Among airline stocks, JetBlue Airways Corporation (NASDAQ:JBLU) surged recently after reports surfaced that the company is being targeted for a buyout by David Neeleman, who is tipped to be contemplating a merger between JetBlue Airways Corporation (NASDAQ:JBLU) and his start-up carrier Azul Linhas Aereas. The unconfirmed news not only lifted JetBlue Airways Corporation (NASDAQ:JBLU) but also worked wonders for Allegiant Travel Company (NASDAQ:ALGT) and Republic Airways Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:RJET). While acquisitions usually unlock huge upside, there is no assurance of a buyout happening anytime soon. Here is a closer account of which stock might be a better fit for your portfolio:
With its improving financial performance and attractive valuation, JetBlue Airways Corporation (NASDAQ:JBLU) is a natural acquisition target. At current market prices, the stock trades at a forward price/earnings ratio of just 9 while offering a discount of 7 percent to its book value of $6.8 per share. Its capital structure might be a little skewed in favor of interest paying debt, but it is fine as long as the company keeps its handle on costs and manages to boost top-line. A price/sales ratio of 0.35 also indicates undervaluation. In terms of financial performance, the company has been making a strong recovery on an annual basis, although the first quarter performance was below Street expectations with profits halving to $14 million despite a top-line boost. On the positive side, the company is strengthening its balance sheet. During the quarter, it reduced its debt by $25 million and repurchased a half million shares of common stock.
Republic Airways stock is up
The same palpable enthusiasm can be found in the stock of Republic Airways Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:RJET) – an Indiana based regional airline, although the ground realities justify a measured approach by investors. The stock has moved up 8 percent over the last three days and trades close to its 52-week high as the company seems to be making some progress in spinning off its Frontier Airlines subsidiary, although no formal announcement has been made so far. A bigger challenge awaits Republic Airways Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:RJET) on the front of signing competitive labor agreements with its employees.
This is crucial as the company has been losing out on fixed-fee contracts from bigger airlines – a necessary aspect for any regional airline to survive. While this would have an obvious impact on top-line growth, fixed costs and gearing will make sure that the net result on margins is more than proportional. This trend is already visible as the company reported an 8.9 percent drop in sales during the most recent quarter. With a debt/equity ratio of 3.9 and price hovering near its annual high, the stock is certainly not the most attractive prospect.
