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8-K - ALASKA AIR GROUP FORM 8-K - ALASKA AIR GROUP, INC.alk8-k72612earningsrelease.htm
EX-99.1 - SECOND QUARTER 2012 EARNINGS PRESS RELEASE - ALASKA AIR GROUP, INC.alk8-k72612ex991earningsre.htm


Exhibit 99.2
Investor Update - July 26, 2012

References in this update to “Air Group,” “Company,” “we,” “us,” and “our” refer to Alaska Air Group, Inc. and its subsidiaries, unless otherwise specified.

This update includes forecasted operational and financial information for our mainline and consolidated operations. Our disclosure of operating cost per available seat mile, excluding fuel and other items, provides us (and may provide investors) with the ability to measure and monitor our performance without these items. The most directly comparable GAAP measure is total operating expenses per available seat mile. However, due to the large fluctuations in fuel prices, we are unable to predict total operating expenses for any future period with any degree of certainty. In addition, we believe the disclosure of fuel expense on an economic basis is useful to investors in evaluating our ongoing operational performance. Please see the cautionary statement under “Forward-Looking Information.”

We are providing information about estimated fuel prices and our hedging program. Management believes it is useful to compare results between periods on an “economic basis.” Economic fuel expense is defined as the raw or “into-plane” fuel cost less any cash we receive from hedge counterparties for hedges that settle during the period, offset by the recognition of premiums originally paid for those hedges that settle during the period. Economic fuel expense more closely approximates the net cash outflow associated with purchasing fuel for our operation.


Forward-Looking Information
This update contains forward-looking statements subject to the safe harbor protection provided by Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements relate to future events and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that may cause actual outcomes to be materially different from those indicated by any forward-looking statements. For a comprehensive discussion of potential risk factors, see Item 1A of the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2011. Some of these risks include general economic conditions, increases in operating costs including fuel, competition, labor costs and relations, our significant indebtedness, inability to meet cost reduction goals, seasonal fluctuations in our financial results, an aircraft accident, and changes in laws and regulations. All of the forward-looking statements are qualified in their entirety by reference to the risk factors discussed therein. We operate in a continually changing business environment, and new risk factors emerge from time to time. Management cannot predict such new risk factors, nor can it assess the impact, if any, of such new risk factors on our business or events described in any forward-looking statements. We expressly disclaim any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements after the date of this report to conform them to actual results. Over time, our actual results, performance or achievements will likely differ from the anticipated results, performance or achievements that are expressed or implied by our forward-looking statements, and such differences might be significant and materially adverse.

 




ALASKA AIRLINES - MAINLINE
Forecast Information
 
Forecast
Q3 2012
 
Change
Y-O-Y
 
Forecast
Full Year 2012
 
Change
Y-O-Y
 
Prior Guidance Jun 14, 2012
Capacity (ASMs in millions)
7,330 - 7,430
 
~ 6.5%
 
28,100 - 28,200
 
~ 6%
 
27,850 - 28,350
Cost per ASM excluding fuel and special items (cents)(a)
7.35 - 7.45
 
1% - 2.5%
 
7.60 - 7.65
 
~ 0.5%
 
7.50 - 7.55
Fuel gallons (000,000)
95
 
~ 5%
 
365 - 370
 
~ 6%
 
365 - 370
Economic fuel cost per gallon(b)
$3.09
 
~ (4%)
 
(a) 
 
(a) 
 
(a) 
(a) 
The increase in full year cost per ASM excluding fuel and special items guidance is due to the estimated increase in variable incentive pay per ASM.
(b) 
Our economic fuel cost per gallon estimate for the third quarter includes the following per-gallon assumptions:  crude oil cost - $2.02 ($85 per barrel); refining margin - 80 cents; cost of settled hedges - 9 cents, with the remaining difference due to taxes and other into-plane costs. Because of the volatility of fuel prices, we do not provide full-year economic fuel estimates.

Changes in Advance Booked Load Factors (percentage of ASMs that are sold)(a) 
 
July
 
August
 
September
Point Change Y-O-Y
flat
 
+ 1.5 pts
 
+ 1.0 pt
Prior Guidance Jun 14, 2012 - Point Change Y-O-Y
+ 3.0 pts
 
+ 3.5 pts
 
N/A
(a) 
Percentage point change compared to the same point in time last year.

AIR GROUP - CONSOLIDATED
Forecast Information
 
Forecast
Q3 2012
 
Change
Y-O-Y
 
Forecast
Full Year 2012
 
Change
Y-O-Y
 
Prior Guidance Jun 14, 2012
Capacity (ASMs in millions)
8,200 - 8,300
 
~ 6.5%
 
31,350 - 31,450
 
~ 6%
 
31,100 - 31,600
Cost per ASM excluding fuel and special items (cents)(a)
8.20 - 8.30
 
0.5% - 1.5%
 
8.50 - 8.55
 
~ flat
 
8.40 - 8.45
Fuel gallons (000,000)
110
 
~ 6%
 
420 - 425
 
~ 6%
 
420 - 425
Economic fuel cost per gallon(b)
$3.09
 
~ (5%)
 
(a) 
 
(a) 
 
(a) 
(a) 
The increase in full year cost per ASM excluding fuel and special items guidance is due to the estimated increase in variable incentive pay per ASM.
(b) 
Because of the volatility of fuel prices, we do not provide full-year economic fuel estimates.

Changes in Advance Booked Load Factors (percentage of ASMs that are sold)(a) 
 
July
 
August
 
September
Point Change Y-O-Y
flat
 
+ 1.5 pts
 
+ 1.0 pt
Prior Guidance Jun 14, 2012 - Point Change Y-O-Y
+ 3.0 pts
 
+ 3.5 pts
 
N/A
(a) 
Percentage point change compared to the same point in time last year.

Nonoperating Expense
We expect that our consolidated nonoperating expense will be approximately $7 million and $9 million in the third quarter of 2012.




AIR GROUP - CONSOLIDATED (continued)

Capital Expenditures(a) 
Total expected capital expenditures for 2012 and 2013 are as follows (in millions): 
 
2012
 
2013
Aircraft and aircraft purchase deposits
$
380

 
$
295

Other flight equipment
30

 
20

Other property and equipment
60

 
65

Total property and equipment additions
$
470

 
$
380

(a) 
Preliminary estimate, subject to change

Firm Aircraft Commitments
The tables below reflect the current delivery schedules for firm aircraft:  
 
Remaining 2012
 
2013
 
2014
 
2015
 
2016
 
Total
Boeing 737-800

 

 
1

 
2

 

 
3

Boeing 737-900ER
4

 
9

 
9

 

 

 
22

Totals
4

 
9

 
10

 
2

 

 
25


In addition to the firm orders noted above, Air Group has options to acquire 39 additional B737 aircraft and 10 Q400 aircraft.

Projected Fleet Count(a) 
 
 
 
 
Actual Fleet Count
 
Expected Fleet Activity
Aircraft
 
Seats
 
Dec 31, 2011
 
Jun 30, 2012
 
2012
Changes
 
Dec 31, 2012
 
2013
Changes
 
Dec 31, 2013
 
2014
Changes
 
Dec 31, 2014
737-400
 
144

 
24

 
24

 

 
24

 
(3
)
 
21

 
(5
)
 
16

737-400F(b)
 

 
1

 
1

 

 
1

 

 
1

 

 
1

737-400C(b)
 
72

 
5

 
5

 

 
5

 

 
5

 

 
5

737-700
 
124

 
17

 
17

 

 
17

 

 
17

 
(3
)
 
14

737-800
 
157

 
58

 
61

 

 
61

 

 
61

 
1

 
62

737-900
 
172

 
12

 
12

 

 
12

 

 
12

 

 
12

737-900ER
 
181

 

 

 
4

 
4

 
9

 
13

 
9

 
22

Q400
 
76

 
48

 
50

 
(2
)
 
48

 

 
48

 

 
48

Totals
 
 
 
165

 
170

 
2

 
172

 
6

 
178

 
2

 
180

(a)
The expected fleet counts at December 31, 2012, 2013 and 2014 are subject to change.
(b)
F-Freighter; C-Combination freighter/passenger.





AIR GROUP - CONSOLIDATED (continued)

Future Fuel Hedge Positions(a) 
We use both call options on crude oil futures and swap instruments on LA Jet refining margins to hedge against price volatility of future jet fuel consumption. We have refining margin swaps in place for approximately 50% of our third quarter 2012 estimated jet fuel purchases at an average price of 73 cents per gallon. Our crude oil positions are as follows:
 
Approximate % of Expected Fuel Requirements
 
Weighted-Average Crude Oil Price per Barrel
 
Average Premium Cost per Barrel
Third Quarter 2012
50%
 
$100
 
$10
Fourth Quarter 2012
50%
 
$100
 
$10
   Remainder of 2012
50%
 
$100
 
$10
First Quarter 2013
50%
 
$98
 
$12
Second Quarter 2013
50%
 
$98
 
$12
Third Quarter 2013
44%
 
$99
 
$12
Fourth Quarter 2013
38%
 
$100
 
$12
   Full Year 2013
46%
 
$99
 
$12
First Quarter 2014
33%
 
$100
 
$12
Second Quarter 2014
28%
 
$99
 
$12
Third Quarter 2014
22%
 
$98
 
$12
Fourth Quarter 2014
17%
 
$100
 
$11
   Full Year 2014
25%
 
$99
 
$12
First Quarter 2015
11%
 
$99
 
$10
Second Quarter 2015
6%
 
$92
 
$10
   Full Year 2015
4%
 
$96
 
$10
(a)
All of our future oil positions are call options, which are designed to effectively cap the cost of the crude oil component of our jet fuel purchases. With call options, we benefit from a decline in crude oil prices, as there is no cash outlay other than the premiums we pay to enter into the contracts.

Fuel Price Sensitivity
Given our current fuel-hedge portfolio, the following table depicts the sensitivity of fuel prices under various crude oil and refining margin future prices for the remainder of 2012:
 
 
 
Crude Price per Barrel
 
 
 
$
70

 
$
80

 
$
90

 
$
100

 
$
110

Refining Margin
(cents per Gallon)
60

 
$
3.00

 
$
3.12

 
$
3.23

 
$
3.33

 
$
3.42

70

 
$
3.04

 
$
3.16

 
$
3.27

 
$
3.37

 
$
3.46

80

 
$
3.08

 
$
3.20

 
$
3.32

 
$
3.41

 
$
3.50

90

 
$
3.12

 
$
3.24

 
$
3.36

 
$
3.45

 
$
3.54

100

 
$
3.16

 
$
3.28

 
$
3.40

 
$
3.49

 
$
3.58