- Record first quarter passenger revenues of $4.088 billion, more than double the first quarter of 2022, on a 53 per cent increase in operated capacity
- Record first quarter operating revenues of $4.887 billion, 90 per cent higher than first quarter 2022 and about 10 per cent higher than first quarter 2019
- Operating loss of $17 million, improved from an operating loss of $550 million in the first quarter of 2022
- Adjusted EBITDA* of $411 million with adjusted EBITDA margin* of 8.4 per cent
- Cash flows from operations of $1.437 billion
- Total liquidity of over $10.5 billion at March 31, 2023
MONTREAL, May 12, 2023 /CNW/ – Air Canada today reported its first quarter 2023 financial results.
“Air Canada’s impressive first quarter performance reflects the strength of our brand, the very strong demand environment across all markets and the effective execution of our strategic plan. When compared to the same quarter in 2022, passenger revenues more than doubled and hit a first quarter record of close to $4.1 billion, supported by our diversified network and our strong international franchise. Adjusted EBITDA surged by $554 million to $411 million, and our adjusted CASM fell nearly seven per cent from a year ago,” said Michael Rousseau, President and Chief Executive Officer of Air Canada.
“Our first quarter financial results exceeded both internal and external expectations and we expect demand to persist, supported by strong advance bookings for the remainder of the year. For this reason, as well as lower-than-expected fuel costs, we increased our 2023 adjusted EBITDA guidance last week. I thank all employees for their continued focus on improving all aspects of our company through effective and positive teamwork, and our customers for their loyalty.
“All areas of the business contributed meaningfully during the quarter. Air Canada Cargo is expanding its network and fleet, Aeroplan is gaining more members and gross billings have increased 50% when compared to the first quarter of 2022, and Air Canada Vacations produced remarkable results. System yields improved approximately 9 per cent compared to the first quarter of 2022. We achieved a strong free cash flow* of nearly $1 billion. This will allow us to continue investing in our future, including by further deleveraging our balance sheet,” said Mr. Rousseau.
First Quarter 2023 Financial Results
- First quarter operating revenues of $4.887 billion increased $2.314 billion from the same quarter in 2022, primarily from higher passenger revenues due to increased travel demand. Compared to the first quarter of 2019, operating revenues increased about 10 per cent. Operated capacity increased about 53 per cent from the first quarter of 2022 (about 84 per cent of first quarter 2019 ASMs), in line with the projection provided in Air Canada’s February 17, 2023 news release.
- Operating expenses of $4.904 billion increased $1.781 billion or 57 per cent from the first quarter of 2022. The increase included the impact of the year-over-year capacity increase, an increase of about 83 per cent in passengers carried and an approximate 30 per cent increase in jet fuel prices.
- Operating loss of $17 million, improved from an operating loss of $550 million in the first quarter of 2022.
- Net income of $4 million, increased $978 million from the first quarter of 2022. Diluted loss per share of $0.03 compared to a diluted loss per share of $2.72 in the first quarter of 2022.
- Adjusted net loss* of $188 million improved $559 million from the first quarter of 2022. Adjusted loss per share* of $0.53 compared to an adjusted loss per share of $2.09 in the first quarter of 2022.
- Adjusted CASM (adjusted cost per available seat mile) of 14.52 cents improved 6.9 per cent from the first quarter of 2022. The unit cost improvement resulting from higher operated capacity was partially offset by a favourable maintenance cost adjustment of $159 million recorded in the first quarter of 2022. First quarter 2023 CASM of 20.38 cents increased 2.5% from the first quarter of 2022 due to significantly higher fuel prices, higher ground package costs and higher passenger service costs due to higher traffic and higher selling costs, which are largely driven by revenues.
- Adjusted EBITDA of $411 million, with an adjusted EBITDA margin of 8.4 per cent, improved from a negative adjusted EBITDA of $143 million in the first quarter of 2022.
- Net cash flows from operating activities of $1.437 billion increased $1.070 billion from the first quarter of 2022.
- Free cash flow of $987 million increased $896 million from the first quarter of 2022.
Outlook
For the second quarter of 2023, Air Canada plans to increase its ASM capacity by about 22 per cent from the same quarter in 2022. On May 4, 2023, Air Canada updated its 2023 guidance:
| Metric | FY 2023 guidance |
| ASM capacity | About 23 per cent increase versus 2022 (approximately 90 per cent of 2019 levels) |
| Adjusted CASM | About 0.5 to 2.5 per cent below 2022 levels |
| Adjusted EBITDA | About $3.5 – $4.0 billion |
Major Assumptions
Assumptions were made by Air Canada in preparing and making forward-looking statements. As part of its assumptions, Air Canada assumes moderate Canadian GDP growth for 2023, that the Canadian dollar will trade, on average, at C$1.34 per U.S. dollar for the full year 2023 and that the price of jet fuel will average C$1.09 per litre for the full year 2023.
The revised guidance for adjusted EBITDA reflects expected earnings resulting from an improvement in traffic and yield from a stronger-than-anticipated demand environment and lower-than expected fuel price. The revised guidance for adjusted CASM reflects adjustments to various expense items including those resulting from the higher-than-expected traffic. Air Canada’s 2023 capacity guidance remains substantially unchanged.
Air Canada also modified the baseline comparison for its 2023 adjusted CASM guidance, comparing it to a 2022 instead of a 2019 baseline. Given the new cost environment, prior comparisons to the 2019 baseline are no longer as meaningful, and comparisons to 2022 are more appropriate.
Air Canada is not updating its 2024 targets at this time and will continue evaluating them as it progresses with its plans and executes on its strategic priorities.
Adjusted CASM
Air Canada uses adjusted CASM to assess the operating and cost performance of its ongoing airline business without the effects of aircraft fuel expense, the cost of ground packages at Air Canada Vacations, impairment of assets, and freighter costs as these items may distort the analysis of certain business trends and render comparative analysis across periods less meaningful and generally allows for a more meaningful analysis of Air Canada’s operating expense performance and a more meaningful comparison to that of other airlines.
In calculating adjusted CASM, aircraft fuel expense is excluded from operating expense results as it fluctuates widely depending on many factors, including international market conditions, geopolitical events, jet fuel refining costs and Canada/U.S. currency exchange rates. Air Canada also incurs expenses related to ground packages at Air Canada Vacations which some airlines, without comparable tour operator businesses, may not incur. In addition, these costs do not generate ASMs and therefore excluding these costs from operating expense results provides for a more meaningful comparison across periods when such costs may vary.
Air Canada also incurs expenses related to the operation of freighter aircraft which some airlines, without comparable cargo businesses, may not incur. Air Canada had six Boeing 767 dedicated freighter aircraft in its operating fleet as at March 31, 2023 compared to one Boeing 767 dedicated aircraft as at March 31, 2022. These costs do not generate ASMs and therefore excluding these costs from operating expense results provides for a more meaningful comparison of the passenger airline business across periods.
Adjusted CASM is reconciled to GAAP operating expense as follows:
| (Canadian dollars in millions, except where indicated) | First Quarter | |||||
| 2023 | 2022 | Change | ||||
| Operating expense – GAAP | $ | 4,904 | $ | 3,123 | $ | 1,781 |
| Adjusted for: | ||||||
| Aircraft fuel | (1,375) | (750) | (625) | |||
| Ground package costs | (318) | (129) | (189) | |||
| Impairment of assets | – | (4) | 4 | |||
| Freighter costs (excluding fuel) | (31) | (11) | (20) | |||
| Operating expense, adjusted for the above-noted items | $ | 3,180 | $ | 2,229 | $ | 951 |
| ASMs (millions) | 21,907 | 14,297 | 53.2 % | |||
| Adjusted CASM (cents) | ¢ | 14.52 | ¢ | 15.59 | ¢ | (1.07) |
Adjusted Net Income (Loss) and Adjusted Earnings (Loss) Per Share – Diluted
Air Canada uses adjusted net income (loss) and adjusted earnings (loss) per share – diluted as a means to assess the overall financial performance of its business without the after-tax effects of impairment of assets, foreign exchange gains or losses, net financing expense relating to employee benefits, gains or losses on financial instruments recorded at fair value, gains or losses on the sale and leaseback of assets, gains or losses on debt settlements and modifications, and gains or losses on disposal of assets as these items may distort the analysis of certain business trends and render comparative analysis to other airlines less meaningful.
Adjusted net income (loss) and adjusted earnings (loss) per share are reconciled to GAAP net income as follows:
| (Canadian dollars in millions) | First Quarter | |||||
| 2023 | 2022 | $ Change | ||||
| Net income (loss) – GAAP | $ | 4 | $ | (974) | $ | 978 |
| Adjusted for: | ||||||
| Impairment of assets | – | 4 | (4) | |||
| Foreign exchange gain | (127) | (99) | (28) | |||
| Net interest relating to employee benefits | (6) | (4) | (2) | |||
| (Gain) loss on financial instruments recorded at fair value | (38) | 173 | (211) | |||
| Income tax, including for the above reconciling items (1) | (21) | 153 | (174) | |||
| Adjusted net loss | $ | (188) | $ | (747) | $ | 559 |
| Weighted average number of outstanding shares used in computing diluted income per share (in millions) | 358 | 358 | – | |||
| Adjusted loss per share – diluted | $ | (0.53) | $ | (2.09) | $ | 1.56 |
Free Cash Flow
Free cash flow is a non-GAAP financial measure used by Air Canada as an indicator of the financial strength and performance of its business, indicating how much cash it can generate from operations after capital expenditures. Free cash flow is calculated as net cash flows from operating activities minus additions to property, equipment, and intangible assets, net of proceeds from sale and leaseback transactions. Such measure is not a recognized measure for financial statement presentation under GAAP, does not have a standardized meaning, may not be comparable to similar measures presented by other entities and should not be considered a substitute for or superior to GAAP results.
The table below reconciles free cash flow to net cash flows from (used in) operating activities for the periods indicated.
| First Quarter | ||||||
| (Canadian dollars in millions) | 2023 | 2022 | $ Change | |||
| Net cash flows from operating activities | $ | 1,437 | $ | 367 | $ | 1,070 |
| Additions to property, equipment, and intangible assets | (450) | (276) | (174) | |||
| Free cash flow | $ | 987 | $ | 91 | $ | 896 |
Net Debt
Net debt is a capital management measure and a key component of the capital managed by Air Canada and provides management with a measure of its net indebtedness. It refers to total long-term debt liabilities (including current portion) less cash, cash equivalents. and short- and long-term investments.
Net Debt to Trailing 12-Month Adjusted EBITDA (Leverage Ratio)
Net debt to trailing 12-month adjusted EBITDA ratio (also referred to as “leverage ratio”) is commonly used in the airline industry and is used by Air Canada as a means to measure financial leverage. Leverage ratio is calculated by dividing net debt by trailing 12-month adjusted EBITDA.
| (Canadian dollars in millions) | March 31, 2023 | December 31, 2022 | Change | |||
| Total long-term debt and lease liabilities | $ | 14,901 | $ | 15,043 | $ | (142) |
| Current portion of long-term debt and lease liabilities | 1,163 | 1,263 | (100) | |||
| Total long-term debt and lease liabilities (including current portion) | 16,064 | 16,306 | (242) | |||
| Less cash, cash equivalents and short and long-term investments | (9,532) | (8,811) | (721) | |||
| Net debt | $ | 6,532 | $ | 7,495 | $ | (963) |
| Adjusted EBITDA (trailing 12 months) | $ | 2,011 | 1,457 | 554 | ||
| Net debt to adjusted EBITDA ratio | 3.2x | 5.1x | (1.9) | |||
About Air Canada
Air Canada is Canada’s largest airline, the country’s flag carrier and a founding member of Star Alliance, the world’s most comprehensive air transportation network. Air Canada provides scheduled service directly to more than 180 airports in Canada, the United States and Internationally on six continents. It holds a Four-Star ranking from Skytrax. Air Canada’s Aeroplan program is Canada’s premier travel loyalty program, where members can earn or redeem points on the world’s largest airline partner network of 45 airlines, plus through an extensive range of merchandise, hotel and car rental rewards. Its freight division, Air Canada Cargo, provides air freight lift and connectivity to hundreds of destinations across six continents using Air Canada’s passenger and freighter aircraft. Air Canada has committed to a net zero emissions goal from all global operations by 2050.