Spirit Airlines Ch.11
#61
Gets Weekends Off
Thread Starter
Joined APC: Oct 2017
Posts: 3,230
Bonds ratings companies generally know what they are doing. Fitch has a good report here: thttps://www.fitchratings.com/research/corporate-finance/fitch-downgrades-spirit-airlines-to-ccc-07-05-
2024
tldr:
Spirit Airlines is currently facing severe financial and operational challenges, prompting Fitch Ratings to downgrade its Long-Term Issuer Default Rating to 'CCC'. The airline is struggling with persistent negative operating margins and diminishing financial flexibility, primarily due to overcapacity in key markets and uncertainty around the availability of A320 NEO engines. Despite having $898 million in cash and short-term investments, and an additional $300 million available under a revolving credit facility, Spirit's liquidity is under pressure from ongoing cash burn. The company faces critical refinancing needs for its 2025 loyalty bonds and 2026 convertible notes, and there is a heightened risk of a distressed debt exchange, which could lead to bankruptcy if refinancing efforts fail. To address these issues, Spirit is implementing cost-cutting measures and strategic changes to improve its brand image and revenue, though these efforts carry execution risks and will take time to yield results. Overall, the outlook for Spirit Airlines is precarious, with a significant risk of bankruptcy if it cannot manage its liquidity and refinancing needs effectively.
They seem to suggest a Chapter 11 vs Chapter 7 would be the best approach.
2024
tldr:
Spirit Airlines is currently facing severe financial and operational challenges, prompting Fitch Ratings to downgrade its Long-Term Issuer Default Rating to 'CCC'. The airline is struggling with persistent negative operating margins and diminishing financial flexibility, primarily due to overcapacity in key markets and uncertainty around the availability of A320 NEO engines. Despite having $898 million in cash and short-term investments, and an additional $300 million available under a revolving credit facility, Spirit's liquidity is under pressure from ongoing cash burn. The company faces critical refinancing needs for its 2025 loyalty bonds and 2026 convertible notes, and there is a heightened risk of a distressed debt exchange, which could lead to bankruptcy if refinancing efforts fail. To address these issues, Spirit is implementing cost-cutting measures and strategic changes to improve its brand image and revenue, though these efforts carry execution risks and will take time to yield results. Overall, the outlook for Spirit Airlines is precarious, with a significant risk of bankruptcy if it cannot manage its liquidity and refinancing needs effectively.
They seem to suggest a Chapter 11 vs Chapter 7 would be the best approach.
#62
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jul 2023
Posts: 337
Bonds ratings companies generally know what they are doing. Fitch has a good report here: thttps://www.fitchratings.com/research/corporate-finance/fitch-downgrades-spirit-airlines-to-ccc-07-05-
2024
tldr:
Spirit Airlines is currently facing severe financial and operational challenges, prompting Fitch Ratings to downgrade its Long-Term Issuer Default Rating to 'CCC'. The airline is struggling with persistent negative operating margins and diminishing financial flexibility, primarily due to overcapacity in key markets and uncertainty around the availability of A320 NEO engines. Despite having $898 million in cash and short-term investments, and an additional $300 million available under a revolving credit facility, Spirit's liquidity is under pressure from ongoing cash burn. The company faces critical refinancing needs for its 2025 loyalty bonds and 2026 convertible notes, and there is a heightened risk of a distressed debt exchange, which could lead to bankruptcy if refinancing efforts fail. To address these issues, Spirit is implementing cost-cutting measures and strategic changes to improve its brand image and revenue, though these efforts carry execution risks and will take time to yield results. Overall, the outlook for Spirit Airlines is precarious, with a significant risk of bankruptcy if it cannot manage its liquidity and refinancing needs effectively.
They seem to suggest a Chapter 11 vs Chapter 7 would be the best approach.
2024
tldr:
Spirit Airlines is currently facing severe financial and operational challenges, prompting Fitch Ratings to downgrade its Long-Term Issuer Default Rating to 'CCC'. The airline is struggling with persistent negative operating margins and diminishing financial flexibility, primarily due to overcapacity in key markets and uncertainty around the availability of A320 NEO engines. Despite having $898 million in cash and short-term investments, and an additional $300 million available under a revolving credit facility, Spirit's liquidity is under pressure from ongoing cash burn. The company faces critical refinancing needs for its 2025 loyalty bonds and 2026 convertible notes, and there is a heightened risk of a distressed debt exchange, which could lead to bankruptcy if refinancing efforts fail. To address these issues, Spirit is implementing cost-cutting measures and strategic changes to improve its brand image and revenue, though these efforts carry execution risks and will take time to yield results. Overall, the outlook for Spirit Airlines is precarious, with a significant risk of bankruptcy if it cannot manage its liquidity and refinancing needs effectively.
They seem to suggest a Chapter 11 vs Chapter 7 would be the best approach.
Bondholders are the ones paying for these downgrades. They want to maximize the concession they receive as part of the refinancing negotiation.
#63
Do you disagree with anything in the report? It seemed factual and neutral to me. Even so, bond holders have already taken a big haircut. Potentially interfering with keeping the company solvent doesn't seem like a great strategy.
#64
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Sep 2021
Posts: 166
Who knows, .gov might even approve an emergency merger, just to keep the metal in the sky.[/QUOTE]
This was my thought…now I know the government doesn’t have to be logical in any way, but if they are saying that Spirit and JetBlue cannot merge in an effort to protect the lower income consumers, wouldn’t it make sense for the government to offer some financial or regulatory support if those actions lead to the demise of said airlines? How can they say they want to protect those consumers and then shortly after say nah, **** those same consumers. Politics is a nasty game.
This was my thought…now I know the government doesn’t have to be logical in any way, but if they are saying that Spirit and JetBlue cannot merge in an effort to protect the lower income consumers, wouldn’t it make sense for the government to offer some financial or regulatory support if those actions lead to the demise of said airlines? How can they say they want to protect those consumers and then shortly after say nah, **** those same consumers. Politics is a nasty game.
#65
TV got broke somehow when the wife put The View on, so I'm bored and on a desktop with an extra large keyboard (of course) and need to keep those freaken kids the hell off my lawn, so here goes.
I was shocked at our popularity with applicants during the great hiring blitz of the last 10 years. The crazy growth didn't feel right. The weird enthusiasm by the new guys was yucky. Seemed much safer not to get the attention of the legacies and keep our little gang of roustabouts employed. A MILF sale here, a stripper truck there, here a MILF, there a MILF, everywhere a MILF MILF. Nope. We needed to grow!
It really doesn't take a big brain to figure out seats sell in baskets and we're pretty easy to undersell out of a market if we start to threaten their turf. It almost seems as though the guys in the corner offices only cared about themselves, but I knew that couldn't be true.
Shiney new jets, happy CP's, new sims, great training, and a pretty good life after reserve. But that "Free High Five" thing gave me the creeps. Then the whole "we're shutting down FLL and your job's in Nashville, PSYCH!, no it's not we're building a Glass Palace right here!" thing was attention getting. Almost like those guys were wingin it.
Then the engine thing. Does anybody seriously buy a new model of a car when it's first introduced? No! you wait until the recalls and the kinks are worked out, then see if it's a viable purchase after a few production runs. What's next, a fleet of Cybertrucks for tugs? 3,000 of those were made so if you see one in the wild that's your hometown moron.
When the few guys would ask me about moving on I would always say if you're 45 or younger and you can get hired by a legacy, that's a solid 20 year career and you need to do the math on what that retirement looks like compared to staying. It's a no brainer unless your personal life is too complicated to leave and pay your dues for a few years yet again.
This is a great gig after a few years in, and I get that's what makes the decision to leave so much harder. If I were in my 50's, and not the oldest guy on the frequency everyday, I'd probably shoot for one of those corporate gigs Linked In feeds me every day. Really sucks for the lost decade guys, but the not knowing can take a real toll on your family too. Hard times do make tough people, but that's how we got here right?
What I'm saying as a proud Boomer is it's not only timing, but age (versus the opportunities available to you). Do the math. What would 15 years at a legacy do for your retirement with the last five/seven in the right seat of a wide body?
TLDR
I'm old.
If your 50 or younger get out because it's always been my advice.
If your older than 50 you better have apps out and pay off your house.
Get off my lawn.
I was shocked at our popularity with applicants during the great hiring blitz of the last 10 years. The crazy growth didn't feel right. The weird enthusiasm by the new guys was yucky. Seemed much safer not to get the attention of the legacies and keep our little gang of roustabouts employed. A MILF sale here, a stripper truck there, here a MILF, there a MILF, everywhere a MILF MILF. Nope. We needed to grow!
It really doesn't take a big brain to figure out seats sell in baskets and we're pretty easy to undersell out of a market if we start to threaten their turf. It almost seems as though the guys in the corner offices only cared about themselves, but I knew that couldn't be true.
Shiney new jets, happy CP's, new sims, great training, and a pretty good life after reserve. But that "Free High Five" thing gave me the creeps. Then the whole "we're shutting down FLL and your job's in Nashville, PSYCH!, no it's not we're building a Glass Palace right here!" thing was attention getting. Almost like those guys were wingin it.
Then the engine thing. Does anybody seriously buy a new model of a car when it's first introduced? No! you wait until the recalls and the kinks are worked out, then see if it's a viable purchase after a few production runs. What's next, a fleet of Cybertrucks for tugs? 3,000 of those were made so if you see one in the wild that's your hometown moron.
When the few guys would ask me about moving on I would always say if you're 45 or younger and you can get hired by a legacy, that's a solid 20 year career and you need to do the math on what that retirement looks like compared to staying. It's a no brainer unless your personal life is too complicated to leave and pay your dues for a few years yet again.
This is a great gig after a few years in, and I get that's what makes the decision to leave so much harder. If I were in my 50's, and not the oldest guy on the frequency everyday, I'd probably shoot for one of those corporate gigs Linked In feeds me every day. Really sucks for the lost decade guys, but the not knowing can take a real toll on your family too. Hard times do make tough people, but that's how we got here right?
What I'm saying as a proud Boomer is it's not only timing, but age (versus the opportunities available to you). Do the math. What would 15 years at a legacy do for your retirement with the last five/seven in the right seat of a wide body?
TLDR
I'm old.
If your 50 or younger get out because it's always been my advice.
If your older than 50 you better have apps out and pay off your house.
Get off my lawn.
#66
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Dec 2022
Posts: 858
It’s going to take a bankruptcy filing and shedding the debt for anyone to want a buy this place. It’s darkest before the dawn.
#67
This was my thought…now I know the government doesn’t have to be logical in any way, but if they are saying that Spirit and JetBlue cannot merge in an effort to protect the lower income consumers, wouldn’t it make sense for the government to offer some financial or regulatory support if those actions lead to the demise of said airlines? How can they say they want to protect those consumers and then shortly after say nah, **** those same consumers. Politics is a nasty game.
But I didn't think they could just waive all that student debt either, so maybe they can just write a bailout check.
#68
#69
New Hire
Joined APC: Dec 2019
Position: A320 Captain United
Posts: 8
Bonds ratings companies generally know what they are doing. Fitch has a good report here: thttps://www.fitchratings.com/research/corporate-finance/fitch-downgrades-spirit-airlines-to-ccc-07-05-
2024
tldr:
Spirit Airlines is currently facing severe financial and operational challenges, prompting Fitch Ratings to downgrade its Long-Term Issuer Default Rating to 'CCC'. The airline is struggling with persistent negative operating margins and diminishing financial flexibility, primarily due to overcapacity in key markets and uncertainty around the availability of A320 NEO engines. Despite having $898 million in cash and short-term investments, and an additional $300 million available under a revolving credit facility, Spirit's liquidity is under pressure from ongoing cash burn. The company faces critical refinancing needs for its 2025 loyalty bonds and 2026 convertible notes, and there is a heightened risk of a distressed debt exchange, which could lead to bankruptcy if refinancing efforts fail. To address these issues, Spirit is implementing cost-cutting measures and strategic changes to improve its brand image and revenue, though these efforts carry execution risks and will take time to yield results. Overall, the outlook for Spirit Airlines is precarious, with a significant risk of bankruptcy if it cannot manage its liquidity and refinancing needs effectively.
They seem to suggest a Chapter 11 vs Chapter 7 would be the best approach.
2024
tldr:
Spirit Airlines is currently facing severe financial and operational challenges, prompting Fitch Ratings to downgrade its Long-Term Issuer Default Rating to 'CCC'. The airline is struggling with persistent negative operating margins and diminishing financial flexibility, primarily due to overcapacity in key markets and uncertainty around the availability of A320 NEO engines. Despite having $898 million in cash and short-term investments, and an additional $300 million available under a revolving credit facility, Spirit's liquidity is under pressure from ongoing cash burn. The company faces critical refinancing needs for its 2025 loyalty bonds and 2026 convertible notes, and there is a heightened risk of a distressed debt exchange, which could lead to bankruptcy if refinancing efforts fail. To address these issues, Spirit is implementing cost-cutting measures and strategic changes to improve its brand image and revenue, though these efforts carry execution risks and will take time to yield results. Overall, the outlook for Spirit Airlines is precarious, with a significant risk of bankruptcy if it cannot manage its liquidity and refinancing needs effectively.
They seem to suggest a Chapter 11 vs Chapter 7 would be the best approach.
#70
Gets Weekends Off
Thread Starter
Joined APC: Oct 2017
Posts: 3,230
https://www.marketwatch.com/investing/stock/save?mod=search_symbol
If anybody is interested right now our short position is at 26%.
just for some reference our short position before the merger was blocked was 13%.
10% is considered pretty bad… would cause a short squeeze.
if you own spirit stock right now, you could make a heck of money if Spirit prevails.
unfortunately, I think Wall Street is really saying something here.
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