•
Mar 31, 2020

Delta Q1 2020 Earnings Report

Delta Air Lines reported a GAAP pre-tax loss of $607 million and an adjusted pre-tax loss of $422 million for the March quarter 2020, while also outlining its response to the COVID-19 global pandemic.

Key Takeaways

Delta Air Lines announced its March quarter 2020 financial results, revealing a GAAP pre-tax loss of $607 million or $0.84 per share and an adjusted pre-tax loss of $422 million or $0.51 per share. The company is responding to the COVID-19 global pandemic by prioritizing safety, protecting its business, and bolstering liquidity.

Expected June quarter revenues to decline by 90% compared to the previous year due to the impact of government travel restrictions and stay-at-home orders.

Cash burn was $100 million per day at the end of March and is expected to moderate to approximately $50 million per day by the end of the June quarter through decisive actions.

The company expects to end the June quarter with approximately $10 billion in liquidity.

Delta is taking decisive action to prioritize the safety of its employees and customers while protecting its business and bolstering liquidity.

Total Revenue
$8.59B
Previous year: $10.5B
-18.0%
EPS
-$0.51
Previous year: $0.96
-153.1%
Gross Profit
$459M
Previous year: $2.1B
-78.1%
Cash and Equivalents
$6B
Previous year: $1.91B
+214.1%
Total Assets
$68.7B
Previous year: $61.8B
+11.2%

Delta

Delta

Forward Guidance

Delta anticipates a significant reduction in expenses and aims to moderate cash burn through various measures.

Positive Outlook

  • Expected June quarter total expenses to decline by approximately 50%, or $5 billion, over prior year due to reduced capacity.
  • Lower fuel costs.
  • Cost initiatives.
  • Payroll Support Program under the CARES Act will help safeguard Delta jobs.
  • Decisive actions are expected to moderate cash burn to approximately $50 million per day by the end of the June quarter.

Challenges Ahead

  • Government travel restrictions and stay-at-home orders have severely impacted near-term demand for air travel.
  • Expected June quarter revenues to decline by 90 percent, compared to a year ago.
  • Significant impact of COVID-19 on Delta’s revenue.
  • Burning $100 million per day at the end of March.
  • Uncertainty in economic conditions and regulatory environment in the United Kingdom related to the exit of the United Kingdom from the European Union.