Topic: How To Invest

Stock Pickers Digest Hotline – Friday, January 12, 2018

Article Excerpt

WESTJET AIRLINES LTD., $25.34, symbol WJA on Toronto, serves 104 destinations in North America, Central America, the Caribbean and Europe. Its fleet of 121 modern Boeing 737s and 767s are much more fuel-efficient than older jets. WestJet carried a record-setting 2.1 million passengers in December 2017. That’s an increase of 10.0% from 1.9 million a year earlier. Moreover, the carrier’s load factor climbed in December, to 82.6% from 80.2%. Load factor is the percentage of available seats that are occupied by paying passengers. The gain came despite a 5.6% increase in capacity. That rise includes WestJet’s launch of nonstop flights to London, England, and new sun destinations for winter travel. Demand for the company’s flights remains high, and WestJet continues to enter into new partnerships with other airlines. Its regional air carrier, WestJet Encore, has also performed well and continues to expand its seat capacity. What’s more, “Swoop,” the company’s new no-frills, low-cost airline, will start taking bookings in February 2018. It will begin…