The Globe and Mail reports.....
The Globe and Mail reports in its Saturday edition that if you catch them at the right time, airlines can deliver hefty gains. The Globe's John Heinzl writes that from the start of 2017 through the end of 2019, Air Canada's shares soared more than 250 per cent. Then COVID-19 hit, and the shares came in for a hard landing. Somewhat perplexingly, they have remained grounded for the last few years, despite a strong rebound in air travel since pandemic restrictions were lifted. In the third quarter, Air Canada's operating revenue surged 19.2 per cent to $6.3-billion and its operating income more than doubled to $1.4-billion. Yet, if the moribund stock price is any indication, investors remain concerned about the airline's rising labour and fuel costs, its $5.4-billion net debt load and the potential for higher interest rates to cause a slowdown in the economy in general, and air travel in particular. Yet another concern cited by analysts is that Air Canada's capital spending is projected to increase by $4.4-billion in 2025 and 2026 as it adds 18 Boeing 787-10 Dreamliners to its fleet. However, CIBC World Markets analyst Kevin Chiang sees a "disconnect" between AC's sluggish share price and its business fundamentals.