A FINANCIAL ANALYSIS OF SPIRIT AIRLINES
WHY I CHOSE THIS COMPANY
Founded in 1964, Spirit Airlines actually began operations in the trucking industry under the name “Clippert Trucking Company,” based in Michigan. In subsequent years the firm encountered many changes in name, headquarters, as well as shifted into different industries entirely. In 1983, the company branched out into the charter tour operating sector, as “Charter One.” Particularly, they provided tours to entertainment destinations such as Las Vegas, Atlantic City, and the islands to the southeast of Florida known as The Bahamas.
Almost three decades later in 1992, the company officially changed its name to the ultra-low cost passenger carrier company we all know today as Spirit Airlines, which is based in Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, under CEO Ben Baldanza. These series of changes in industry, in combination with the fact that I am an avid “Spirit flyer,” definitely sparked my interest in further investigating the financial stance of the company.
PURPOSE
The purpose of this study is to compare Spirit Airlines with American Airlines using the financial ratios of liquidity, activity, debt, profitability and the market, and to derive some concrete conclusions about the financial nature of Spirit Airlines. According to Spirit Airlines’ Historic Stock Lookup (2015), from 2011 to 2014, the year-end stock prices increased by 79.4%, which is outstanding. Thus, Spirit Airlines will be used as
Spirit Airlines, the leading ultra-low-cost, no-frills carrier; the worst all round Carrier charges for every service besides the basic fare. For this purpose, this paper will discuss the Carrier ticket distribution channels, pricing strategy and product promotion.
Spirit Airlines (SAVE) is an ultra low-cost, low-fare based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida that provides affordable travel opportunities. The IPO for Sprit airlines was offered on June 11th, 2011. The price of the stock at the IPO date was of $12.00. According to NASDAQ.com, the money that was raised on the IPO was $187.2 million dollars, with 5 million dollars in expenses. After the underwriting cost eliminated they approximately raised171.0 million.
: On average, over 8 million people fly around the world daily and over 2 billion fly in the United States daily. Everyone wants non expensive flights, comfortable seating, and on-time flights. Spirit Airlines is an airline that prides themselves on provided very low costs to customers and they strive to be the most cost efficient airline in regards to their competitors. “Spirit Airlines was founded in 1964 as a Clippert Trucking Company” (https://www.spirit.com/history.aspx) and has grown to servicing beyond coast –to- coast and has transitioned to low-cost carrier and ultra-low cost carrier. Spirit Airlines transitioned to Airbus fleet and consists of A319s, A320s, and A321. The A319s has seats 145 customers, the A320 seats 174 customers,
Southwest Airlines was started 45 years ago in 1967 by two entrepreneurs: Herb Keller and Rollin King who had the right vision and culture by which to become successful entrepreneurial leaders. This vision was achieved as Southwest Airlines became the greatest airline in the USA. As a young business in the airlines industry, Southwest Airlines in the initial years confronted very tough situations, and it was due proper planning and with the assistance of its employees that kept Southwest Airlines afloat from sinking. There were already pioneer big companies well established in the airlines industry when Southwest Airlines joined the industry. Some of these companies had a good share of
Today Southwest Airlines is the biggest domestic passenger carrier in the United States of America operating more than 3,400 flights a day. They provide service to 93 cities and 5 countries internationally. Last year Southwest Airlines, “Enplaned approximately 136 million Customers (About Southwest). The airline has grown since it’s first years flying out of Love Field in Dallas, Texas. In the beginning, Southwest provided flight service to only three Texas cities in 1971. One of Southwest Airlines’ early advertisements was a double page ad that ran in Dallas newspapers during May announcing their first flight on June 18, 1971 (Lusk). This advertisement introducing a new airline would soon revolutionize the airline industry and create the new category, of low cost carrier, to the world.
Almost three decades late in 1992, the company officially changed its name to the ultra-low cost passenger carrier company we all know today as Spirit Airlines, which is based in Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, under CEO Ben Baldanza. These series of changes in industry, in combination with the fact that I am an avid “Spirit flyer,” definitely sparked my interest in further investigating the financial stance of the company.
Spirit Airlines was founded in 1980 by Ned Homfeld as Charter One in Macomb County Michigan. It started as a trucking company in 1964. As a Detroit based charter the company mostly dealt with providing travel packages to entertainment destinations such as Las Vegas, Atlantic City and the Bahamas. It was in 1992 that Charter One actually brought jet equipment into the fleet and changed its name to Spirit Airlines. From 1993 to 1998 Spirit expanded rapidly. It increased its service to new markets such as Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, Los Angeles, and New York.
This podcast interview I choose to listen to focused on Southwest airlines and its founder, Herb Kellener. In 1966, a lawyer based in San Antonio Texas, named Herb Kellener, heard from one of his clients about a small airline based in California. He met his client for a drink and the two of them decided to use the same business plan in Texas utilizing the cities of Houston, Dallas, and San Antonio. Kellener knew nothing about airlines when he began his venture however saw an untapped industry and wanted to take a risk. The idea of this new airline was to get away from the traditional way airlines normally run by cutting down on unnecessary frills so that everyday people could afford to airline travel. Southwest met competition at its creation from local Texas airlines and it took over 4 years for Southwest airlines to eventually take flight. Southwest was even sued and had to take the case to the U.S. Supreme Court. However, Southwest Airlines and Kellener persisted and Southwest has been profitable for
Total Resource Network (TRN) congratulates Southwest Airlines for thirty-eight years of consecutive profitability. This is a major accomplishment that should be applauded especially during this economic recession and recovery period. Southwest’s success has been attributed to their core values and mission that begin with their employees and exceptional customer service. These two attributes along with low airfares have
This report provides an examinaion of the current structure, performance, stragergy and management of Delta Airlines, along with an industry analysis of the airline industry. The report uses current and past financial and statistical data for the company along with other up to date material to determine Delta's current market position and future potential.
One of the most large scale United States Airlines since the late 1920s is the Delta Airlines Incorporation. The incorporation’s financial statements are more than $9 billion in operating income and over $40 billion in total revenue Its net income was US$ 926 million. It is also worthwhile to note that Delta Air Lines, Inc. was the most admired airline for the 5th time in the span of six years and was named Fortune's Top 50 Most Admired Companies. 2 – How Delta Airlines Compete With Other Airlines
From the humble financial portfolio as a crop dusting outfit in the mid twentieth century, to the multi-billion dollar portfolio of a major airline in the twenty first century, Delta Air Lines has risen as a successful business. The airline industry is directly affected by outside economic conditions and is also cyclical in nature. These factors make it very difficult for airlines to make predictions to stay financially afloat. Delta has ridden the bumpy path of the last twenty years and managed to survive. In the past twenty years there has been many events that
The case study, prepared by Arthur A. Thompson, University of Alabama, and John E. Gamble, University of South Alabama, focuses on the rise to business prominence of Southwest Airlines, a regional airline with a low-cost no-frills approach.
Southwest Airlines was created in the late 1960’s by a businessperson Rolling King, and law school graduate Herb Kelleher, who sought a faster travel time between Houston, Dallas, and San Antonio, Texas (Dess, et al., 2014, p. C137). After overcoming all of the antagonism and legal problems of many major airlines, Southwest was able to take its first flight in 1971 (Dess, et al., 2014, p.C137). With a dedication and will power to grow the company, King and Kelleher sought out ways to increase growth.
When it comes to performance and profitability, every airline’s dream is to have a high profit margin with a superior performance for each quarter every year. However, not every airline is successful in attaining such results, mostly due to multiple reasons that result in detrimental financial woes. Avianca Airlines does not fall into this category, or any type that reflects a struggling company. Avianca has prospered tremendously throughout the last several years, mostly due to a multitude of smart and well thought out financial decisions.