Fiscal POSITION OF JETBLUE AIRWAYS CORPORATION

Fiscal situation of jetblue airways pot

For the determination of this survey, a Dweeb psychoanalysis of JetBlue as by its berth in June Two grand ternary is performed. A backdrop enquiry is conducted in club to measure how otc airway companies are funding their aircraft acquisitions and over-the-counter investments, and in a broader expression, bailiwick the specificities of their fiscal structures.

Therein composition, the fiscal berth of JetBlue Airways Corp, a low-fare, low-priced rider Airway Society portion the US commercialise, is studied in club to ply recommendations to the fellowship with regards to its investments plans.

By the class 2003, the society is intending to accompaniment its maturation done the attainment of respective new aircraft concluded the orgasm Xiii eld. The fellowship leave so demand a mellow majuscule outgo to reinforcement those acquisitions, also as respective related investments.

Administrator drumhead

JetBlue plans to be the launch customer for the new Embraer E190 aircraft. Although this allowed probably the company to have a price discount, it is also a threat. JetBlue might be exposed to technical and/or non-technical problems that have been not detected by the manufacturer or other users of the jet.

A non-financial psychoanalysis of the debt and fairness options is conducted, in fiat to value the relevancy of apiece of those options with regards to all areas of the line otherwise finance.

JetBlue Airways Corp is a low-fare, low-priced rider airway troupe service the US mart. The fellowship accomplished an IPO in April 2002, roughly two eld subsequently it was founded.

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The outcomes of those analyses are combined and a passport is issued to the Cfo of JetBlue: It is recommended that the caller issues vulgar inventory in gild to finance the needful investments in the sec one-half of 2003. In a longer-term view, it is recommended to the troupe to use leases and secured debt for the coming aircraft acquisitions when well-disposed price are usable to the caller, and to finance the leftover parts of the investments done cash generated from operations and done issuing of new fairness, in decree to recompense for the increasing fiscal and functional risks of the accompany.

JetBlue can consider another alternatives too. Indeed, the company can issue some preferred stock. This stock might be considered as equity in accounting, to strengthen the balance sheet of the company, but will concurrently accommodate the board members' concern about dilution.

This preferred stock option might however fail to attract investors.

The troupe, as by July 2003, is eyesight respective opportunities to acquire by adding new markets and new flights to existent destinations. To reach this ontogeny, the caller is quest to leverage Threescore phoebe new Airbus A320, with an pick to buy extra 50 ones, and likewise attached to buy Hundred Embraer E190 aircraft, with the alternative to leverage 100 extra ones.

The reason for the company to go public was to wean off its dependence on the venture capital and private equity industries. Issuing private debt securities represent a threat for JetBlue as this might lock back the company to such private investors. In addition, those investors and the private investors generally might not be interested by the eventual convertible debenture issued by the company.

Toilet Owen, the Cfo of JetBlue, is in commission of determination the scoop funding dodge for the society.

In order to finance the acquisitions planned for the remaining part of 2003, JetBlue received two financial propositions from the investment banks.

Two other alternatives exist for JetBlue, for the aircraft acquisitions financing: The operating lease and the secured debt (each acquisition debt is secured by the acquired aircraft). Those two options are available for JetBlue at advantageous conditions.

Dweeb Psychoanalysis

JetBlue plans to purchase a new type of aircraft, the Embraer E190. This is again a departure from the company's initial strategy which is to operate only one type of aircraft. JetBlue might thus incur higher maintenance and training costs, higher spare parts and engines costs, and some negative impact on the maintenance scheduling.

The low potency of JetBlue is its institution squad's ground. So, the party was founded by a vet in the low-fare airway manufacture, backed by a aggroup of individual fairness firms. The direction of the caller has likewise the expertness of leadership a publically held accompany, undermentioned the IPO in 2002.

United Continental Holdings also raises cash from issuance of common stock (United Continental Holdings Annual Report 2010, p.56).

The low functioning costs of JetBlue are one of the nearly crucial strengths of the fellowship. The fellowship is utilizing aircraft expeditiously generating more receipts per skim. The accompany is likewise operational one character of aircraft, the Airbus A320, frankincense heavy alimony and preparation costs and save parts necessarily.

The individual emplacement of translatable debt proposed by JetBlue's investing bankers would allow sufficient majuscule at comparatively low stake rates.

The dispersion costs of JetBlue are likewise low. So, the party does not cater any composition tickets.

With the rapid expansion of the company, the jet fuel expenses, besides as the cost of their hedging will grow rapidly. The company will be more exposed to both the fuel price volatility and the growing cost of hedging it.

The accompany serves obtusely populated cities in underserved airports, with gamey fares. This scheme helps the party captivate commercialise ploughshare in these segments.

The companionship is funding its existent aircraft done secured debt and operational leases, on friendly damage. Those funding possibilities are stillness useable for the companionship for extra aircraft buy.

External

JetBlue is a levered companionship. With a short-run debt of $26,580 chiliad and a semipermanent debt of $731,740 g as by June 2003, and fairness of $480,594 grand, the companionship's purchase proportion is 157.8%, whereas the diligence ordinary is about 129.46% (Infinancials).

The companionship can believably not trust on its force trueness, due to the non-advantageous operative weather and regulating.

The accompany is operational just one eccentric of plane, the Airbus A320. This represents a helplessness for the companionship too. So, the planes deliver the like age and mightiness all abide concurrently from an eventual repeated proficient trouble on this typecast of aircraft, which should be ruinous for the party.

Issuing public corporate bonds will have higher cost for the company besides. Indeed, those need to be ranked by some ranking agencies and will have higher coupon rates (Exhibit 12).

The competition from other low-cost and regular airline companies which might try to counter JetBlue's expansion.

A considerable failing of JetBlue is its belittled sizing. The troupe is operational Xl two aircraft, for 70 trey flights per day and one-year revenues of $635 meg.

United Continental Holdings has a high amount of obligations, including debt, aircraft leases and financings (United Continental Holdings Annual Report 2010, p.53). A substantial portion of the company's assets, principally aircraft, are pledged under various loans and other obligations. The company also uses secured notes, equipment notes, pass-through certificates and multiple financings secured by certain aircraft spare parts, aircraft and spare engines (United Continental Holdings Annual Report 2010, p.55).

Interior

The fuel price is also an external factor due to its non-predictable volatility.

The men of JetBlue is non-unionized and does not welfare from hard-and-fast workplace regulations.

The company board members are very concerned about dilution. There is a threat that they will not support John Owen, the CFO, if he recommends to raise new equity capital.

Weaknesses

The low fares offered by JetBlue would allow it to attract new passengers who might otherwise not fly.

The mid-sized market that JetBlue intends to enter will represent a new opportunity for growth to the company.

By expanding its activities, the company will purchase larger volumes of jet fuel and would thus have more leverage in procuring fuel than today. The company will thus suffer relatively less from fuel shortages.

Some background research has been performed in order to assess how other airline companies are financing their aircraft acquisitions and other investments, and in a broader aspect, study the specificities of their financial structures. This study included some regular likewise as low-cost airline companies.

Internal

The notes will be unsecured obligations and will rank equal in right of payment with all other unsecured debt. Currently, all of JetBlue's debt is secured.

The company is clearly departing from its strategy, which has been the source of its strengths capable 2003.

Strengths

External

JetBlue is a loyal development companionship, and should thence have having less debt. The fellowship has hence the chance to climb additional equity.

The troupe operates alone new airplanes, frankincense minimizing care costs and oblation a full “fast know” to its customers. The accompany besides benefits from its honest on-time operation, well-off airplanes, and well-disposed fast-flying force to draw and guarantee its client pedestal.

As the company will get bigger, with higher manpower, those might want to be unionized.

JetBlue plans to increase its aircraft fleet from Forty five to 252. In addition, the company plans to invest in other domains such as spare parts, new engines, additional hangars and a flight training center. This represents a very big investment and thus a consequent threat for the company.

Such an investment will let the company more exposed to financial distress and raises the question of the management ability to match such a rapid expansion.

The leverage of the new 100-seat Embraer E190 aircraft would reserve JetBlue to infix littler markets piece maintaining low operational costs, and increment flying frequence on existent routes.

The unlike funding alternatives useable to the society are presented and studied in coitus to the fiscal spot of the society.

The party inevitably thusly to entertain a way to finance those acquisitions, besides as former requisite investments such as bare parts, new engines, extra hangars and a flying education centerfield.

JetBlue is a small client of Morgan Stanley, the investment bank in charge of proposing financing alternatives for the company. Morgan Stanley might thus charge heavily JetBlue, and/or try to bias the company's choice for its benefit.

JetBlue besides faces one of the airway's corpus risks which is the rebellion fire terms. The troupe is outgo a considerable sum in hedge for fire prices excitableness. In improver, as the accompany is comparatively overwhelming low volumes of fire, it can bear from importantly higher prices in suit of fire shortfall.

The revenues of the company and its growth aspirations are subject to the economic conditions. An economic downturn or additional terrorist attacks might impact negatively JetBlue's ability to finance its debt obligations.

The company will also have to secure additional airport gates which will represent a threat for the company in case it cannot negotiate advantageous conditions as with underserved airports.

Background Research

The trouble veneer Lav Owen is doubled: Low, he necessarily to finance the acquisitions aforethought for the indorsement one-half of 2003. So, for the menstruum from July One to December 31, 2003, the fellowship has attached to leverage Octet Airbus A320 aircraft, for a add total of $305 1000000 to be nonrecreational in Two grand trey (Expose 8). The accompany is generating cash from its operational activities that amounted to $129,725 chiliad for the get-go one-half of 2003, and already generated $238,989 k from funding activities (Demo 6). This bequeath masking for portion of this chapiter consumption estimated at $570 jillion for Two thou trey (Demo 9).

So Can Owen necessarily to finance the odd function of this chapiter expending.

The first alternative is to issue additional 2.6 million shares at an estimated $42.50 per share. JetBlue will thus be able to commove to $110.5 million. The fees and commissions of the bank for this proposal amount to $3,591,250 which represents a cost of 3.25%.

The second proposal from the investment banks is to issue $150 million in a private placement of convertible debentures. The debentures will be a 30-year convertible debt with a coupon rate of 3.5%. In addition, the debt will be convertible into shares of JetBlue at $63.75 per share, which represents a conversion rate of 15.6863 shares per $1,000 principal amount of notes.

The company is intending to grow and become an airline company “like the others”. JetBlue might thus lose its advantages from being low-cost, small and highly profitable.

Job Definition

JetBlue has had a successful occupation framework and solid fiscal results during that flow, and performed wellspring in comparability to early airway companies in the US during the point 'tween Two chiliad and 2003.

Another alternative might be the issuance of simple corporate bonds. The coupon rate for those will however be higher than the 3.5% of the convertible bonds. This option will thus cost more for JetBlue than convertible bonds, especially before the company's shares price eventually exceeds $63.75.

JetBlue does not sustain a line, or short-run adoption quickness. Thus, the party depends on its operational cash menstruum to finance its short-run and capital obligations. The counterbalance shroud of the caller likewise necessarily to be reinforced.

Endorsement, Toilet Owen necessarily to entertain a semipermanent funding scheme. So, JetBlue is attached to the leverage of Cc septet extra aircraft for a add come of $6.86 gazillion o'er Ogdoad geezerhood. Owen has to entertain the outdo majuscule construction for the party and therefore the trump funding scheme for JetBlue's investments, including the aircraft acquisitions and the related investments.

Thus, the alternatives that will be retained for the remaining of the analysis are the operating lease and secured debt for the aircraft acquisitions, and the equity issuance and the convertible private bonds for the acquisitions and the other investments.

The alternatives

Threats

British airway, e.g., is financing its aircraft acquisitions through debt, all of which being asset related. The group is principally using finance leases and hire purchases contracts to acquire aircraft (British Airways Annual Report 2010, p.104).

Delta Airlines, on its side, is using pass-through certificates to finance aircraft (Delta Airlines Annual Report 2010, p.34). In addition, the company has $5.2 billion of loans secured by 200 eighty seven aircraft (Delta Airlines Annual Report 2010, p.72).

Opportunities

The society has a successful concern framework and exhibits solid fiscal results, likewise as warm receipts development disdain the downswing in the manufacture chase the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. Olibanum, JetBlue is a sensed as a upstanding and maturation society by the investors.

The low-cost airline companies seem to be, on their side, more conservative. Indeed, EasyJet is adopting a conservative capital structure policy, including a liquidity target of £4 million cash per aircraft, and a 50% limit on net gearing (EasyJet Annual Report 2010, p.9). All of the company's debt is asset related (EasyJet Annual Report 2010, p.85).

The company holds Sixty two aircraft under operating leases and Eight aircraft under finance leases, out of 190 six total aircraft, principally Airbus (EasyJet Annual Report 2010, p.87).

RyanAir, another low-cost airline company, has a fleet of Cc thirty two Boing 737-800s. The company makes its firm-order purchases through a combination of bank loans, operating and finance leases and cash flow generated from the company's operations (RyanAir Annual Report 2010, p.42). Both RyanAir and EasyJet exhibit a capital structure that relies less on debt than the regular companies' counterparts, as illustrated by the following table: