SkyWest (SKYW) Q2 2025 Earnings Call July 24, 2025 04:30 PM ET Company ParticipantsRobert Simmons - CFOEric Woodward - Chief Accounting OfficerRussell Childs - President, CEO & DirectorWade Steel - Chief Commercial OfficerHillary Cacanando - Director - Equity ResearchSavanthi Syth - Managing DirectorThomas Fitzgerald - VP - Equity ResearchDuane Pfennigwerth - Senior Managing Director - EquitiesCatherine O'Brien - Vice PresidentOperatorHello, and thank you for standing by. My name is Tiffany, and I will be y ...

SkyWest (SKYW) Q2 2025 Earnings Call July 24, 2025 04:30 PM ET Speaker0Hello, and thank you for standing by. My name is Tiffany, and I will be your conference operator today. At this time, I would like to welcome everyone to the SkyWest, Inc. Second Quarter twenty twenty five Results Call. All lines have been placed on mute to prevent any background noise.After the speakers' remarks, there will be a question and answer session. I would now like to turn the call over to Rob Simmons, Chief Financial Officer. ...

Core Insights - SkyWest, Inc. reported better-than-expected first-quarter 2025 results with earnings per share (EPS) of $2.42, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.04 and improving 66% year-over-year. Revenues reached $948.5 million, exceeding the estimate of $931.4 million and increasing 18% year-over-year [1]. Revenue Performance - Revenues from flying agreements, which contributed 96.5% to total revenues, grew 17.6% from the prior year's figure of $915.99 million. The airline carried 13.6% more passengers year-over-year, and departures increased by 19.1% year-over-year. However, the passenger load factor decreased by 2.2 points to 78.6% [2]. Management Commentary - Chip Childs, CEO of SkyWest, emphasized the solid demand for their services despite uncertain macroeconomic factors. The company is focused on enhancing value for partners, improving service to smaller communities, and investing in fleet upgrades for long-term growth. A multi-year contract extension with Delta Air Lines for five CRJ700 and 11 CRJ900 aircraft was also announced [3]. Operating Expenses - Operating expenses totaled $809 million, reflecting a 15% increase from the previous year, primarily due to higher maintenance costs for the CRJ fleet and increased flight production, partially offset by operational efficiencies from better fleet utilization [4]. Financial Position - As of the end of the first quarter, SkyWest had cash and marketable securities amounting to $750.88 million, down from $801.62 million in the prior quarter. Long-term debt decreased to $2.07 billion from $2.14 billion [5]. Share Repurchase and Capital Expenditures - During the first quarter of 2025, SkyWest repurchased 141,000 shares for $13.7 million under its share repurchase program, with $34 million remaining available. Capital expenditures for the quarter were $73 million, which included the purchase of four CRJ550 aircraft and other fixed assets [6].

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - SkyWest reported a net income of $101 million or $2.42 per diluted share for Q1 2025, reflecting a slight increase in production compared to Q4 2024 [5][11] - Total Q1 revenue was $948 million, up from $944 million in Q4 2024 and up 18% from $804 million in Q1 2024 [12] - Q1 pretax income was $121 million, with an effective tax rate of 17% [11] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Contract revenue for Q1 was $785 million, flat from Q4 2024 but up 16% from Q1 2024 [12] - Pro rate and charter revenue was $131 million, up 3% from Q4 2024 and up 29% from Q1 2024 [12] - Leasing and other revenue was $32 million, up 3% from Q4 2024 and up 28% from Q1 2024 [12] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company completed over 30,000 more flights in Q1 2025 compared to the same quarter last year, achieving a 99.9% adjusted completion rate [6] - The dual-class aircraft generated 87% of block hour production during Q1 [8] Company Strategy and Development Direction - SkyWest aims to restore or bring new service to underserved communities, redeploy and fully utilize its existing fleet, and prepare for the delivery of 16 new E175s over the next two years [7][9] - The company is focused on smart investments in its people and fleet while maintaining a disciplined approach to growth opportunities [9][10] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the company's positioning despite macroeconomic uncertainties, highlighting strong demand for their services [10] - The company anticipates a 12% to 13% increase in block hour production in 2025 compared to 2024, driven by improved fleet utilization and ongoing strong demand [18] Other Important Information - The company ended Q1 with cash of $751 million, down from $821 million in Q1 2024, and reduced debt to $2.6 billion [13][15] - SkyWest expects capital expenditures for 2025 to be approximately $575 million to $600 million, including the purchase of eight new E175s [17] Q&A Session Summary Question: When will discussions about extending contracts for E175s begin? - Management is optimistic about continuing to fly the E175s for their major partners due to their good maintenance and performance [30][31] Question: What are the guardrails for pacing future share purchases? - The company evaluates capital deployment quarterly and has repurchased about 22% of its shares since early 2023 [32][34] Question: What is the status of the CRJ200 fleet? - Approximately 80 CRJ200s are currently flying, with some being used in SkyWest Charter and others sold or leased [35][37] Question: How are customers scheduling flights given stronger peaks and weaker off-peak periods? - Management noted that while there is strong demand, they are still in a catch-up mode with partners due to ongoing pilot shortages [41][42] Question: What is the outlook for SkyWest Charter? - The company anticipates that the majority of aircraft will return to SkyWest Charter as demand fluctuates seasonally [45][46] Question: What is the status of the DOT approval process for SkyWest Charter? - Management is awaiting final approval from the DOT, which has been delayed due to chaotic conditions in Washington, D.C. [54][57] Question: How does the company view consolidation in the regional industry? - Management prefers organic growth and strategic asset acquisitions rather than mergers, emphasizing their focus on enhancing partnerships [80][82]