EU TRANSPORTATION: IAG: 3Q Results

Nov-10 14:46

(IAGLN; Baa3 Pos/BBB/NR) 

Numbers were in-line with peers and it echoed Lufthansa in implying 4Q unit revenues are back in growth (driven by a recovery in NA). BS will likely stay conservatively levered when it announces equity pay-outs early next year - partly to accommodate bid for Air Portugal (TAPTRA: Ba3/BB-/NR) and partly for capex ramp-up (is skewing towards unencumbered deliveries). We continue to view the new 30s as firmer risk than Lufthansa and easyJet (despite lower ratings than latter) and more broadly still view IG airlines as unattractive (IAG trades flat to IHG).

  • ASK (capacity) +2.4%. Unit revenues -2.4% (ex. FX -0.4%) and left net revenue flat at €9.3b.
    • NA unit revenues -7% (-3.5% on FX) and Europe -6% (-2% on FX) - in line with peers
  • Non-fuel unit costs +0.2% (ex. FX +2.2%) leaving YTD +4.3%. Incl. Fuel (-11%), 3Q unit costs -3%.
  • Left adj. EBIT on a 22% margin (+40bps) or +2% y/y. LTM EBIT margin is at impressive 15.2%.
    • All airlines ran > 20% margin this quarter
  • g/n levered 1.9x/0.8x vs. comfort net 1.2-1.5x range and below firm ceiling of 1.8x

Current trading:

  • 4Q passenger revenues (80% booked) positive y/y (net of fx)
    • 4Q FX headwind is currently higher (~3.5ppt)
    • capacity/ASK to be +2.3%
      • implies unit revenues (ex. FX) positive y/y
    • Positive in NA too and not seeing any impact on US Shutdown
  • 1Q (30% booked) also positive

FY outlook (unch)

  • FY Capex of €3.7b with ~2/3 of the 25 deliveries to be unencumbered
    • currently owns 166/615 (27%) of fleet, 2/3 of owned fleet value unencumbered
  • FY capacity + 2.5% (YTD +2.6%)
  • Non-fuel unit costs +3% net of fx (YTD +4.3%)
  • On size of equity pay-outs/leverage; "at the moment, we've got some increasing capital coming over the next few years. And as you said, the TAP, so we will probably manage more towards the bottom end of that range rather than the top end of that range overall." (referring to net 1.2-1.5x range)

2026:

  • Capex closer to €4b
  • ~50% hedged on Fuel at ~$720 (spot $782)

Historical bullets

US: Trump Oval Office Announcement Underway Shortly

Oct-10 20:58

US President Donald Trump is shortly due to deliver an announcement in the White House Oval Office. LIVESTREAM The announcement is expected to relate to drug pricing and could follow a similar template to a recent pledge from Pfizer

  • The announcement will be Trump's first press remarks since a market-moving Truth Social statement earlier today in which Trump suggested calling off a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping and raising tariffs on China in response to new export controls from Beijing on rare earths. See earlier bullets here and here

RATINGS: Moody's Completes Periodic Review Of Belgium, No Rating Action

Oct-10 20:42

No ratings actions for Belgium from Moody's, which is quoted in a press release on Bloomberg: "Moody's Ratings (Moody's) has completed a periodic review of the ratings of Belgium and other ratings that are associated with this issuer. The review was conducted through a rating committee held on 2 October 2025 in which we reassessed the appropriateness of the ratings in the context of the relevant principal methodology(ies), and recent developments. This publication does not announce a credit rating action and is not an indication of whether or not a credit rating action is likely in the near future."

  • There had been some speculation there could be a ratings action - MNI wrote Thursday: "* Moody's on Belgium (Current rating Aa3, Outlook Negative): We expect Moody's to maintain their current stance in the absence of 2026 budget details."

 

MACRO ANALYSIS: US Macro Week Ahead: No CPI, But Plenty Of Pre-Blackout FedSpeak

Oct-10 20:35

Below is the week’s data schedule, with MNI’s annotation of whether or not data will be postponed. 

  • As we went to press, the Fed announced that next week's Industrial Production data will be postponed (was due to be published next Friday Oct 17) as the data “incorporate a range of data from other government agencies, the publication of which has been delayed as a result of the federal government shutdown.”
  • We won’t be getting September CPI as scheduled on Oct 15, but at least the BLS announced it will publish the data on Oct 24.
  • As such next week we’ll be looking at some under-covered data points, including the Redbook weekly and Chicago Fed’s CARTS retail sales data (in lieu of the Census Bureau retail sales report), with a little more focus than usual on regional Fed manufacturing indices (NY, Philadelphia).
  • Once again, the dearth of tier-one data leaves Fed commentary in focus ahead of the pre-FOMC blackout period: highlights for us are Philadelphia Fed President Paulson making her first comments on monetary policy on Monday since being appointed in the summer, while as always Chair Powell bears watching on Tuesday (we also hear from Bowman, Waller, Collins, Miran, Schmid, and Musalem).
  • Additionally we get the latest Beige Book which was already key given the FOMC was already increasingly focused on anecdotal information as it attempts to navigate murky economic waters.
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