Key Takeaways
- JetBlue reported a surprise second-quarter profit as the airline cut back on unprofitable routes.
- The company also delayed delivery of 44 new Airbus planes.
- JetBlue shares took off on the news, recently rising roughly 17%.
JetBlue Airways (JBLU) shares soared Tuesday after the carrier posted an unexpected profit as it cut some unprofitable routes and said it would delay jet purchases.
The company reported second-quarter earnings per share (EPS) of $0.07, when the average of analysts surveyed by Visible Alpha was for a loss of $0.14. Operating revenue was down 6.9% year-over-year to $2.43 billion, but that beat forecasts.
Shares were up 17% to $6.94 around 2 p.m. ET Tuesday, and are now about 25% higher this year.
CEO Highlights ‘More Significant Network Changes’ in Q2
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Joanna Geraghty noted the company made “more significant network changes” during the period, while president Marty St. George said that JetBlue is “actively reinvesting in our core geographies in New York, New England, Florida and Puerto Rico, while exiting routes and BlueCities that don’t meet our financial hurdle rate.” St. George added the carrier will have “additional initiatives” this year aimed at boosting results.
JetBlue said it is targeting $800 million to $900 million in incremental earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) in 2027.
The airline also said that it has “entered into an amended delivery schedule” with Airbus to delay shipments of 44 Airbus A321neo planes originally scheduled for 2025 to 2029. Those have now been moved to 2030 and beyond. That’s estimated to hold off about $3 billion in capital outlays.