Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings, Inc. has announced first-quarter 2021 net income of $89.9 million, or $3.05 per diluted share, compared with $23.4 million, or $0.90 per diluted share, in the first quarter of 2020.
On an adjusted basis, EBITDA rose to $181.3 million in the first quarter of 2021 compared with $121.2 million in the prior-year period. Adjusted net income grew to $72.2 million, or $2.45 per diluted share, in the first quarter of 2021 compared with $29.9 million, or $1.15 per diluted share, in the prior-year period.
“Our performance was driven by the strength and flexibility of our global business model and our team continuing to capitalize on the current airfreight environment, with demand and yields that are well above typical seasonal levels,” said Atlas Air Worldwide President and Chief Executive Officer John W. Dietrich.
“Our results also benefited from flying four 747 freighters and one 777 freighter that we reintroduced to our fleet throughout 2020 to serve customer demand.
“I would like to thank our team for continuing to deliver safe, high-quality service for our customers in this very challenging operating environment. We flexed our global network and increased aircraft utilization to match airfreight demand. We also positioned ourselves for the future by entering into and extending numerous long-term charter agreements with strategic customers.”
Mr. Dietrich added: “We are off to a very good start in 2021 and are seeing continued business momentum in the second quarter. We are closely monitoring the market and leveraging the diversity of our business model. This includes being prepared to capitalize on global market conditions as well as being able to successfully adjust to any changes.
“With the strong global demand for airfreight outpacing air cargo supply, we anticipate airfreight demand and yields to remain strong, with capacity on long-haul trade lanes remaining tight. International passenger flying on widebody aircraft has been slow to recover, and will likely be last to return as countries continue to struggle with COVID-19 and many borders remain closed. Recent passenger air traffic has largely been driven by pent-up demand for domestic and regional leisure travel with smaller-gauge aircraft, which is less impactful to international airfreight.
“In the second quarter of 2021, we expect to fly approximately 90,000 block hours, with revenue of approximately $950 million, and adjusted EBITDA of about $210 million. In addition, we anticipate adjusted net income to grow approximately 30% compared with adjusted net income of $72.2 million in the first quarter of 2021.*
“Given ongoing economic and market-related uncertainties, including COVID-19, new variants of the virus, surges in cases globally, travel restrictions, low international passenger travel and other factors, we are providing a second-quarter outlook, but not issuing a full-year 2021 earnings outlook at this time.”
"Our outlook anticipates commercial cargo charter yields in the second quarter of 2021 to remain above typical seasonal levels, but below the historically high yields experienced during the second quarter of 2020.
We expect second-quarter results to continue to be impacted by ongoing pandemic-related expenses, including pilot premium pay and operational costs for providing a safe working environment for our employees. We also expect higher pilot costs related to increased pay rates we provided to our pilots in May 2020.
For the full year in 2021, we continue to expect aircraft maintenance expense to be lower than 2020, and depreciation and amortization to total about $270 million. In addition, core capital expenditures, which exclude aircraft and engine purchases, are projected to total approximately $110 to $120 million, mainly for parts and components for our fleet.
Given ongoing economic and market-related uncertainties, including COVID-19, new variants of the virus, surges in cases globally, travel restrictions, low international passenger travel and other factors, we are providing a second-quarter outlook, but not issuing a full-year 2021 earnings outlook at this time.
Other than with regard to revenue, we provide guidance only on an adjusted basis because we are unable to predict, with reasonable certainty and without unreasonable effort, the effects of future gains and losses on asset sales, special charges and other unanticipated items that could be material to our reported results.*
