Volaris Reports Second Quarter 2020 Results: Robust Liquidity Preservation Plan with Minimal Cash Burn, End Cash Balance of Ps.10 Billion

MEXICO CITY, July 27, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Volaris* (NYSE: VLRS and BMV: VOLAR), the ultra-low-cost airline serving Mexico, the United States and Central America, today announces its financial results for the second quarter 2020.

The following financial information, unless otherwise indicated, is presented in accordance with the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS).

Second Quarter 2020 Highlights

During the second quarter 2020, the Company carefully managed its capacity, measured by available seat miles (ASMs), in response to the decline in demand for air travel due to the virus SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19).

In April, 2020 the Company announced that pursuant to a decree published in the Official Gazette of the Federation, the Government of the United Mexican States, acting through the General Health Council (Consejo de Salubridad General ("GHC")) declared a health emergency due to force majeure, as a result of the disease pandemic caused by the COVID-19, which would be in effect until new notification (the "Declaration of Emergency").

The Declaration of Emergency and the health security measures announced by the GHC, such as the suspension of non-essential activities in the public, private and social sector, as well as the call to the population to comply with stay at home, impacted the demand for passenger air transportation.

The second quarter of 2020 was characterized by three very different months: in April and May, the fall in demand required significant capacity cuts. In April, Volaris operated 18% ASMs vs the same period in 2019 and in May this fell still further to 12%. This trend was reversed in June, when Volaris operated 41% ASMs compared to those operated in the same period in 2019. This was a ramp-up of more than 234% compared to May 2020, taking advantage of the early signs of recovery particularly in the domestic market and the ramp-up was significantly faster than our domestic competitors. The domestic market held up better than the international markets and Central America remained closed altogether.

For the ramp-up in June and further into the third quarter, Volaris has taken a breadth over depth approach to network recovery, focusing on marginal contribution of flights. By end of June 2020 service re-started in 49% of domestic routes and 22% of US markets, albeit both at a lower frequency vs. 2019.

The main effects of the reductions and the gradual recovery of demand and capacity at the end of the second quarter, are described as follows:

• Total operating revenues were Ps.1,526 million for the second quarter, a decrease of 81.7% year over year.
• Total ancillary revenues were Ps.711 million for the second quarter, a decrease of 75.5% year over year. Total ancillary revenues per passenger for the second quarter reached Ps.644, an increase of 25.2% year over year. Total ancillary revenues represented 46.6% of total operating revenues for the second quarter 2020, increasing 11.7 percentage points with respect to the same period of last year.
• Total operating revenues per available seat mile (TRASM) were Ps.108.9 cents for the second quarter, a decrease of 19.7% year over year.
• Operating expenses per available seat mile (CASM) were Ps.274.4 cents for the second quarter, an increase of more than 100% year over year; with an average economic fuel cost per gallon of Ps.43.8 for the second quarter, a decrease of 10.4% year over year.
• Operating expenses per available seat mile excluding fuel, (CASM ex fuel) reached Ps.234.3 cents for the second quarter, an increase of more than 100% year over year; with an average exchange rate depreciation of the Mexican peso against the U.S. dollar of 22.2% year over year.
• Operating loss was Ps.2,347 million for the second quarter, a significant decrease compared with the operating income of Ps.659 million for the same period of last year. Operating margin for the second quarter was (153.8%), a deterioration of (161.7) percentage points year over year.
• Net loss was Ps.1,644 million (Ps.1.62 loss per share / U.S.$0.71 loss per ADS), giving a negative net margin of (107.7%) for the second quarter.
• At the close of the second quarter, the Mexican peso appreciated 2.3% against the U.S. dollar (Ps.22.97 per U.S. dollar) with respect to the exchange rate at the close of the previous quarter (Ps.23.51 per U.S. dollar). The Company booked a net foreign exchange gain of Ps.1,109 million derived from our U.S. dollar net monetary liability position.
• During the second quarter of 2020, the net cash flow generated by operating activities was Ps.584 million. The net cash flow generated by investing activities reached Ps.71 million. The net cash flow used in financing activities was Ps.1,179 million, which included Ps.806 million of aircraft rental payments. The negative net foreign exchange difference was Ps.120 million, thus leading to a net decrease of cash and cash equivalents in the second quarter of Ps.644 million. As of June 30, 2020, cash and cash equivalents were Ps.10,013 million.

Fuel Price reduction and Peso Depreciation

• Fuel price reduction: The average economic fuel cost per gallon decreased 10.4% in the second quarter of 2020, year over year, reaching Ps.43.8 per gallon (U.S.$1.9).
• Peso depreciation: The Mexican peso depreciated 22.2% against the U.S. dollar year over year, from an average exchange rate of Ps.19.12 per U.S. dollar in the second quarter of 2019 to Ps.23.37 per U.S. dollar during the second quarter of 2020. At the end of the second quarter of 2020, the Mexican peso (Ps.22.97 per U.S. dollar) depreciated 19.8% with respect to the exchange rate at the end of the same period of the last year (Ps.19.17 per U.S. dollar).

Passenger Traffic Contraction, Ancillary Revenue Expansion, and TRASM decrease

• Passenger traffic contraction: Volaris had 1.1 million passengers booked in the second quarter of 2020, a decrease of 80.5% year over year. Volaris traffic (measured in terms of revenue passenger miles, or RPMs) decreased 78.8% year over year. System load factor during the second quarter decreased 8.1 percentage points year over year to a level of 79.2%.
• Total ancillary revenue reduction: For the second quarter of 2020, total ancillary revenue decreased 75.5% year over year. Total ancillary revenue per passenger in the second quarter of 2020 increased 25.2% year over year. The total ancillary revenue generation continues to grow with new and mature products, appealing to customers' needs, representing 46.6% of total operating revenue of the second quarter, an increase of 11.7 percentage points year over year.
• TRASM decrease: For the second quarter of 2020, TRASM decreased 19.7% year over year. During the second quarter of 2020, the total capacity, in terms of ASMs, decreased 76.6% year over year.

Total Unit Cost Raise and Peso depreciation 

• CASM and CASM ex fuel in the second quarter of 2020 reached Ps.274.4 (U.S.$11.94 cents) and Ps.234.3 cents (U.S.$10.20), respectively. This represented an increase of more than 100% for CASM and CASM ex fuel, year over year; mainly driven by the capacity reduction as measured by available seat miles (ASMs), and the average exchange rate depreciation of the Mexican peso against the U.S. dollar of 22.2%.

Young and Fuel-Efficient Consumption Fleet

• During the second quarter of 2020, the Company returned one A319 aircraft and incorporated one A320 NEO aircraft to its fleet. As of June 30, 2020, Volaris' fleet comprised 82 aircraft (7 A319s, 59 A320s and 16 A321s), with an average age of 5.4 years. At the end of the second quarter of 2020, Volaris' fleet had an average of 187 seats per aircraft, 76% of our aircraft were sharklet-equipped, and 29% were NEO.

Liquidity Preservation Plan with a Net Cash Flow Generated by Operating Activities

• Since the COVID-19 contingency started, the Company´s main objective has been to preserve the liquidity position. The Company implemented a "liquidity preservation plan" which achieved a total of $6.1 billion pesos or $266 million in US dollar terms through payment deferrals and cost reductions for 2020. Around $1.6 billion pesos ($61 million dollars) were deferred to 2021. Specifically, for the second quarter, our liquidity preservation plan brought $2.2 billion pesos in benefits; of which $357 million pesos were cost avoidance.
• During the second quarter of 2020, the net cash flow generated by operating activities was Ps.584 million. The net cash flow generated by investing activities reached Ps.71 million. The net cash flow used in financing activities was Ps.1,179 million, which included Ps.806 million of aircraft rental payments. The negative net foreign exchange difference was Ps.120 million, thus having a net decrease of cash and cash equivalents in the second quarter of Ps.644 million. As of June 30, 2020, cash and cash equivalents were Ps.10,013 million, representing 35.0% of last twelve months of the operating revenue. Volaris registered a negative net debt (or a positive net cash position) of Ps.4,568 million (excluding lease liability recognized under the IFRS16 adoption).

Non derivatives financial instruments

• During 2019, the Company established hedges on its U.S. dollar denominated revenues through a non-derivative financial instrument, using the lease liabilities denominated in U.S. dollar as a hedge instrument. This hedging relationship was designated as a cash flow hedge of forecasted revenues to mitigate the volatility of the foreign exchange variation arising from the revaluation of the lease liabilities. During the second quarter 2020, the impact of these hedges was Ps.39 million, which has been presented as part of the total operating revenue.
• Additionally, during 2019, the Company established hedges on a portion of its forecasted fuel expense, through a non-derivative financial instrument, using as a hedge instrument a portion of its U.S. dollar denominated monetary assets. This hedging relationship was designated as a cash flow hedge of forecasted fuel expense to mitigate the volatility of the foreign exchange variation arising from the revaluation of this portion of U.S. dollar denominated monetary asset. During the second quarter 2020, the impact of these hedges was Ps.71 million, which has been presented as part of the total fuel expense.
• For the hedging relationships described, the effective portion of the hedging instrument's change in fair value is recognized in Other Comprehensive Income or OCI. The accounting records corresponding to the recycling of the OCI are made in accordance with IFRS 9. Under this Standard, the portion recorded in OCI is recognized in the results in the same period in which the expected hedging for cash flows affect the result of the period. As of June 30, 2020, OCI includes a negative foreign exchange effect of Ps.5,847 million. As of December 31, 2019, OCI includes a positive foreign exchange effect of Ps.14 million.

Investors are urged to carefully read the Company's periodic reports filed with or provided to the Securities and Exchange Commission, for additional information regarding the Company.

Conference Call/Webcast Details:

About Volaris:

*Controladora Vuela Compañía de Aviación, S.A.B. de C.V. ("Volaris" or the "Company") (NYSE: VLRS and BMV: VOLAR), is an ultra-low-cost carrier, with point-to-point operations, serving Mexico, the United States and Central America. Volaris offers low base fares to build its market, providing quality service and extensive customer choice. Since the beginning of operations in March 2006, Volaris has increased its routes from five to more than 96 and its fleet from four to 82 aircraft. Volaris offers more than 229 daily flight segments on routes that connect 39 cities in Mexico and 15 cities in the United States and Central America with the youngest fleet in Mexico. Volaris targets passengers who are visiting friends and relatives, cost-conscious business and leisure travelers in Mexico, the United States and Central America. Volaris has received the ESR Award for Social Corporate Responsibility for eleven consecutive years. For more information, please visit: www.volaris.com.

Forward-looking Statements:

Statements in this release contain various forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, which represent the Company's expectations, beliefs or projections concerning future events and financial trends affecting the financial condition of our business. When used in this release, the words "expects," "intends," "estimates," "predicts," "plans," "anticipates," "indicates," "believes," "forecast," "guidance," "potential," "outlook," "may," "continue," "will," "should," "seeks," "targets" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Similarly, statements that describe the Company's objectives, plans or goals, or actions the Company may take in the future, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include, without limitation, statements regarding the Company's intentions and expectations regarding the delivery schedule of aircraft on order, announced new service routes and customer savings programs. Forward-looking statements should not be read as a guarantee or assurance of future performance or results and will not necessarily be accurate indications of the times at, or by, which such performance or results will be achieved.  Forward-looking statements are based on information available at the time those statements are made and/or management's good faith belief as of that time with respect to future events and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual performance or results to differ materially from those expressed in or suggested by the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of factors that could cause the Company's actual results to differ materially from the Company's expectations, including the competitive environment in the airline industry; the Company's ability to keep costs low; changes in fuel costs; the impact of worldwide economic conditions on customer travel behavior; the Company's ability to generate non-ticket revenues; and government regulation. Additional information concerning these, and other factors is contained in the Company's Securities and Exchange Commission filings. All forward-looking statements attributable to us or persons acting on our behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements set forth above.  Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this release.  You should not put undue reliance on any forward-looking statements.  We assume no obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect actual results, changes in assumptions or changes in other factors affecting forward-looking information, except to the extent required by applicable law.  If we update one or more forward-looking statements, no inference should be drawn that we will make additional updates with respect to those or other forward-looking statements.