Controladora Vuela Compania de Aviacion SAB de CV (VLRS) Q1 2025 Earnings Call Highlights: ...

In This Article:

  • Total Operating Revenues: $678 million, a 12% decrease year over year.

  • EBITDAR: $203 million, down 14% year over year, with a margin of 29.9%.

  • Net Loss: $51 million, translating into a loss per ADS of $0.045.

  • ASM Growth: 6% increase versus the first quarter of 2024.

  • Load Factor: 85.4%, down 1.6% compared to the prior year.

  • TRASM: $0.078, a 17% decline year over year.

  • CASM: $0.0788, a 3% decrease year over year.

  • CASM ex Fuel: $0.054, up 5% year over year.

  • Average Economic Fuel Cost: $2.63 per gallon, a 13% decline.

  • Ancillary Revenue per Passenger: $53, marking a 7% year-over-year decline.

  • Total Liquidity Position: $862 million, representing 28% of the last two months' total operating revenues.

  • Net Debt to EBITDAR Ratio: 2.7 times at the first quarter end.

  • Fleet Size: 145 aircraft with an average age of 6.4 years.

  • On-Time Performance: 83.8%.

  • Scheduled Completion Rate: 99.6%.

  • Net Promoter Score: 39, one of the highest quarterly scores in the company's history.

Release Date: April 28, 2025

For the complete transcript of the earnings call, please refer to the full earnings call transcript.

Positive Points

  • Controladora Vuela Compania de Aviacion SAB de CV (NYSE:VLRS) maintained a high load factor of 89% in the Mexican domestic market, demonstrating strong demand.

  • Ancillary revenues accounted for over 50% of total quarterly revenue, highlighting the effectiveness of their diversified revenue model.

  • The company achieved an on-time performance of 83.8% and a scheduled completion rate of 99.6%, indicating strong operational efficiency.

  • Volaris launched a new app to enhance passenger experience and increase direct sales, reducing dependency on third-party channels.

  • The company signed a new code share agreement with Copa Airlines, expanding connectivity between Mexico and Latin America.

Negative Points

  • Total operating revenues decreased by 12% year over year, impacted by the depreciation of the Mexican peso against the US dollar.

  • The company experienced a 17% decline in quarterly TRASM, reflecting challenges in maintaining revenue per available seat mile.

  • First-quarter EBIT was a loss of $10 million, with a margin of minus 1.5%, indicating financial pressure.

  • The company revised its full-year ASM growth target from 13%-15% to 8%-9%, reflecting a cautious approach to capacity deployment.

  • Geopolitical dynamics and economic uncertainty have created challenges in forecasting and reaffirming full-year EBITDAR guidance.

Q & A Highlights

Q: With RASM down 17% and guidance suggesting further declines, are you seeing the expected consumer response to fare reductions? What gives you confidence in a rebound in the second half of 2025? A: Holger Blankenstein, Executive Vice President, noted that while the second quarter benefits from the Easter shift, external forces are impacting demand. Despite low fares, they expect a rebound in the second half, driven by VFR traffic, which typically increases during high seasons like summer.