Atlas Air Worldwide Reports Third-Quarter 2017 Results

• Significant Revenue and Volume Growth
• Warrant Accounting Resulted in Reported Loss from Continuing Operations of $24.2 Million
• Excluding Warrant Accounting, Adjusted Income from Continuing Operations Was $29.7 Million After $1.7 Million Impact Related to Hurricanes
• 10 Aircraft Now Placed with Amazon
• Anticipating Strong Fourth Quarter; Slight Adjustment to Full-Year Outlook  

PURCHASE, N.Y., Nov. 07, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq:AAWW) today announced a loss from continuing operations, net of taxes, of $24.2 million, or $0.96 per diluted share, including an unrealized loss on warrants of $44.8 million, for the three months ended September 30, 2017. Results compared with a loss from continuing operations, net of taxes, of $7.5 million, or $0.30 per diluted share, for the three months ended September 30, 2016, which was primarily due to the tax impact of nondeductible expenses. 

On an adjusted basis, income from continuing operations, net of taxes, in the third quarter of 2017 totaled $29.7 million, or $1.08 per diluted share, which included a negative impact of $1.7 million, or $0.06 per diluted share, related to hurricanes. Results for the period compared with adjusted income of $27.4 million, or $1.09 per diluted share, in the year-ago quarter.

“We are encouraged by our performance in the third quarter, with 20% increases in both revenue and block hours, and higher direct contribution in all of our segments,” said President and Chief Executive Officer William J. Flynn. “Reflecting the strong demand for our services, yields rose and the utilization of our aircraft increased.

“We also placed and began operating our seventh 767-300 aircraft for Amazon in August, and introduced aircraft eight, nine and 10 in October. We remain on track to ramp up to a full 20 aircraft for Amazon by the end of 2018.

“In addition, we commenced flying for two new customers during the quarter – DHL Global Forwarding and Hong Kong Air Cargo, and we started operating our second 747-400 freighter for Nippon Cargo Airlines.

“While demand, volumes, yields and utilization increased during the third quarter, some of that performance was offset by higher maintenance expenses, labor-related operational disruptions and Hurricanes Irma and Harvey.”  

Mr. Flynn added: “We were pleased to provide support and assistance for communities affected by the recent hurricanes. In September, we provided relief to affected pilots, other employees, and their families in the Miami and Houston areas as well as charitable donations for local recovery efforts. In October, we donated to the relief efforts in Puerto Rico following Hurricane Maria, and we partnered with JetBlue to deliver 117 tonnes of humanitarian aid to the island on our aircraft. We also operated multiple hurricane-relief charters on behalf of Atlas Air and our customers, with the speed that only airfreight can provide.

“We are looking forward to a strong fourth quarter, and anticipate solid peak-season yields and volumes. Reflecting our year-to-date results and our fourth-quarter expectations, we anticipate that our full-year 2017 adjusted income from continuing operations, net of taxes, will grow by a high-single-digit to low-double-digit percentage compared with our 2016 adjusted income of $114.3 million.”

Mr. Flynn concluded: “The future for Atlas and for airfreight is bright. Growth in Asia and an expansion of the global middle class are transforming the global economy. Increased disposable income will support a strong future for global trade and the consumption of goods. And our strategic focus on express and e-commerce service and the faster-growing Asian markets positions us for further business growth as we carry through the balance of 2017, into 2018 and beyond.”

Third-Quarter Results

ACMI segment contribution in the third quarter of 2017 was slightly higher compared with the prior-year period, as an increase in flying was largely offset by higher maintenance costs and labor-related operational disruptions. Segment revenue growth benefited from an increase in block-hour volumes as well as higher aircraft utilization.

Higher Charter segment contribution during the period was primarily driven by an increase in commercial yields, partially offset by higher maintenance costs, the redeployment of a 747-8F aircraft to the ACMI segment, hurricane-related impacts and labor-related operational disruptions. Higher average rates during the quarter primarily reflected the impact of Charter capacity we purchased from our ACMI customers on flights that had no associated Charter block hours, higher fuel prices and higher commercial yields. 

In Dry Leasing, higher segment contribution primarily reflected a reduction in interest expense due to the scheduled repayment of debt related to dry leased 777 aircraft and the placement of 767-300 converted aircraft.

Reported earnings in the third quarter also included an effective income tax expense rate of 72.7%, due mainly to nontaxable changes in the value of outstanding warrants. On an adjusted basis, our results reflected an effective income tax rate of 24.3%.

Nine-Month Results

For the nine months ended September 30, 2017, our continuing operations generated income of $14.9 million, or $0.58 per diluted share, which included the impact of an unrealized loss on financial instruments of $36.2 million related to outstanding warrants. For the nine months ended September 30, 2016, our income from continuing operations totaled $13.9 million, or a loss of $0.49 per diluted share, after the impact of warrant accounting and transaction-related expenses.

On an adjusted basis, income from continuing operations in the first nine months of 2017 totaled $67.1 million, or $2.48 per diluted share, compared with $55.3 million, or $2.20 per diluted share, in the first nine months of 2016.

Cash and Short-Term Investments

At September 30, 2017, our cash, cash equivalents, short-term investments and restricted cash totaled $187.0 million, compared with $142.6 million at December 31, 2016.

The change in position resulted from cash provided by operating and financing activities, partially offset by cash used for investing activities.

Net cash provided by financing activities during the first nine months of 2017 primarily reflected proceeds from our issuance of convertible notes and our financings of 767-300 aircraft, partially offset by payments on debt obligations. In October, we completed the financings of three additional 767-300 aircraft, which generated cash of $72.6 million.

Net cash used for investing activities during the first nine months primarily related to capital expenditures and payments for flight equipment and modifications, including the acquisition of 767-300 aircraft to be converted to freighter configuration, spare engines and GEnx engine performance upgrade kits.

Labor Update

In September 2017, the company requested the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to issue a preliminary injunction to require the International Brotherhood of Teamsters to meet its obligations under the Railway Labor Act and stop its illegal, intentional work slowdowns and service interruptions, which are intended to gain leverage in pilot contract negotiations with the company.

The hearing was completed in early November and a ruling on the request for a preliminary injunction is expected later this month.

Outlook

Looking to the fourth quarter and full year, we anticipate increased peak-season yields and volumes, including our additional seasonal flying for express and e-commerce operators.       

Consistent with our year-to-date performance and our fourth-quarter expectations, we anticipate that our full-year 2017 adjusted income from continuing operations, net of taxes, will grow by a high-single-digit to low-double-digit percentage compared with our 2016 adjusted income of $114.3 million.

For the full year, we expect total block hours to increase approximately 20% compared with 2016, with about 75% of our hours in ACMI and the balance in Charter. 

Aircraft maintenance expense in 2017 should total approximately $275 million, and depreciation and amortization is expected to total approximately $165 million. In addition, core capital expenditures, which exclude aircraft and engine purchases, are expected to total approximately $75 to $80 million, mainly for parts and components for our fleet.

We provide guidance on an adjusted basis because we are unable to predict, with reasonable certainty, the effects of outstanding warrants and other items that could be material to our reported results.

Conference Call

Management will host a conference call to discuss Atlas Air Worldwide’s third-quarter 2017 financial and operating results at 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time on Wednesday, November 7, 2017.

Interested parties are invited to listen to the call live over the Internet at www.atlasair.com (click on “Investor Information,” click on “Presentations” and on the link to the third-quarter call) or at the following Web address:

https://edge.media-server.com/m6/p/8vmmjqw2

For those unable to listen to the live call, a replay will be archived on the above websites following the call. A replay will also be available through November 13 by dialing (855) 859-2056 (U.S. Toll Free) or (404) 537-3406 (from outside the U.S.) and using Access Code 97404926#.

About Non-GAAP Financial Measures

To supplement our financial statements presented in accordance with U.S. GAAP, we present certain non-GAAP financial measures to assist in the evaluation of our business performance. These non-GAAP measures include EBITDA, as adjusted; Direct Contribution; Adjusted income from continuing operations, net of taxes; Adjusted Diluted EPS from continuing operations, net of taxes; Adjusted effective tax rate; and Free Cash Flow, which exclude certain noncash income and expenses, and items impacting year-over-year comparisons of our results. These non-GAAP measures may not be comparable to similarly titled measures used by other companies and should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for Income from continuing operations, net of taxes; Diluted EPS from continuing operations, net of taxes; Effective tax rate; and Net Cash Provided by Operating Activities, which are the most directly comparable measures of performance prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP.

Our management uses these non-GAAP financial measures in assessing the performance of the company’s ongoing operations and in planning and forecasting future periods. In addition, management’s incentive compensation will be determined, in part, by using Adjusted Income from continuing operations, net of taxes. We believe that these adjusted measures, when considered together with the corresponding U.S. GAAP financial measures and the reconciliations to those measures, provide meaningful supplemental information to assist investors and analysts in understanding our financial results and assessing our prospects for future performance.

About Atlas Air Worldwide:

Atlas Air Worldwide is a leading global provider of outsourced aircraft and aviation operating services. It is the parent company of Atlas Air, Inc., Southern Air Holdings, Inc. and Titan Aviation Holdings, Inc., and is the majority shareholder of Polar Air Cargo Worldwide, Inc. Our companies operate the world’s largest fleet of 747 freighter aircraft and provide customers a broad array of Boeing 747, 777, 767, 757 and 737 aircraft for domestic, regional and international applications.

Atlas Air Worldwide’s press releases, SEC filings and other information may be accessed through the company’s home page, www.atlasair.com.

This release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 that reflect Atlas Air Worldwide’s current views with respect to certain current and future events and financial performance. Those statements are based on management’s beliefs, plans, expectations and assumptions, and on information currently available to management. Generally, the words “will,” “may,” “should,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “plan,” “continue,” “believe,” “seek,” “project,” “estimate,” and similar expressions used in this release that do not relate to historical facts are intended to identify forward-looking statements.

Such forward-looking statements are and will be, as the case may be, subject to many risks, uncertainties and factors relating to the operations and business environments of Atlas Air Worldwide and its subsidiaries (collectively, the “companies”) that may cause the actual results of the companies to be materially different from any future results, express or implied, in such forward-looking statements. 

Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from these forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, the following: our ability to effectively operate the network service contemplated by our agreements with Amazon, including the cost and timing of securing any aircraft necessary to fulfill our agreements; the risk that the anticipated benefits of our agreements with Amazon will not be realized when expected, or at all; the possibility that Amazon may terminate its agreements with the companies; the effect of the announcement or pendency of the transactions contemplated by the agreements with Amazon; failure to successfully integrate the Southern Air business; the ability of the companies to operate pursuant to the terms of their financing facilities; the ability of the companies to obtain and maintain normal terms with vendors and service providers; the companies’ ability to maintain contracts that are critical to their operations; the ability of the companies to fund and execute their business plan; the ability of the companies to attract, motivate and/or retain key executives and associates; the ability of the companies to attract and retain customers; the continued availability of our wide-body aircraft; demand for cargo services in the markets in which the companies operate; economic conditions; the effects of any hostilities or act of war (in the Middle East or elsewhere) or any terrorist attack; labor costs and relations; financing costs; the cost and availability of war risk insurance; our ability to maintain adequate internal controls over financial reporting; aviation fuel costs; security-related costs; competitive pressures on pricing (especially from lower-cost competitors); volatility in the international currency markets; weather conditions; government legislation and regulation; consumer perceptions of the companies’ products and services; anticipated and future litigation; and other risks and uncertainties set forth from time to time in Atlas Air Worldwide’s reports to the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.

For additional information, we refer you to the risk factors set forth under the heading “Risk Factors” in the most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and subsequent reports on Form 10-Q filed by Atlas Air Worldwide with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Other factors and assumptions not identified above may also affect the forward-looking statements, and these other factors and assumptions may also cause actual results to differ materially from those discussed.

Except as stated in this release, Atlas Air Worldwide is not providing guidance or estimates regarding its anticipated business and financial performance for 2017 or thereafter. 

Atlas Air Worldwide assumes no obligation to update such statements contained in this release to reflect actual results, changes in assumptions or changes in other factors affecting such estimates other than as required by law.

Atlas Air Worldwide uses an economic performance metric, Direct Contribution, to show the profitability of each of its segments after allocation of direct ownership costs. Atlas Air Worldwide currently has the following reportable segments: ACMI, Charter, and Dry Leasing. Each segment has different commercial and economic characteristics, which are separately reviewed by our chief operating decision maker.

Direct Contribution consists of income (loss) from continuing operations before taxes, excluding loss on the early extinguishment of debt, unrealized loss (gain) on financial instruments, special charge, transaction-related expenses, loss (gain) on the disposal of aircraft, nonrecurring items, and unallocated income and expenses, net.

Direct operating and ownership costs include crew costs, maintenance, fuel, ground operations, sales costs, aircraft rent, interest expense on the portion of debt used for financing aircraft, interest income on debt securities, and aircraft depreciation.

Unallocated income and expenses, net include corporate overhead, nonaircraft depreciation, noncash expenses and income, interest expense on the portion of debt used for general corporate purposes, interest income on nondebt securities, capitalized interest, foreign exchange gains and losses, other revenue and other nonoperating costs.