easyJet plc results for the twelve months ended 30 September 2015

easyJet delivers record profits and returns

Summary:

• Passengers increased by 6% to 68.6 million, with a record load factor in August of 94.4%, delivered by easyJet’s  proposition of good value fares to convenient airports and leading-edge digital platform. Annual load factor increased by 0.9 percentage points to 91.5%.

• Total revenue increased by 3.5% to £4,686 million and by 6.5% on a constant currency basis.

• Revenue per seat increased by 1.5% year-on-year on a constant currency basis, whilst capacity grew by 5% to 75 million seats.

• Cost per seat decrease of 3.4%, with benefit from fuel and currency. Cost per seat at constant currency excluding fuel increased by 3.6%.  £46 million of sustainable savings delivered in 2015. Pipeline of structural cost improvement in place for future savings.

• Profit grew to record levels for a fifth consecutive year, up 18% to £686 million. Pre-tax profit margin increased by 1.8 percentage points to 14.6%.

• Return on capital employed reached a record 22.2%, an increase of 1.7 percentage points.

• 22% increase in proposed ordinary dividend will deliver £219 million to shareholders.

• Strong results and confidence in pipeline of opportunities in our existing markets will be supported by an additional 36 aircraft, secured through the 2013 framework agreement with Airbus. These aircraft will be delivered between 2018 and 2021 and will give easyJet a further expected cost saving of £27 million by 2021.

Commenting on the results, Carolyn McCall, easyJet Chief Executive said:

“Our outlook for the longer term is positive. We expect demand in our markets to be sustained and for easyJet to continue to be a winner in its markets. We will see passenger growth of 7% a year, sustaining margins through rigorous cost control and the benefit of fleet up-gauging, resulting in positive profit momentum.  We remain totally focused on our network advantage, digital leadership and offering our customers great low fares and service. We continue to invest in profitable growth, ensuring our digital advantage and giving our customer good value fares.”

17 Nov 2015