Core Insights - Alaska Air Group (ALK) reported fourth-quarter 2025 earnings of 43 cents per share, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 11 cents but down 55.7% year over year due to high operating costs [1][10] - Operating revenues reached $3.63 billion, slightly below the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $3.65 billion, with total revenues increasing 2.8% year over year [2][10] Revenue Breakdown - Passenger revenues constituted 89.4% of total revenues, rising 2% to $3.25 billion, although it fell short of the estimate of $3.35 billion [2] - Cargo and other revenues increased 11% to $146 million, surpassing the estimate of $138 million, while loyalty program revenues grew 6% to $238 million, exceeding the estimate of $197 million [3] - Corporate travel saw a 9% increase, and premium revenues grew by 7% [3] Operational Metrics - Revenue per available seat mile (RASM) increased by 0.6% to 15.63 cents, while yield rose by 2.9% to 17.15 cents [4] - Consolidated traffic decreased by 0.7% to 18.94 billion revenue passenger miles, while capacity increased by 2.2% to 23.23 billion available seat miles [5] - Load factor fell to 81.5% from 83.8% in the prior year, indicating a decline in efficiency [5] Cost and Liquidity - Total operating expenses rose by 3% to $3.56 billion, with economic fuel prices increasing by 1.2% to $2.57 per gallon [5][6] - As of December 31, 2025, Alaska Air had $627 million in cash and cash equivalents, down from $778 million in the previous quarter, and long-term debt increased to $4.83 billion [7] Future Outlook - For the first quarter of 2026, ALK anticipates an adjusted loss per share between 50 cents and $1.50, with a capacity increase projected at 1% to 2% [8] - For the full year 2026, adjusted earnings per share are expected to range from $3.5 to $6.5, with a capacity increase of 2% to 3% and capital expenditures estimated between $1.4 billion and $1.5 billion [9]