eastunder
2 years ago
Frontier Airlines Poised for Significant Growth as America’s Ultra-Low Cost Carrier
Frontier Airlines, Inc.
Wed, July 27, 2022 at 2:07 PM·13 min read
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/frontier-airlines-poised-significant-growth-200700592.html
DENVER, July 27, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Frontier Group Holdings, Inc. (“Frontier”) (NASDAQ: ULCC), parent company of Frontier Airlines, Inc., highlighted its strong foundation and the significant growth opportunities ahead as a standalone company. In addition, the Company announced an unprecedented deal for customers, offering one million passenger seats from $19.00*.
William A. Franke, the Chair of Frontier’s Board of Directors and the managing partner of Indigo Partners, Frontier’s majority shareholder, commented, “While we are disappointed that Spirit Airlines shareholders failed to recognize the value and consumer potential inherent in our proposed combination, the Frontier Board took a disciplined approach throughout the course of its negotiations with Spirit. We were focused on offering the appropriate value for Spirit, while prioritizing consumers and the best interests of Frontier, our employees and shareholders. As we enter our next chapter, Frontier remains well-positioned to deliver significant value to our shareholders as we serve the growing demand for affordable air travel.”
“As we continue to see a rebound in leisure travel, we have never been more confident in our strategy and prospects than we are today,” said Barry Biffle, President and CEO of Frontier. “Frontier remains America’s lowest-fare, lowest-cost airline that features the industry’s youngest, most fuel-efficient fleet, a robust order book, and a strong balance sheet. With the price-sensitive segment projected to grow, we are just getting started. In fact, today we are announcing a blockbuster sale – offering one million seats from $19.00*, underscoring our commitment to delivering Low Fares Done Right. No one is as cheap as Frontier. Looking ahead, we’ll continue to expand capacity and add new routes as America’s ultra-low-cost airline, and we look forward to creating new jobs and welcoming future employees to Team Frontier.”
Frontier has a strong foundation and clear plan to drive long-term value:
Gaining share in the growing leisure segment: As an ultra-low-cost leader, Frontier is well-positioned to capitalize on leisure demand as it returns and continues to build. As compared to Frontier’s ultra-low unit cost structure, 90% of the U.S. airline industry capacity is provided by airlines burdened by a greater than 35% higher unit cost, while over half of the U.S. industry capacity has more than 70% higher unit cost than Frontier1. With JetBlue seeking to convert Spirit Airlines into a high-cost airline, Frontier will be unmatched as the ultra-low cost leader. As Frontier continues to expand, it will focus on outperforming other airlines with industry-leading unit costs, profit per plane and cash generation.
Delivering the lowest fares and lowest costs in America: Frontier will continue to be America’s lowest-fare, lowest-cost airline. In 2019, Frontier offered the lowest average fare per domestic journey of $54 compared to legacy airlines average fare of $202. As announced today, Frontier also plans to sell one million passenger seats from $19.00*, underscoring its commitment to providing ultra-low fares to consumers. In addition to the lowest fares, Frontier features the lowest cost structure in the U.S. with adjusted CASM + net interest of $7.84 in 2019. Frontier’s long-standing focus on leisure travel requires no change in fare levels to achieve profitability as leisure travel fully returns following the pandemic, and Frontier’s fares will be even more attractive following a JetBlue acquisition of Spirit, which would eliminate a large ULCC carrier.
Expanding America’s youngest, most modern fleet: Frontier flies the youngest, most modern and fuel-efficient fleet of any US carrier, and has among the largest A320neo family fleet of any airline in the country. From a fleet of more than 100 aircraft today, Frontier has a robust order book of 244 aircraft to support its continued growth. With an average fleet age of four years, Frontier burns less fuel than any of the Big Four airlines, which saves its customers money and reduces the Company’s carbon footprint.2
Offering more sustainable and more affordable air travel: Frontier will continue to be America’s Greenest Airline and set the industry standard for fuel-efficiency. Through more fuel-efficient technology, lean & green seats, flying lighter and inflight changes, Frontier is 43% more fuel-efficient than other U.S. airlines. In 2021, this resulted in approximately $245 million of fuel savings and an industry-leading 101 available seat miles per gallon compared to an industry average of 71 available seat miles per gallon.3 Further, Frontier is committed to innovating to push its high environmental standards even higher. This includes the introduction of lightweight RECARO seats, which result in a 30% reduction in weight to lower the environmental impact of every flight. Our commitment to flying green goes hand in hand with our primary mission to provide customers with unmatched low fares.
Providing greater stability for employees: Frontier is committed to retaining and expanding its workforce and will continue to expand capacity and add new routes as a standalone airline, creating additional jobs across the Company. Frontier has the best team in the industry and is focused on expanding opportunities for Team Frontier and future employees.
Maintaining a strong balance sheet and significant cash generation: Although a merger with Spirit offered a unique opportunity to create a scaled ultra-low-cost competitor to the Big Four and JetBlue, Frontier’s strong balance sheet creates a catalyst for future growth. Through a prudent capital allocation strategy during the pandemic, Frontier has emerged with a solid cash and liquidity position. Frontier will continue to focus on delivering profitability and generating cash, while maintaining the financial flexibility to capitalize on near- and long-term growth opportunities, including expanding the company’s fleet, its team and its network.
The proven and resilient ultra-low-cost model continues to provide the foundation for Frontier’s growth strategy and for long-term shareholder value creation. Even amid rising fuel prices, Frontier continues to keep costs and fares low while generating record revenues and providing reliable service – with one of the highest completion rates in the industry during this year’s summer travel season. The Company’s recent performance further validates the financial performance of the ultra-low-cost model. With demand levels increasing as pandemic-related restrictions abate, Frontier is well positioned to grow rapidly and profitably and deliver for customers, employees and other stakeholders. Frontier looks forward to sharing more details about the significant opportunities ahead as a standalone company during its upcoming second quarter earnings announcement.
Second Quarter 2022 Financial Results
The Company announced that it will now be releasing second quarter 2022 financial results after market close today, Wednesday, July 27, 2022.
Management will host a live webcast with analysts to discuss these results today at 4:30pm ET. The webcast will be available to the public on a listen-only basis. To register in advance to access the webcast, visit http://ir.flyfrontier.com.
eastunder
2 years ago
Frontier Airlines, Inc.
Frontier Airlines, Inc.
DENVER, July 25, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Frontier Group Holdings, Inc., parent company of Frontier Airlines, Inc. (NASDAQ: ULCC), announced today it has rescheduled the release of its second quarter 2022 financial results and webcast previously scheduled for Thursday, July 28, 2022. The company will instead release second quarter 2022 results on Wednesday, July 27, 2022 after market close and host a live webcast to discuss these results the same day at 4:30pm ET.
The webcast will be available to the public on a listen-only basis. To access the webcast, or to pre-register for access with a dial-in line, visit http://ir.flyfrontier.com.
eastunder
2 years ago
Frontier Airlines and Spirit Airlines to Combine, Creating America’s Most Competitive Ultra-Low Fare Airline
Frontier Airlines, Inc.
Mon, February 7, 2022, 4:30 AM·14 min read
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/frontier-airlines-spirit-airlines-combine-113000734.html
Highly Complementary Networks to Serve Over 145 Destinations Across the United States, Latin America and the Caribbean
Consumers Win With $1 Billion in Annual Savings and Even More Ultra-Low Fares to More Places
Combined Airline to Drive Competition and Expand Service to Underserved Small and Mid-Sized Cities Across the United States
Combined Fleet Will Be the Youngest, Most Fuel-Efficient and Greenest in the United States
Combination Provides Better Opportunities and More Stability for 15,000 Professionals, Adding 10,000 Direct Jobs by 2026
Conference Call to Discuss Transaction Today at 6:30 AM MT / 8:30 AM ET
DENVER, Colo. and MIRAMAR, Fla., Feb. 07, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Spirit Airlines, Inc. (“Spirit”) (NYSE: SAVE) and Frontier Group Holdings, Inc. (“Frontier”) (NASDAQ: ULCC), parent company of Frontier Airlines, Inc., today announced a definitive merger agreement under which the companies will combine, creating America’s most competitive ultra-low fare airline.
Together, Frontier and Spirit expect to change the industry for the benefit of consumers, bringing more ultra-low fares to more travelers in more destinations across the United States, Latin America and the Caribbean, including major cities as well as underserved communities. The stronger financial profile of the combined company will empower it to accelerate investment in innovation and growth and compete even more aggressively, especially against the dominant “Big Four”1 airlines, among others.
William A. Franke, the Chair of Frontier’s Board of Directors and the managing partner of Indigo Partners, Frontier’s majority shareholder, noted that Indigo has a long history with both Spirit and Frontier, and is proud to partner with them in creating a disruptive airline. “We worked jointly with the Board of Directors and senior management team across both carriers to arrive at a combination of two complementary businesses that together will create America’s most competitive ultra-low fare airline for the benefit of consumers.”
“We are thrilled to join forces with Frontier to further democratize air travel,” said Ted Christie, President and CEO of Spirit. “This transaction is centered around creating an aggressive ultra-low fare competitor to serve our Guests even better, expand career opportunities for our Team Members and increase competitive pressure, resulting in more consumer-friendly fares for the flying public. We look forward to uniting our talented teams to shake up the airline industry while also continuing our commitment to excellent Guest service.”
“This combination is all about growth, opportunities and creating value for everyone – from our Guests to our Team Members to the flying public at large,” said Mac Gardner, Chairman of the Board of Spirit. “We’re a perfect fit – our businesses share similar values, including our longstanding commitment to affordable travel. At the same time, we have complementary footprints and fleets, including one of the youngest and greenest fleets worldwide. Together, we will be even more competitive for our Guests and our Team Members, and we are confident we can deliver on the benefits of this combination to consumers.”
“Together, Frontier and Spirit will be America’s Greenest Airline and deliver more ultra-low fares to more people in more places,” said Barry Biffle, President and CEO of Frontier. “I couldn’t be more excited for our team members, customers, partners, the communities we serve and our shareholders.”
Consumers Win With More Ultra-Low Fares to More Places
The combined airline is expected to:
Deliver $1 billion in annual consumer savings.
Offer more than 1,000 daily flights to over 145 destinations in 19 countries, across complementary networks.
Expand with more than 350 aircraft on order to deliver more ultra-low fares.
Increase access to ultra-low fares by adding new routes to underserved communities across the United States, Latin America and the Caribbean.
Deliver even more reliable service through a variety of operational efficiencies.
Expand frequent flyer and membership offerings.
Team Members Win With Expanded Opportunities and Increased Stability
By 2026 Spirit and Frontier expect to add 10,000 direct jobs and thousands of additional jobs at the companies’ business partners.
Given the growth of the combined company, it is expected that all current team members will have an opportunity to be a part of the combined airline.
Team Members of the combined airline will have better career opportunities and more stability as part of the most competitive ultra-low fare airline in the United States.
Sustainability Wins With America’s Greenest Airline
Frontier and Spirit will be America’s Greenest Airline, providing nationwide access to sustainable and affordable air travel. The combined airline will have the youngest, most modern and fuel-efficient fleet in the United States, featuring the largest fleet of A320neo family aircraft of any airline in the country. The combined airline is expected to achieve over 105 seat miles per gallon by 2025.
Shareholders Win With Superior Value Creation
The combination of Spirit and Frontier is expected to deliver enhanced value to shareholders of both companies.
On a combined basis, the company would have annual revenues of approximately $5.3 billion based on 2021 results.
Once combined, Frontier and Spirit expect to deliver annual run-rate operating synergies of $500 million once full integration is completed, which will be primarily driven by scale efficiencies and procurement savings across the enterprise with approximately $400 million in one-time costs.
The combined airline is expected to have a strengthened financial profile, with a cash balance of approximately $2.42 billion as of the end of 2021 on a combined basis.
Under the terms of the merger agreement, which has been unanimously approved by the boards of directors of both companies, Spirit equity holders will receive 1.9126 shares of Frontier plus $2.13 in cash for each existing Spirit share they own. This implies a value of $25.83 per Spirit share at Frontier’s closing stock price of $12.39 on February 4, 2022, representing a premium of 19% over the February 4, 2022, closing price of Spirit, and a 26% premium based on the 30 trading-day volume-weighted average prices of Frontier and Spirit. The transaction values Spirit at a fully diluted equity value of $2.9 billion, and a transaction value of $6.6 billion when accounting for the assumption of net debt and operating lease liabilities.
Upon closing of the transaction, existing Frontier equity holders will own approximately 51.5% and existing Spirit equity holders will own approximately 48.5% of the combined airline, on a fully diluted basis, providing both Frontier and Spirit equity holders with substantial upside potential.
Bringing Our Airlines Together – Governance and Timing to Completion
The Board of Directors for the new airline will be comprised of 12 directors (including the CEO), seven of whom will be named by Frontier and five of whom will be named by Spirit. Mr. Franke will be Chairman of the Board of the combined company.
The merger is expected to close in the second half of 2022, subject to satisfaction of customary closing conditions, including completion of the regulatory review process and approval by Spirit stockholders. Frontier’s controlling stockholder has approved the transaction and related issuance of shares of Frontier common stock upon signing of the merger agreement. The combined company’s management team, branding and headquarters will be determined by a committee led by Mr. Franke prior to close.
Merger Conference Call and Transaction Website Details
Frontier and Spirit will conduct a live conference call and webcast to discuss the transaction at 6:30 AM MT / 8:30 AM ET today. To listen to the live call, please dial (800) 459-5346 or (203) 518-9544 and enter the participant code 4789568.
A live webcast of the conference call will be accessible through: https://webinars.on24.com/messagebank/frontierspirit.com. The accompanying presentation slides will be available on both the Spirit website (https://ir.spirit.com) and the Frontier website (https://ir.flyfrontier.com), as well as www.EvenMoreUltraLowFares.com, a joint website dedicated to the transaction, at 6:15 AM MT / 8:15 AM ET. The webcast will also be available on the Spirit website (https://ir.spirit.com), the Frontier website (https://ir.flyfrontier.com) and www.EvenMoreUltraLowFares.com.
A replay of the call will be available until February 10, 2022, by dialing (888) 274-8331 or (402) 220-7332.
Spirit and Frontier Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2021 Earnings Results
In separate press releases today, Frontier and Spirit are also announcing earnings results for the fourth quarter and full year 2021. In light of today’s proposed transaction, Spirit and Frontier have canceled their previously announced calls for Wednesday, February 9, 2022, at 10:00 AM ET and 4:30 PM ET, respectively.
Advisors
Citigroup Global Markets Inc. is serving as financial advisor and Latham & Watkins, LLP is serving as legal advisor to Frontier. Barclays and Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC are serving as financial advisors and Debevoise & Plimpton LLP is serving as legal advisor to Spirit.
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