Spirit Airlines announces 2014 Results

FEB 11, 2015: Spirit Airlines reported fourth quarter and full year 2014 financial results. Adjusted net income for the fourth quarter 2014 increased 43.2 percent to $58.7 million ($0.80 per diluted share) compared to the fourth quarter 2013^.

GAAP net income for the fourth quarter 2014 increased 29.4 percent year over year to $55.9 million ($0.76 per diluted share).Adjusted net income for the full year 2014 increased 33.3 percent year over year to $236.7 million ($3.23 per diluted share). GAAP net income for the full year 2014 increased 27.4 percent year over year to $225.5 million ($3.08 per diluted share).

Adjusted pre-tax margin for the fourth quarter 2014 was 19.7 percent, up 4.3 percentage point’s year over year. For the full year 2014, adjusted pre-tax margin was 19.2 percent, up 2.1 percentage points compared to 2013. On a GAAP basis, pre-tax margin for the fourth quarter 2014 was 18.8 percent and for the full year 2014 was 18.3 percent.

“I want to thank our team members that contributed to our solid operational and financial performance in 2014. During 2014, we improved our customers’ understanding of our Bare Fare™ plus Frill Control™ product design, which led to increased customer satisfaction, improved our financial results, and maintained a very high completion rate while improving our on-time performance by 600 basis points,” said Ben Baldanza, Spirit’s Chief Executive Officer. “We have the right team, resources, and business model to continue to successfully grow our business. I’m pleased to be a part of the Spirit team and am excited about bringing our ultra-low fares to even more people in more places.”

For the fourth quarter 2014, Spirit’s total operating revenue was $474.5 million, an increase of 13.0 percent compared to the fourth quarter 2013, driven by an increase in flight volume. Total revenue per available seat mile (“RASM”) for the fourth quarter 2014 decreased 5.1 percent compared to the fourth quarter 2013 on a capacity increase of 18.9 percent. The decrease was driven by a mix of lower passenger yields and a 1.4 point decline in load factor. Total revenue per passenger flight segment (“PFS”) for the fourth quarter 2014 decreased 3.7 percent year over year to $127.91, driven by a 6.1 percent decrease in ticket revenue per PFS and a 0.3 percent decrease in non-ticket revenue per PFS.

Spirit reported fourth quarter 2014 cost per available seat mile (“ASM”) excluding special items and fuel (“Adjusted CASM ex-fuel”)³ of 5.61 cents, a decrease of 2.9 percent compared to the same period last year driven in part by lower distribution expense, maintenance expense, and aircraft rent per ASM. Distribution expense per ASM in the fourth quarter 2014 was lower compared to the same period last year primarily due to a one-time litigation settlement gain of approximately $2.9 million and a larger percentage of tickets being booked directly through spirit.com, the Company’s lowest cost distribution channel. The decrease in maintenance expense per ASM year over year was driven by an expense reversal in the fourth quarter 2014 associated with an insurance claim, along with a one-time $750,000 insurance deductible expense in the fourth quarter 2013. The decrease in aircraft rent per ASM was driven by a change in the mix of leased (rent recorded under aircraft rent) and purchased (amortization recorded under depreciation and amortization) aircraft.