Here’s our Pick of the Month

Article Excerpt

WESTJET AIRLINES $20.92 (Toronto symbol WJA; TSINetwork Rating: Extra Risk) (1-877-493-7853; www.westjet.com; Shares outstanding: 114.0 million; Market cap: $2.4 billion; Dividend yield: 2.7%) serves over 100 destinations in North America, Central America, the Caribbean and Europe. In the quarter ended December 31, 2018, overall revenue increased 6.6%, to $1.19 billion from $1.12 billion a year earlier. Earnings fell 39.0%, to $29.2 million, or $0.26 a share, from $47.8 million, or $0.42. Still, that was well above the consensus estimate of $0.13 a share. Demand for the company’s flights remains high. That continues to push up revenue. But fuel prices have soared, and that has cut profit margins. In the latest quarter, fuel prices jumped 20.3%, to $0.83 a litre from $0.69. Start-up costs related to the June 2018 launch of the company’s new ultra-low-cost carrier Swoop also raised its expenses. Still, all in all, WestJet’s strong brand, along with its solid balance sheet, gives it a positive outlook. As well, its international expansion, plus its entry…