PHOENIX, May 09, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Mesa Air Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: MESA) today reported second quarter Fiscal Year 2019 financial and operating results.

Highlights for Second Quarter Fiscal Year 2019 (ending March 31, 2019)

• Net Income of $13.2 million or $0.38 per diluted share
  
  
• Adjusted Net Income¹ of $16.0 million or $0.46 per diluted share
  
  
• Pre-tax income of $17.3 million compared to $3.0 million for Q2 FY 2018
  
  
• Adjusted Pre-tax income¹ of $21.0 million compared to $3.0 million for Q2 FY 2018
  
  
• Block hours up 14.5% compared to Q2 FY 2018
  
  
• Contract Revenue up by 8.5% compared to Q2 FY 2018
  
  
• Extinguished existing and issued new spare engine debt at lower interest rates

Mesa’s Q2 2019 results reflect net income of $13.2 million, or $0.38 per diluted share, compared to net income of $2.4 million, or $0.10 per diluted share for Q2 2018. Excluding special items, adjusted net income¹ was $16.0 million for Q2 2019, or $0.46 per diluted share, compared to $2.4 million, or $0.10 per diluted share for Q2 2018. Mesa’s Q2 2019 pre-tax income was $17.3 million, compared to $3.0 million for Q2 2018. Excluding special items, adjusted pre-tax income was $21.0 million for Q2 2019, compared to $3.0 million for Q2 2018. In addition, Mesa’s Adjusted EBITDA¹ for Q2 2019 was $53.7 million, compared to $32.0 million in Q2 2018 and Adjusted EBITDAR¹ was $67.8 million, compared to $50.3 million in Q2 2018. On January 29, 2019 the company closed on a $91.2 million five-year term loan at LIBOR +3.1%. The proceeds were used to pay down existing debt at LIBOR +7.25% plus yield enhancement of 1.5%.

Mesa operated 112,030 block hours during Q2 2019, an increase of 14.5% from Q2 2018 of 97,853. Operationally, we ran a 99.6% controllable completion factor and a 97.4% total completion factor, which includes weather and other uncontrollable cancellations. 

“We continue to execute our plan of increased block hours, which contributed to our nearly six-fold increase in pre-tax earnings year-over-year,” stated Jonathan Ornstein, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. “We continue to make significant investments primarily in pilot training and our maintenance capabilities.”

Mike Lotz, President and Chief Financial Officer, continued, “Our Q2 year to date diluted EPS of $0.92 and adjusted diluted EPS¹ of $1.00 is consistent with our plan. The decrease in diluted EPS for Q2 versus Q1 is primarily driven by the timing of heavy maintenance events. During the Quarter we finalized our purchase agreement with GECAS for ten (10) leased CRJ-700 aircraft currently operating at United and expect to finalize the financing this quarter. Upon completion of the transaction we will have reduced the number of leased aircraft with third parties to 18."

“I am delighted to have joined Mesa and believe the company has positioned itself to be a leading U.S. regional airline, given its cost structure and improving operational performance, as evidenced by our improvement in controllable completion factor from 98.8% in Q2 2018 to 99.6% in Q2 2019,” said Brad Rich, Mesa’s recently appointed Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. Rich previously served as Senior Vice President of United Express Operations for United Airlines and prior to that was President of SkyWest, Inc. “I look forward to working with our partners at United and American.”

¹ See Reconciliation of non-GAAP financial measures

Outlook

The Company is providing the following guidance for the third quarter of FY 2019:

Fleet, Block Hours, Engine Expenses – Actual and Forecast (unaudited)

Reconciliation of non-GAAP financial measures

Although these financial statements are prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the U.S. (“GAAP”), certain non-GAAP financial measures may provide investors with useful information regarding the underlying business trends and performance of Mesa’s ongoing operations and may be useful for period-over-period comparisons of such operations. The tables below reflect supplemental financial data and reconciliations to GAAP financial statements for the three months ended March 31, 2019 and the three months ended March 31, 2018. Readers should consider these non-GAAP measures in addition to, not a substitute for, financial reporting measures prepared in accordance with GAAP. These non-GAAP financial measures exclude some, but not all items that may affect the Company’s net income. Additionally, these calculations may not be comparable with similarly titled measures of other companies.

Reconciliation of GAAP versus Non-GAAP Disclosures (unaudited)
(In thousands, except for per diluted share)

Reconciliation of GAAP versus Non-GAAP Disclosures (unaudited)
(In thousands, except for per diluted share)

Adjustments for three months and six months ended March 31, 2019 and 2018:

1. Includes adjustment for loss on extinguishment of debt of $3.6 million related to repayment of the Company’s Spare Engine Facility.
   
   
2. Includes adjustment for tax benefit resulting from the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act enacted during Q1 2018. The Act reduces the corporate tax rate to 21 percent, effective January 1, 2018.

Mesa Air Group will host a conference call with analysts on Friday, May 10 at 1:00pm EDT/10:00am PDT. The conference call number is 888-469-2054 (Passcode: Phoenix). The conference call can also be accessed live via the web by visiting https://edge.media-server.com/m6/p/ndxbvumn. A recorded version will be available on Mesa’s website approximately two hours after the call for approximately 14 days.

About Mesa Air Group, Inc.

Headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona, Mesa Air Group is the commercial aviation holding company of Mesa Airlines, a regional air carrier providing scheduled passenger service to 121 cities in 39 states, the District of Columbia, Canada, Mexico, Cuba, and the Bahamas. As of April 30, 2019, Mesa operated a fleet of 145 aircraft with approximately 601 daily departures and 3,400 employees. Mesa operates all of its flights as either American Eagle or United Express flights pursuant to the terms of capacity purchase agreements entered into with American Airlines, Inc. and United Airlines, Inc.

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains forward looking statements, including, but not limited to, (i) the fleet and block hours forecast of Mesa for the third quarter of fiscal 2019, (ii) the major non pass-through engine overhaul expense forecast for the same fiscal periods, and (iii) the Company’s expectations regarding completing the purchase of ten GECAS leased aircraft. These forward-looking statements are based on Mesa’s current expectations and are subject to uncertainty and changes in circumstances. Actual results may differ materially from these expectations due to changes in global, regional or local economic, business, competitive, market, regulatory and other factors, many of which are beyond Mesa’s control. Any forward-looking statement in this release speaks only as of the date of this release. Mesa undertakes no obligation to publicly update or review any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise, except as may be required by any applicable securities laws.

MESA AIR GROUP, INC.
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations
(In thousands, except per share amounts) (Unaudited)

MESA AIR GROUP, INC.
Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets
(In thousands) (Unaudited)

Operating Highlights (unaudited)

Mesa Air Group, Inc.

Investor Relations
Brian Gillman
Investor.Relations@mesa-air.com
(602) 685-4010

Media
Jack Hellie
media@mesa-air.com
(602) 685-4393

Source: Mesa Air Group, Inc.