Chevron has a more diversified business model across all three segments [5] - ConocoPhillips offers direct exposure to commodity prices but has a more volatile dividend, increasing in good times and decreasing in bad times [6] - Chevron is one of the largest integrated energy companies, providing a more stable dividend due to its diversified operations [7]