UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
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FORM 8-K
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CURRENT REPORT
PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d)
OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): September 13, 2023
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(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
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(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation) | (Commission File Number) | (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.) | ||||||
(720 ) 374-4490
(Address of principal executive offices, including zip code, and Registrant's telephone number, including area code)
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Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:
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Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act: | ||||||||
Title of each class | Trading Symbol | Name of each exchange on which registered | ||||||
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).
Emerging growth company ☐
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐
Item 7.01 Regulation FD Disclosure.
Frontier Group Holdings, Inc. (the “Company”), parent company of Frontier Airlines, Inc., is updating its previously issued guidance for the third quarter of 2023, as disclosed in the Company’s earnings release issued August 1, 2023. The Company’s updated guidance reflects a recent significant unexpected change in the booking trajectory along with higher fuel prices and a greater volume of recent operational cancellations than forecast.
In recent weeks, sales have been trending below historical seasonality patterns. Additionally, fuel prices for the quarter are expected to average approximately 23 cents per gallon more than previously forecast, based on the fuel curve as of September 8, 2023. Operational cancellation levels are elevated relative to management’s earlier guidance for the quarter driven in part by the impact of Tropical Storm Hilary and Hurricane Idalia, as well as continued challenges with the operating environment.
Taken collectively, the Company expects the impact from these items to result in an adjusted (non-GAAP) pre-tax margin for the quarter of between (4) to (7) percent.
The Company’s ultra-low cost business model is designed to provide Frontier with a cost advantage and we intend to remain extremely focused on our cost structure in the face of the current demand environment.
The Company’s updated forward guidance estimate for the third quarter 2023 is presented in the following table, with a comparison to the previously issued guidance. The Company will provide updated guidance on the fourth quarter and full year 2023 when it reports its third quarter results and has additional information on the demand environment, as well as in respect of trends relating to fuel prices and operational performance.
Estimated 3Q 2023(a) | |||||||||||
| Updated | Prior | ||||||||||
Capacity growth (versus 3Q 2022)(b) | 20% to 21% | 21% to 23% | |||||||||
Adjusted (non-GAAP) total operating expenses (excluding fuel) ($ millions)(c) | $645 to $655 | $650 to $665 | |||||||||
Average fuel cost per gallon(d) | $3.05 to $3.10 | $2.80 to $2.90 | |||||||||
| Effective tax rate | 22% | 22% | |||||||||
| Adjusted (non-GAAP) pre-tax margin | (4%) to (7%) | 4% to 7% | |||||||||
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(a)Includes guidance on certain non-GAAP measures, including adjusted total operating expenses (excluding fuel) and adjusted pre-tax margin, and which excludes, among other things, special items. The Company is unable to reconcile these forward-looking projections to GAAP as the nature or amount of such special items cannot be determined at this time. The guidance provided is based on the Company’s current estimates and is not a guarantee of future performance. This guidance is subject to significant risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially, including the risk factors discussed in the Company’s reports on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). The Company undertakes no duty to update any forward-looking statements or estimates, except as required by applicable law.
(b)Given the dynamic nature of the current demand environment, actual capacity adjustments made by the Company may be materially different than what is currently expected.
(c)Amount estimated excludes fuel expense and special items, the latter of which are not estimable at this time. The amount takes into consideration the additional expected capacity and the Company's continued investment in the post-pandemic recovery.
(d)Estimated fuel cost per gallon is based upon the blended jet fuel curve on September 8, 2023 and is inclusive of estimated fuel taxes and into-plane fuel costs.
The information in this Current Report on Form 8-K is being furnished and shall not be deemed “filed” for the purposes of Section 18 of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section, nor shall it be incorporated by reference in any filing under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), or the Exchange Act, regardless of any general incorporation language in such filing, except as expressly set forth by reference in such filing.
Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements and Information
Certain statements in this Current Report on Form 8-K should be considered forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are based on the Company’s current expectations and beliefs with respect to certain current and future events and anticipated financial and operating performance. Words such as “expects,” “will,” “plans,” “intends,” “anticipates,” “indicates,” “remains,” “believes,” “estimates,” “forecast,” “guidance,” “outlook,” “goals,” “targets” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Additionally, forward-looking statements include statements that do not relate solely to historical facts, such as statements which identify uncertainties or trends, discuss the possible future effects of current known trends or uncertainties, or which indicate that the future effects of known trends or uncertainties cannot be predicted, guaranteed or assured. All forward-looking statements in this Current Report on Form 8-K are based upon information available to the Company on the date of this report. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, changed circumstances or otherwise, except as required by applicable law.
Actual results could differ materially from these forward-looking statements due to numerous risks and uncertainties relating to the Company's operations and business environment including, without limitation, the following: unfavorable economic and political conditions in the states where the Company operates and globally, including an inflationary environment and potential recession, and the resulting impact on cost inputs and/or consumer demand for air travel; the highly competitive nature of the global airline industry and susceptibility of the industry to price discounting and changes in capacity; disruptions to the Company’s flight operations, including due to factors beyond the Company’s control, such as adverse weather events or air traffic controller staffing shortages; the Company's ability to attract and retain qualified personnel at reasonable costs; the potential future impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, and possible outbreaks of another disease or similar public health threat in the future, on the Company’s business, operating results, financial condition, liquidity and near-term and long-term strategic operating plan, including possible additional adverse impacts resulting from the duration and spread of such a public health threat; high and/or volatile fuel prices or significant disruptions in the supply of aircraft fuel, including as a result of the war between Russia and Ukraine; the Company's reliance on technology and automated systems to operate its business and the impact of any significant failure or disruption of, or failure to effectively integrate and implement, the technology or systems; the Company’s reliance on third-party service providers and the impact of any failure of these parties to perform as expected, or interruptions in the Company's relationships with these providers or their provision of services; adverse publicity and/or harm to the Company's brand or reputation; reduced travel demand and potential tort liability as a result of an accident, catastrophe or incident involving the Company, its codeshare partners or another airline; terrorist attacks, international hostilities or other security events, or the fear of terrorist attacks or hostilities, even if not made directly on the airline industry; increasing privacy and data security obligations or a significant data breach; further changes to the airline industry with respect to alliances and joint business arrangements or due to consolidations; changes in the Company's network strategy or other factors outside its control resulting in less economic aircraft orders, costs related to modification or termination of aircraft orders or entry into less favorable aircraft orders; the Company's reliance on a single supplier for its aircraft and two suppliers for its engines, and the impact of any failure to obtain timely deliveries, additional equipment or support from any of these suppliers; the impacts of union disputes, employee strikes or slowdowns, and other labor-related disruptions on the Company's operations; extended interruptions or disruptions in service at major airports where the Company operates; the impacts of seasonality and other factors associated with the airline industry; the Company's failure to realize the full value of its intangible assets or its long-lived assets, causing the Company to record impairments; the costs of compliance with extensive government regulation of the airline industry; costs, liabilities and risks associated with environmental regulation and climate change; the Company's inability to accept or integrate new aircraft into the Company's fleet as planned; the impacts of the Company's significant amount of financial leverage from fixed obligations, the possibility the Company may seek material amounts of additional financial liquidity in the short-term and the impacts of insufficient liquidity on the Company's financial condition and business; failure to comply with the covenants in the Company's financing agreements or failure to comply with financial and other covenants governing the Company's other debt; changes in, or failure to retain, the Company's senior management team or other key employees; current or future litigation and regulatory actions, or failure to comply with the terms of any settlement, order or arrangement relating to these actions; increases in insurance costs or inadequate insurance coverage; and other risks and uncertainties set forth from time to time under sections captioned “Risk Factors” in the Company's reports and other documents filed with the SEC, including the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022, which was filed with the SEC on February 22, 2023.
SIGNATURE
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
| FRONTIER GROUP HOLDINGS, INC. | |||||||||||
Date: September 13, 2023 | By: | /s/ Howard M. Diamond | |||||||||
| Howard M. Diamond | |||||||||||
| General Counsel and Secretary | |||||||||||