WESTJET AIRLINES $23.45 (Toronto symbol WJA; TSINetwork Rating: Extra Risk) (1- 877-493-7853; www.westjet.com; Shares outstanding: 132.3 million; Market cap: $3.1 billion; Dividend yield: 1.7%) recently dropped from the all-time high of $25.47 it reached in April 2013, even though the company reported record earnings in the latest quarter.
WestJet’s earnings per share jumped 38.8% in the three months ended March 31, 2013, to $0.68 from $0.49 a year earlier.
Demand for the company’s flights remains high, and it has entered into new partnerships with other airlines; these were the main reasons for the increases.
WestJet shares fell mostly on investor concern that the company’s profit growth could slow if it’s unable to fill the new planes it is adding to the same level as its current fleet. That includes its new Canadian regional airline, WestJet Encore, which launches in June 2013.
However, WestJet now has cost-cutting measures underway that it estimates will lower its annual expenses by $100 million by 2015. It has also decided to defer the delivery of five Boeing 737s from 2014 and 2015 to 2016 and 2017.
WestJet is our #1 stock pick for 2013.