SpiceJet to make good revenues in holiday season

On an average, airlines companies stock have given more than 30% returns in the past two months. Compared to Jet Airways and Kingfisher Airlines, SpiceJet is the least indebted and most profitable one in recent quarters. Due to its low-cost carrier business, the company has been able to cash in on the increasing passenger growth and slight softening of crude oil prices.

In the quarter ended June 2010, the company’s net had an extraordinary jump of more than 100% to `55 crore. In the past six months, there has been a 22% growth in passenger traffic. The buoyancy is expected to continue in the remaining quarters of FY11 given the impending holiday seasons in the third and fourth quarter.

GROWTH PLAN: The company will begin its international operations from this month. The company would retain its focus of a low-cost carrier model and concentrate on South Asia. The company would start its first international flight from Delhi to Kathmandu (base ticket price `1499) on October 7, followed by flights from Chennai to Colombo (base ticket price `999) on October 9. For this expansion, the company will add 30 Boeing 737-800 to its current fleet size by 2014.

At present, the company operates 21 aircraft and it will add 30 aircraft to its fleet size by 2014. The company would have to invest around `12600 crore for the expansion. In the current fiscal, the company would add seven aircraft. This would stretch the company’s balance sheet to a large extent considering the fact that it is the least indebted airlines company. At present, Jet Airways India has a debt of around `13,000 crore, while Kingfisher Airlines and SpiceJet have debt of `5765 crore (as of FY09) and `438 crore (as of FY09), respectively.

Various reports suggest that since Sun TV’s chief Kalanidhi Maran is perceived to be at the helm of the company after acquiring a 37.7% stake through his firm Kal Airways, funds may come from Sun TV Network. At present, Sun TV Network has a cash of around `424.2 crore on its balance sheet. Hence, a part of these funds may come in handy for SpiceJet’s expansion.

More so, the company has internal reserves of around `587 crore. This would also help the airline not overstretch its balance sheet and at the same time carry on its expansion plans. On the other hand, the company may also resort to qualified institutional placement (QIP) for raising funds to foster its growth. In the past few quarters, SpiceJet has reported a load factor (a measure of capacity utilisation) of more 80% and hence going forward with the holiday season, the possibility of increased revenues is higher for the company.

More so, with its new international operations, it would be able to cash in on the holiday season.

Source: The Economic Times