Copa Holdings, S.A. (NYSE: CPA), today announced financial results for the second quarter of 2019 (2Q19). The terms "Copa Holdings" and "the Company" refer to the consolidated entity. The following financial information, unless otherwise indicated, is presented in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). See the accompanying reconciliation of non-IFRS financial information to IFRS financial information included in the financial tables section of this earnings release. Unless otherwise stated, all comparisons with prior periods refer to the second quarter of 2018 (2Q18).

OPERATING AND FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS

Copa Holdings reported net profit of US$50.9 million for 2Q19 or earnings per share (EPS) of US$1.20, compared to net profit of US$49.8 million or earnings per share of US$1.17 in 2Q18.
Operating profit for 2Q19 came in at US$82.6 million, representing a 36.7% increase from an operating profit of US$60.4 million in 2Q18, as a result of a 6.3% increase in unit revenues (RASM), partly offset by a 2.5% increase in unit costs (CASM) which was mostly related to the grounding of the MAX fleet.
Operating margin for 2Q19 came in at 12.8%, compared to an operating margin of 9.5% in 2Q18.
Capacity (ASMs) decreased 4.3% in 2Q19, all due to the grounding of the MAX fleet, while consolidated passenger traffic (RPMs) decreased only 2.5%. As a result, consolidated load factor for the quarter increased 1.6 percentage points to 85.1%.
Total revenues for 2Q19 increased 1.7% to US$645.1 million. Yield per passenger mile increased 4.1% to 11.8 cents and RASM came in at 10.5 cents, 6.3% higher than 2Q18.
Operating cost per available seat mile (CASM) increased 2.5%, from 8.9 cents in 2Q18 to 9.1 cents in 2Q19. Excluding Fuel, unit costs increased 5.7% from 5.9 cents in 2Q18 to 6.2 cents in 2Q19, mainly due to the lower capacity and the timing of certain expenses.
Cash, short-term and long-term investments ended the quarter at US$ 893.3 million, representing approximately 34% of the last twelve months' revenues.
Despite the operational challenges due to the grounding of the MAX fleet, Copa Airlines delivered an on-time performance of 90.5% and a flight-completion factor of 99.8%, maintaining its position among the very best in the industry.
Copa Holdings ended the quarter with a consolidated fleet of 104 aircraft – 68 Boeing 737-800s, 14 Boeing 737-700s, 16 Embraer-190s and 6 Boeing MAX9s
The Company has not taken any aircraft deliveries since the world-wide grounding of the MAX fleet took effect in March. As per its original growth plan for 2019, The Company should have received three additional MAX 9s in the first half of 2019, and four more MAX 9s in the rest of the year.

Subsequent Events

Copa Holdings will pay its third quarterly dividend of $0.65 per share on September 13, to all Class A and Class B shareholders on record as of August 30, 2019.
As part of the world-wide grounding of the MAX fleet, the Company has removed all MAX operations from its schedule until December 15th, 2019.
The Company is announcing it will host an Investor Day, on December 3rd and 4th in Panama City.