Public companies are required to disclose risks that can affect the business and impact the stock. These disclosures are known as “Risk Factors”. Companies disclose these risks in their yearly (Form 10-K), quarterly earnings (Form 10-Q), or “foreign private issuer” reports (Form 20-F). Risk factors show the challenges a company faces. Investors can consider the worst-case scenarios before making an investment. TipRanks’ Risk Analysis categorizes risks based on proprietary classification algorithms and machine learning.

Alaska Air disclosed 28 risk factors in its most recent earnings report. Alaska Air reported the most risks in the “Finance & Corporate” category.

Risk Overview Q4, 2024

Risk Distribution

29% Finance & Corporate

25% Production

14% Ability to Sell

14% Macro & Political

11% Legal & Regulatory

7% Tech & Innovation

Finance & Corporate - Financial and accounting risks. Risks related to the execution of corporate activity and strategy

This chart displays the stock's most recent risk distribution according to category. TipRanks has identified 6 major categories: Finance & corporate, legal & regulatory, macro & political, production, tech & innovation, and ability to sell.

Risk Change Over Time

2022

S&P500 Average

Sector Average

Risks removed

Risks added

Risks changed

Alaska Air Risk Factors

New Risk (0)

Risk Changed (0)

Risk Removed (0)

No changes from previous report

The chart shows the number of risks a company has disclosed. You can compare this to the sector average or S&P 500 average.

The quarters shown in the chart are according to the calendar year (January to December). Businesses set their own financial calendar, known as a fiscal year. For example, Walmart ends their financial year at the end of January to accommodate the holiday season.

Risk Highlights Q4, 2024

Main Risk Category

Finance & Corporate

With 8 Risks

Finance & Corporate

With 8 Risks

Number of Disclosed Risks

-2

From last report

S&P 500 Average: 31

-2

From last report

S&P 500 Average: 31

Recent Changes

3Risks added

5Risks removed

3Risks changed

Since Dec 2024

3Risks added

5Risks removed

3Risks changed

Since Dec 2024

Number of Risk Changed

-1

From last report

S&P 500 Average: 2

-1

From last report

S&P 500 Average: 2

See the risk highlights of Alaska Air in the last period.

Risk Word Cloud

The most common phrases about risk factors from the most recent report. Larger texts indicate more widely used phrases.

Risk Factors Full Breakdown - Total Risks 28

Finance & Corporate

Total Risks: 8/28 (29%)Below Sector Average

Share Price & Shareholder Rights1 | 3.6%

Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 1

Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides that the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware will be the sole and exclusive forum for most legal actions involving actions brought against us by stockholders, which could limit our stockholders' ability to obtain a favorable judicial forum for disputes with us or our directors, officers, or other employees.

Our certificate of incorporation provides that, unless we consent in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware is the sole and exclusive forum for (i) any derivative action or proceeding brought on behalf of our company, (ii) any action asserting a claim of breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any of our directors, officers or other employees or our stockholders, (iii) any action asserting a claim arising pursuant to any provision of Section 203 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, or the DGCL, or as to which the DGCL confers jurisdiction to the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware, or (iv) any action asserting a claim governed by the internal affairs doctrine. This exclusive forum provision is intended to apply to claims arising under Delaware state law and would not apply to claims brought pursuant to the Exchange Act or the Securities Act, or any other claim for which the federal courts have exclusive jurisdiction. The exclusive forum provision in our certificate of incorporation will not relieve us of our duties to comply with the federal securities laws and the rules and regulations thereunder, and our stockholders will not be deemed to have waived our compliance with these laws, rules and regulations. This exclusive forum provision may limit a stockholder's ability to bring a claim in a judicial forum of its choosing for disputes with us or our directors, officers or other employees, which may discourage lawsuits against us and our directors, officers and other employees. In addition, stockholders who do bring a claim in the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware could face additional litigation costs in pursuing any such claim, particularly if they do not reside in or near Delaware. The Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware may also reach different judgments or results than would other courts, including courts where a stockholder would otherwise choose to bring the action, and such judgments or results may be more favorable to our company than to our stockholders.

Accounting & Financial Operations2 | 7.1%

Accounting & Financial Operations - Risk 1

Added

Our ability to use Hawaiian Airlines' net operating loss carryforwards to offset future taxable income for U.S. federal and state income tax purposes may be limited as a result of the previous ownership changes, this acquisition or taxable income if it does not reach sufficient levels.

As of the acquisition closing date, Hawaiian Airlines had federal net operating loss carryforwards ("NOLs") of approximately $817 million available to offset future taxable income, that have indefinite carryover, but are limited to 80% utilization, and state NOLs of approximately $1.0 billion. The majority of the state NOLs relate to the state of Hawai'i. Certain state NOLs will expire, if unused, beginning in 2025. Hawaiian Airlines has experienced an "ownership change" as defined in Section 382 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"). Section 382 of the Code imposes an annual limitation on the amount of pre-ownership change NOLs of the corporation that experiences ownership change. The limitation imposed by Section 382 of the Code for any post-ownership change year generally would be determined by multiplying the value of such corporation's stock immediately before the ownership change by the applicable long-term tax-exempt rate. Any unused annual limitation may, subject to certain limits, be carried over to later years, and the limitation may, under certain circumstances, be increased by built-in gains or reduced by built-in losses in the assets held by such corporation at the time of the ownership change. Our use of NOLs generated after the date of an ownership change would not be limited unless we were to experience a subsequent ownership change. Our ability to use the NOLs will also depend on the amount of taxable income generated in future periods. Certain state NOLs may expire before we can generate sufficient taxable income to utilize the NOLs.

Accounting & Financial Operations - Risk 2

Changed

The application of the acquisition method of accounting resulted in us recording goodwill and identifiable intangible assets, which could result in significant future impairment charges and negatively affect our financial results.

In accordance with acquisition accounting rules, we recorded goodwill and identifiable intangible assets associated with the acquisitions of Virgin America and Hawaiian Holdings, Inc. on our consolidated balance sheet. Goodwill was recorded to the extent the acquisition purchase prices exceeded the net fair value of tangible and identifiable intangible assets and liabilities as of the acquisition date. Goodwill and indefinite-lived intangible assets are not amortized, but are tested for impairment at least annually. We could record impairment charges in our results of operations as a result of, among other items, extreme fuel price volatility, a significant decline in the fair value of certain tangible or intangible assets, unfavorable trends in forecasted results of operations and cash flows, uncertain economic environment and other uncertainties. We can provide no assurance that a significant impairment charge will not occur in one or more future periods. Any such charges may materially affect our financial results.

Debt & Financing1 | 3.6%

Debt & Financing - Risk 1

We have a significant amount of debt and fixed obligations. These obligations could lead to liquidity restraints and have a material adverse effect on our financial position. Additionally, increases in interest rates may mean that future borrowings are more costly for the Company, which could harm our future financial results.

We carry, and will continue to carry for the foreseeable future, a substantial amount of debt and aircraft lease commitments. Although we aim to keep our leverage low, due to our high fixed costs, including aircraft lease commitments and debt service, a decrease in revenue could result in a disproportionately greater decrease in earnings. Similarly, a material increase in market interest rates could mean future borrowings are more costly for the Company. Our outstanding long-term debt and other fixed obligations could have important consequences. For example, they could limit our ability to obtain additional financing to fund our future capital expenditures or working capital; require us to dedicate a material portion of our operating cash flow to fund lease payments and interest payments on indebtedness, thereby reducing funds available for other purposes; or limit our ability to withstand competitive pressures and reduce our flexibility in responding to changing business and economic conditions. Further, should we incur incremental obligations, issuers may require future debt agreements to contain more restrictive covenants or require additional collateral beyond historical market terms which may further restrict our ability to successfully access capital. Although we have historically been able to generate sufficient cash flow from our operations to pay our debt and other fixed obligations when they become due, we cannot ensure we will be able to do so in the future. If we fail to do so, our business could be harmed.

Corporate Activity and Growth4 | 14.3%

Corporate Activity and Growth - Risk 1

We may be unable to integrate Hawaiian's business with ours successfully and realize the anticipated benefits of the acquisition, which could negatively impact our stock price and our future business and financial results.

We must devote significant management attention and resources to integrating the business practices and operations of Hawaiian Airlines. Potential difficulties we may encounter as part of the integration process include the following: - the inability to successfully combine the Hawaiian Airlines business with that of Alaska's in a manner that permits us to achieve anticipated net synergies and other anticipated benefits of the acquisition;- successfully managing relationships with our combined customer base and retaining Hawaiian's customers;- integrating complex systems, operating procedures, regulatory compliance programs, technology, aircraft fleets, networks, and other assets of the two companies in a manner that minimizes any adverse impact on customers, suppliers, employees, and other constituencies;- managing Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines as two distinct brands, a strategy that has not been implemented in the U.S. commercial airline industry;- managing Hawaiian's international network successfully, which comprises multiple countries in which Air Group did not have prior experience;- diversion of the attention of our and Hawaiian's management and other key employees;- integrating the workforces of the two companies while maintaining focus on providing consistent, high quality customer service and running a safe and efficient operation;- disruption of, or the loss of momentum in, our ongoing business;- liabilities that are significantly larger than we currently anticipate and unforeseen increased expenses or delays associated with the acquisition, including transition costs to integrate the two businesses that may exceed the costs that we currently anticipate;- maintaining productive and effective employee relationships and, in particular, successfully and promptly integrating seniority lists and achieving cost-competitive collective bargaining agreements that cover the combined union-represented work groups;- the increased scale of our operations resulting from the acquisition;- retaining key employees of our company and Hawaiian; and - obligations that we will have to counterparties of Hawaiian that arise as a result of the change in control of Hawaiian. If we do not successfully manage these issues and the other challenges inherent in integrating an acquired business the size of Hawaiian, then we may not achieve the anticipated benefits of the acquisition of Hawaiian and our revenue, expenses, operating results and financial condition could be materially adversely affected.

Corporate Activity and Growth - Risk 2

Changed

The airline industry may undergo further consolidation or restructuring. In addition, regulatory, policy, and legal developments could impact the extent to which airlines can merge, or form and maintain marketing alliances and joint ventures with other airlines, particularly U.S. carriers. These factors could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations.

We continue to face strong competition, mainly from other U.S. carriers. In many instances, our competitors have been able to grow and increase their competitive influence by merging with other airlines, as Alaska did with Virgin America in 2016 and Hawaiian Holdings, Inc. in 2024. Some competitors have also benefited from the ability to reduce their cost structures through the U.S. bankruptcy process and restructuring laws. Competitors have also improved their competitive positions by entering marketing alliances and/or joint ventures with other airlines. Certain airline joint ventures promote competition by allowing airlines to coordinate routes, pool revenues and costs, and enjoy other mutual benefits that can be extended to consumers, achieving many of the benefits of consolidation. In recent years, the U.S. antitrust authorities have been increasingly reluctant to approve airline mergers, cooperative marketing arrangements, and joint ventures. The emergence of merger-friendly antitrust policy at the federal level, and the possibility that this policy may be short-lived, might prompt other entities to act on opportunities that could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations.

Corporate Activity and Growth - Risk 3

Added

We are expected to incur substantial expenses related to the acquisition and the integration of Hawaiian Airlines' business.

We are expected to incur substantial integration and transition expenses in connection with the acquisition of Hawaiian Airlines, including the necessary costs associated with integrating the operations of Alaska and Hawaiian Airlines. There are a large number of processes, policies, procedures, operations, technologies and systems that must be integrated, including reservations, loyalty program, ticketing/distribution, maintenance, and flight operations. While we have assumed that a certain level of expenses will be incurred, there are many factors beyond our control that could affect the total amount or the timing of the integration expenses. Moreover, many of the expenses that will be incurred are, by their nature, difficult to estimate accurately. These expenses could, particularly in the near term, exceed the financial benefits we expect to achieve from the acquisition, including the elimination of duplicative expenses and the realization of economies of scale and cost savings. These integration expenses likely will continue to result in us taking significant charges against earnings in future periods, and the amount and timing of such charges are uncertain at present.

Corporate Activity and Growth - Risk 4

As we evolve our brand we will engage in strategic initiatives that may not be favorably received by all of our guests.

We continue to focus on strategic initiatives designed to increase our brand appeal to a diverse and evolving demographic of airline travelers. These efforts could include significant enhancements to our in-airport and on-board environments, increasing our direct customer relationships through improvements to our purchasing portals (digital and mobile), and management of our customer loyalty program. In pursuit of these efforts, we may negatively affect our reputation with some of our existing customer base.

Production

Total Risks: 7/28 (25%)Above Sector Average

Employment / Personnel3 | 10.7%

Employment / Personnel - Risk 1

Added

The need to integrate Hawaiian's workforce into joint collective bargaining agreements with Alaska's workforce presents the potential for delay in achieving expected synergies and other benefits or labor disputes that could adversely affect our operations and costs.

The successful integration of Hawaiian Airlines and achievement of the anticipated benefits of the acquisition depend significantly on integrating Hawaiian Airlines' employees into Alaska and on maintaining productive employee relations. Failure to do so presents the potential for delays in achieving expected synergies and other benefits of integration or labor disputes that could adversely affect our operations and costs. The process for integrating labor groups in an airline merger is governed by a combination of the Railway Labor Act, the McCaskill-Bond Act, and where applicable, the existing provisions of our collective bargaining agreements ("CBAs") and internal union policies. Under the Railway Labor Act, the National Mediation Board has exclusive authority to resolve representation disputes arising out of airline mergers. The disputes that the National Mediation Board has authority to resolve include (i) whether the carriers, through the merger, have integrated operations to the point of creating a "single transportation system" for representation purposes; (ii) determination of the appropriate "craft or class" for representational purposes, including a determination of which positions are to be included within a particular craft or class; and (iii) certification of the system-wide representative organization, if any, for each of our craft or class following the merger. Failure to resolve these disputes could result in delays in achieving expected synergies and other benefits of integration as well as adversely impact our operations and costs. Pending operational integration of Hawaiian Airlines with Alaska, it will be necessary to maintain a "fence" between Alaska and Hawaiian Airlines employee groups that are represented by unions. During this time, we will keep the employee groups separate, each applying the terms of its own existing employment agreements unless other terms have been negotiated. Achievement of expected synergies and other benefits will be delayed until the time that operational integration is obtained.

Employment / Personnel - Risk 2

The inability to attract, retain, and train qualified personnel, or maintain our culture, could result in guest impacts and adversely affect our business and results of operations.

We compete against other major U.S. airlines for pilots, aircraft technicians and other labor. Recently, there have been shortages of pilots for hire in the regional market and more pilots in the industry are approaching mandatory retirement age. Attrition beyond normal levels, or the inability to attract new pilots, could negatively impact our results of operations. The shortage of pilots and opportunities at other carriers could mean that our captains and first officers leave our airlines more often than forecasted. Additionally, the industry, including related vendor partners, has experienced and may continue to experience challenges in hiring and retaining other labor positions, such as aircraft technicians, ground handling and customer service agents, and flight attendants. The Company's or our vendor partners' inability to attract and retain personnel for these positions could negatively impact our results of operations, which may harm our growth plans. Additionally, we may be required to increase our wage and benefit packages, or pay increased rates to our vendors, to retain these positions. This would result in increased overall costs and may adversely impact our guest experience and financial position. Our executive officers and other senior management personnel are critical to the long-term success of our business. If we experience significant turnover and loss of key personnel, and fail to find suitable replacements with comparable skills, our performance could be adversely impacted. Our success is also dependent on cultivating and maintaining a unified culture with cohesive values and goals. Much of our continued success is tied to our guest loyalty. Failure to maintain and grow the Air Group culture could strain our ability to maintain relationships with guests, suppliers, employees and other constituencies. As part of this process, we may continue to incur substantial costs for employee programs.

Employment / Personnel - Risk 3

A significant increase in labor costs or unsuccessful attempts to strengthen our relationships with union employees could adversely affect our business and results of operations.

Labor costs remain a significant component of our total expenses. In addition to costs associated with represented employee groups, labor costs could also increase for non-unionized employees and via vendor agreements as we work to compete for highly skilled and qualified employees against the major U.S. airlines and other businesses in a competitive job market. Labor costs have recently increased significantly driven by inflationary pressure on wages. Ongoing and periodic negotiations with labor unions could result in job actions, such as slow-downs, sick-outs, or other actions designed to disrupt normal operations and pressure the employer to acquiesce to bargaining demands during negotiations. Although unlawful until after lengthy mediation attempts, the operation could be significantly impacted. Although we have a long track record of fostering good communications, negotiating approaches, and developing other strategies to enhance workforce engagement in our long-term vision, unsuccessful attempts to strengthen relationships with union employees could divert management's attention from other projects and issues and negatively impact the business. In addition, our bargained-for labor agreement terms for flight crew are increasingly coming into conflict with state and local laws purporting to govern benefits and duties.

Supply Chain2 | 7.1%

Supply Chain - Risk 1

We are dependent on a limited number of suppliers for aircraft and parts.

Alaska is dependent on Boeing as its sole supplier for mainline aircraft and many aircraft parts. Horizon is dependent on Embraer. Each carrier is dependent on sole suppliers for aircraft engines for each aircraft type. Hawaiian is similarly dependent on a limited number of suppliers for its aircraft, aircraft engines, and many aircraft parts. As a result, we are vulnerable to issues associated with the supply of those aircraft and parts including design or manufacturing defects, mechanical problems, contractual performance by the manufacturers, or adverse perception by the public about safety that would result in customer avoidance or actions by the FAA. Should we be unable to resolve known issues with certain aircraft or engine suppliers, it may result in the inability to operate our aircraft for extended periods. Additionally, if effects of ongoing supply chain constraints cause our limited vendors to have performance problems, reduced or ceased operations, bankruptcies, workforce shortages, or other events causing them to be unable to fulfill their commitments to us, our operations and business could be materially adversely affected. Should these suppliers be unable to manufacture, obtain certification for, and deliver new aircraft, we may not be able to grow our airlines' fleet at intended rates, which could impact our financial position. Boeing has significant production constraints for the B737 and B787-9 aircraft, as well as regulatory delays for certain B737 aircraft. Recently, Boeing was impacted by an employee strike which temporarily halted production of B737 aircraft. These challenges have impacted and will continue to impact the timing of deliveries. If we are unable to receive aircraft in a timely manner, our growth plans could be negatively impacted. Given Alaska's and Hawaiian's size relative to its competitors, these challenges may have a disproportionate impact on Alaska and Hawaiian. Additionally, further consolidation among aircraft and aircraft parts manufacturers could further limit the number of suppliers. This could result in production instability in the locations in which the aircraft and its parts are manufactured or an inability to operate our aircraft.

Supply Chain - Risk 2

We rely on vendors and third parties for certain critical activities and sourcing, which could expose us to disruptions in our operation or unexpected cost increases.

We rely on vendors for a variety of services and functions critical to our business, including airframe and engine maintenance, regional flying, ground handling, fueling, computer reservation system hosting, telecommunication systems, information technology infrastructure and services, and deicing, among others. We also rely on government-controlled systems such as air traffic control technology that could malfunction for reasons out of our control. Our use of outside vendors increases our exposure to several risks. Even though we strive to formalize agreements with these vendors that define expected service levels, we may not have the ability to influence change with all vendors. In the event that one or more vendors go into bankruptcy, ceases operation, or fails to perform as promised, for reasons such as supply chain delays, or workforce shortages, replacement services may not be readily available at competitive rates, or at all. If one of our vendors fails to perform adequately, we may experience increased costs, delays, maintenance issues, safety issues, or negative public perception of our airline. Vendor bankruptcies, unionization, regulatory compliance issues, or significant changes in the competitive marketplace among suppliers could adversely affect vendor services or force us to renegotiate existing agreements on less favorable terms. These events could result in disruptions in our operations or increases in our cost structure.

Costs2 | 7.1%

Costs - Risk 1

Our business, financial condition, and results of operations are substantially exposed to the volatility of jet fuel prices. Significant increases in jet fuel costs or significant disruptions in the supply of jet fuel would harm our business.

Fuel costs constitute a significant portion of our total operating expenses. Future increases in the price of jet fuel may harm our business, financial condition, and results of operations unless we are able to increase fares and fees or add ancillary services to attempt to recover increasing fuel costs. The price of jet fuel can be dependent on geography and may have a disproportionate impact on our operating results due to our concentration on the West Coast. We are unable to predict the future supply of jet fuel, which may be impacted by various factors, including but not limited to geopolitical conflict, economic sanctions against oil-producing countries, natural disasters, or staffing and equipment shortages in the oil industry. Any of these factors could adversely impact our operations and financial results.

Costs - Risk 2

Our financial condition or results of operations may be negatively affected by increases in expenses related to the airports in which we operate.

Almost all commercial service airports are owned and/or operated by units of local or state governments. Airlines are largely dependent on these governmental entities to provide adequate airport facilities and capacity at an affordable cost. Many airports have increased their rates and charges to air carriers to reflect higher costs of security, updates to infrastructure, and other expenses. Additional laws, regulations, taxes, airport rates, and airport charges may be occasionally proposed that could significantly increase the cost of airline operations or reduce the demand for air travel. Although lawmakers may impose these additional fees and view them as "pass-through" costs, a higher total ticket price could influence consumer purchase and travel decisions and may result in an overall decline in passenger traffic, which would harm our business. Additionally, we have engaged in various redevelopment projects at the airports in which we operate to improve or add to existing infrastructure our company uses. While the airport authority may reimburse costs associated with these projects, we may be required to commit significant resources of our own to finance construction and design. Delays and cost overruns associated with these projects could have a negative impact on our financial condition or results of operations.

Ability to Sell

Total Risks: 4/28 (14%)Above Sector Average

Competition1 | 3.6%

Competition - Risk 1

The airline industry is highly competitive and susceptible to price discounting and changes in capacity, which could have a material adverse effect on our business. If we cannot successfully compete in the marketplace, our business, financial condition, and operating results will be materially adversely affected.

The U.S. airline industry is characterized by substantial competition. Airlines compete for market share through pricing, capacity (supply), route systems and markets served, merchandising, and products and services offered to guests. We have significant capacity overlap with competitors, particularly in our key West Coast and Hawaiian markets. This dynamic may be exacerbated by competition among airlines to attract passengers during periods of economic recovery. The resulting increased competition in both domestic and international markets may have a material adverse effect on our results of operations, financial condition, or liquidity if we are unable to attract and retain guests. We strive toward maintaining and improving our competitive cost structure by setting aggressive unit cost-reduction goals. This is an important part of our business strategy of offering the best value to our guests through low fares while achieving acceptable profit margins and return on capital. If we are unable to maintain our cost advantage over the long-term and achieve sustained targeted returns on invested capital, we will likely not be able to grow our business in the future or weather industry downturns. Therefore, our financial results may suffer.

Sales & Marketing1 | 3.6%

Sales & Marketing - Risk 1

Changed

We rely on partner airlines for codeshare and loyalty program marketing arrangements.

Our airlines are parties to marketing agreements with a number of domestic and international air carriers, or "partners," including an expanded relationship with American and other oneworld carriers. These agreements provide that certain flight segments operated by us are held out as partner "codeshare" flights and that certain partner flights are held out for sale as codeshare flights. In addition, the agreements generally provide that members of our airlines' loyalty programs can earn credit on or redeem credit for partner flights and vice versa. We receive revenue from flights sold under codeshare and from interline arrangements. The loss of a significant partner through bankruptcy, consolidation, or otherwise, could have a negative effect on our revenue or the attractiveness of our loyalty programs, which we believe is a source of competitive advantage. Additionally, we rely on partners to provide available space for credit redemption on their aircraft. Should partners not make available enough inventory within their cabins for our members, the attractiveness of our program may be decreased. Alaska's membership in the oneworld global alliance may limit options to bring non-oneworld carrier partners into Alaska's Mileage Plan program. Further, maintaining an alliance with another U.S. airline may expose us to additional regulatory scrutiny. Failure to appropriately manage these partnerships and alliances could negatively impact future growth plans and our financial position. We routinely engage in analysis and discussions regarding our own strategic position, including alliances, codeshare arrangements, interline arrangements, and loyalty program enhancements, and will continue to pursue these commercial activities. If other airlines participate in consolidation or reorganization, those airlines may significantly improve their cost structures or revenue generation capabilities, thereby potentially making them stronger competitors of ours and potentially impairing our ability to realize expected benefits from our own strategic relationships.

Brand / Reputation2 | 7.1%

Brand / Reputation - Risk 1

Our reputation and financial results could be harmed in the event of an airline accident or incident.

An accident or incident involving one of our aircraft or an aircraft operated by one of our commercial partners or CPA carriers could involve loss of life and result in a loss of confidence in our Company by the flying public and/or aviation authorities. We could experience significant claims from injured passengers, bystanders and surviving relatives, as well as costs for the repair or replacement of a damaged aircraft and temporary or permanent loss from service. We maintain liability insurance in amounts and of the type generally consistent with industry practice, as do our commercial partners and CPA carriers. However, the amount of such coverage may not be adequate to fully cover all claims, and we may be forced to bear substantial economic losses from such an event. Substantial claims resulting from an accident in excess of our related insurance coverage would harm our business and financial results. Moreover, any aircraft accident or incident, even if it is fully insured or does not involve one of our aircraft, could cause a public perception that our airlines or the aircraft we or our partners fly are less safe or reliable than other transportation alternatives. This would harm our business.

Brand / Reputation - Risk 2

The Company's reputation could be harmed if it is exposed to significant negative publicity.

We operate in a highly visible industry that has significant exposure to social media and other media channels. Negative publicity, including as a result of misconduct by our guests or employees, failures by our suppliers and other vendors, failure to achieve our stated goals, or other circumstances, can spread rapidly through such channels. Should the Company not respond in a timely and appropriate manner to address negative publicity, the Company's reputation may be significantly harmed. Such harm could have a negative impact on our operating results.

Macro & Political

Total Risks: 4/28 (14%)Below Sector Average

Economy & Political Environment1 | 3.6%

Economy & Political Environment - Risk 1

Economic uncertainty, including a recession, would likely impact demand for our product and could harm our financial condition and results of operations.

The airline industry, which is subject to relatively high fixed costs and highly variable and unpredictable demand, is particularly sensitive to changes in economic conditions. We are dependent on consumer confidence, as well as the health of the U.S. economy and economies of other countries in which we operate. Unfavorable economic conditions have historically resulted in reduced consumer spending and led to decreases in both leisure and business travel. For some consumers, leisure travel is a discretionary expense, and shorter distance travelers, in particular, have the option to replace air travel with surface travel. Businesses are able to forgo air travel by using communication alternatives such as video conferencing or may be more likely to purchase less expensive tickets to reduce costs, which can result in a decrease in average revenue per seat. Unfavorable economic conditions also hamper the ability of airlines to raise fares to counteract increased fuel, labor, and other costs. Additionally, reduced consumer spending would adversely impact revenue and cash flows from our co-branded credit card agreements. Unfavorable or even uncertain economic conditions could negatively affect our financial condition and results of operations.

International Operations1 | 3.6%

International Operations - Risk 1

Our concentration in certain markets could cause us to be disproportionately impacted by adverse changes in circumstances in those locations.

Our strategy involves a high concentration of our business in key West Coast markets. A significant portion of our flights occur to and from our stations in Seattle, Portland, and the Bay Area. In addition to these markets, the acquisition of Hawaiian Holdings, Inc. in 2024 significantly increases the concentration of our operation in Hawai'i, with Honolulu now representing Air Group's second largest hub. We believe that concentrating our service offerings in this way allows us to maximize our investment in personnel, aircraft and ground facilities, as well as to gain greater advantage from sales and marketing efforts in those regions. As a result, we remain highly dependent on our key markets. Our business could be harmed by any circumstances causing a reduction in demand for air transportation in our key markets. An increase in competition in our key markets could also cause us to reduce fares or take other competitive measures that, if sustained, could harm our business, financial condition, and results of operations.

Natural and Human Disruptions2 | 7.1%

Natural and Human Disruptions - Risk 1

Our operations are often affected by factors beyond our control, including delays, cancellations, and other conditions, which could harm our business, financial condition, and results of operations.

As is the case for all airlines, our operations often are affected by delays, cancellations and other conditions caused by factors largely beyond our control. Factors that might impact our operations include: - congestion, construction, space constraints at airports, and/or air traffic control problems, all of which many restrict flow;- lack of adequate staffing or other resources within critical third parties;- adverse weather conditions and natural disasters;- lack of operational approval (e.g. new routes, aircraft deliveries, etc.);- contagious illness and fear of contagion;- increased security measures or breaches in security;- changes in international treaties concerning air rights;- international or domestic conflicts or terrorist activity;- random acts of violence on our aircraft or at airports;- interference by modernized telecommunications equipment with aircraft navigation technology;- disruption, failure, or inadequacy of systems or infrastructure under the control of third parties, including government entities; and - other changes in business conditions. Due to the concentration of our flights in the Pacific Northwest, Alaska, and Hawai'i, we believe a large portion of our operation is more susceptible to adverse weather conditions and natural disasters than other carriers with networks that cover a larger geographic area. A general reduction in airline passenger traffic as a result of any of the above-mentioned factors could harm our business, financial condition, and results of operations.

Natural and Human Disruptions - Risk 2

Impacts of climate change, including physical and transition risks, as well as market responses, may have a material adverse result on our operations and financial position.

Concerns regarding climate change, including the impacts of a gradual increase in global temperatures leading to more severe weather conditions, continue to rise. Increased frequency or duration of extreme weather conditions could cause significant and prolonged impacts to our operation, disrupt our supply chain, and influence consumer travel decisions. These disruptions may result in increased operating costs and lost revenue should we be unable to operate our published schedules. Additionally, we have made commitments to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions which may require us to make significant investments in emerging and yet unproven technologies. Should these technologies not prove ready, not gain approval, or not be sufficiently available for use in our operation, our results of operations may be adversely impacted, and we may be required to direct new investments to different technologies. Public interest in U.S. airlines' response to climate change has continued to grow. Failure to address the concerns of our guests and our shareholders may lead to a reduction in demand for our services, including both leisure and business travel, in favor of competitors that customers perceive to be more sustainable. This could adversely impact our financial position, our results of operations, or our stock price.

Legal & Regulatory

Total Risks: 3/28 (11%)Below Sector Average

Regulation1 | 3.6%

Regulation - Risk 1

Changes in government regulation imposing additional requirements and restrictions on our operations and business model could negatively impact our revenue and operating costs and result in service delays and disruptions.

Airlines are subject to extensive regulatory and legal requirements, both domestically and internationally, that involve substantial operational impacts and compliance costs. In recent years, U.S. regulators have issued regulations or mandates concerning airline operations or consumer rights that have increased the cost and complexity of our business and involve greater civil enforcement and legal liability exposure. Regulators have also proposed legislation that could negatively impact revenue associated with our loyalty program. Similarly, legislative and regulatory initiatives and reforms at the federal, state, and local levels include increasingly stringent environmental, governance, and workers' benefits laws. In some instances, it is impossible for us to comply with federal, state, and local laws simultaneously, exposing us to greater liability and operational complexity. These laws also affect our relationship with our workforce and the vendors that serve our airlines and cause our expenses to increase without an ability to pass through these costs. New employee health and welfare initiatives with employer-funded costs, specifically those impacting Washington state, could disproportionately increase our cost structure as compared to our competitors. In recent years, the airline industry has experienced an increase in litigation over the application of state and local employment laws, particularly in California. Application of these laws may result in operational disruption, increased litigation risk and expense, and undermining of negotiated labor agreements. In recent years, the state of California and the federal government have enacted and proposed, respectively, rules that significantly expand required disclosures discussing the impact of environmental change. Increased governmental regulation involving aircraft emissions and environmental remediation costs may be difficult to implement and the cost of compliance, or failure to comply, could adversely impact our operations and financial position.

Environmental / Social2 | 7.1%

Environmental / Social - Risk 1

Failure to appropriately comply with evolving and expanding information security rules and regulations or to safeguard our employee or guest data could result in damage to our reputation and cause us to incur substantial legal and regulatory cost.

As part of our core business, we are required to collect, process, store and share personal and financial information from our guests and employees. Under current or future privacy legislation, we are subject to significant legal risk should we not appropriately protect that data. Our presence in international locations and our membership in the oneworld alliance exposes us to incremental global regulation and therefore risk. In addition, we continue to expand our reliance on third-party software providers and data processors, including cloud providers. Unauthorized access of personal and financial data via fraud or other means of deception could result in data loss, theft, modification, or unauthorized disclosure. To the extent that either we or third parties with whom we share information experience a data breach, fail to appropriately safeguard personal data, or are found to be out of compliance with applicable laws, and regulations, we could be subject to additional litigation, regulatory risks and reputational harm. Further, as regulation of the collection and storage of personal and financial information continues to evolve and increase, we may incur significant costs to bring our systems and processes into compliance.

Environmental / Social - Risk 2

The airline industry continues to face potential security concerns and related costs.

Terrorist attacks, the fear of such attacks or other hostilities involving the U.S. could have a significant negative effect on the airline industry, including us, and could: - significantly reduce passenger traffic and yields as a result of a dramatic drop in demand for air travel;- significantly increase security and insurance costs;- make war risk or other insurance unavailable or extremely expensive;- increase fuel costs and the volatility of fuel prices;- increase costs from airport shutdowns, flight cancellations, and delays resulting from security breaches and perceived safety threats; and - result in a grounding of commercial air traffic by the FAA. The occurrence of any of these events would harm our business, financial condition, and results of operations.

Tech & Innovation

Total Risks: 2/28 (7%)Below Sector Average

Cyber Security1 | 3.6%

Cyber Security - Risk 1

Cybersecurity threats have and will continue to impact our business. Failure to appropriately mitigate these risks could negatively impact our operations, onboard safety, reputation and financial condition.

Our sensitive information is securely transmitted over public and private networks. Our systems are subject to increasing and evolving cybersecurity risks. Unauthorized parties have attempted and continue to attempt to gain access to our systems and information, including through fraudulent misrepresentation and other means of deception. Methods used by unauthorized parties are continually evolving and may be difficult to identify. Because of these ever-evolving risks and regular attacks, we continue to review policies and educate our people on various methods utilized in attempts to gain unauthorized access to bolster awareness and encourage cautionary practices. However, the nature of these attacks means that proper policies, technical controls, and education may not be enough to prevent all unauthorized access. Emerging cybercrime threats include the loss of functionality of critical systems through ransomware, denial of service, or other attacks. A compromise of our systems, the security of our infrastructure, or those of our vendors or other business partners that result in our information being accessed or stolen by unauthorized persons could result in substantial costs for response and remediation, adversely affect our operations and our reputation, and expose us to litigation, regulatory enforcement, or other legal action. A cybersecurity attack impacting our onboard or other operational systems may result in an accident or incident onboard or significant operational disruptions, which could adversely affect our reputation, operation and financial position. The continued evolution and increased usage of artificial intelligence technologies may further increase our cybersecurity risks. Further, a significant portion of our office employees have maintained remote work arrangements, which increases our exposure to cyberattacks, and could compromise our financial or operational systems.

Technology1 | 3.6%

Technology - Risk 1

We rely heavily on automated systems to operate our business, including expanded reliance on systems managed or hosted by third parties. Failure to invest in new technology or a disruption of our current systems or their operators could harm our business.

We heavily depend on automated systems to operate our business. This includes our airline reservation system, website, telecommunication systems, maintenance systems, airline operations control systems, flight deck/route optimization systems, planning and scheduling, mobile applications and devices, and many other systems. These systems require significant investment of employee time and cost for maintenance and upgrades. Some of these systems are operated by government authorities, which limits our ability to switch vendors if issues arise. Failure to appropriately maintain and upgrade these systems may result in service disruptions or system failures. Additionally, as part of our commitment to innovation and providing an attractive guest travel experience, we invest in new technology to ensure our critical systems are reliable, scalable, and secure. We continue to expand our reliance on third party providers for management or hosting of operational and financial systems. Should these providers fail to meet established service requirements or provide inadequate technical support, we could experience disruptions in our operation, ticketing or financial systems. All of our automated systems cannot be completely protected against events beyond our control, including natural disasters, computer viruses, cyberattacks, other security breaches, or telecommunications failures. Substantial or repeated failures or disruptions to any of these critical systems could reduce the attractiveness of our services or cause our guests to do business with another airline. Disruptions, failed implementations, untimely or incomplete recovery, or a breach of these systems or the data centers/cloud infrastructure they run on could result in the loss of important data, an increase in our expenses, loss of revenue, impacts to our operational performance, or a possible temporary cessation of our operations. Additionally, we rely on the FAA and its systems for critical aspects of flight operations. The failure of these systems could lead to increased delays and inefficiencies in flight operations, resulting in an adverse impact to our financial condition and results of operations. We continue to monitor emerging technologies, including technologies which may have disruptive impacts which are out of our control. We will continue to work with regulatory agencies and other air carriers to mitigate potential impacts of these technologies on the safety and security of air travel.

See a full breakdown of risk according to category and subcategory. The list starts with the category with the most risk. Click on subcategories to read relevant extracts from the most recent report.

FAQ

What are “Risk Factors”?

Risk factors are any situations or occurrences that could make investing in a company risky.

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) requires that publicly traded companies disclose their most significant risk factors. This is so that potential investors can consider any risks before they make an investment.

They also offer companies protection, as a company can use risk factors as liability protection. This could happen if a company underperforms and investors take legal action as a result.

It is worth noting that smaller companies, that is those with a public float of under $75 million on the last business day, do not have to include risk factors in their 10-K and 10-Q forms, although some may choose to do so.

How do companies disclose their risk factors?

Publicly traded companies initially disclose their risk factors to the SEC through their S-1 filings as part of the IPO process.

Additionally, companies must provide a complete list of risk factors in their Annual Reports (Form 10-K) or (Form 20-F) for “foreign private issuers”.

Quarterly Reports also include a section on risk factors (Form 10-Q) where companies are only required to update any changes since the previous report.

According to the SEC, risk factors should be reported concisely, logically and in “plain English” so investors can understand them.

How can I use TipRanks risk factors in my stock research?

Use the Risk Factors tab to get data about the risk factors of any company in which you are considering investing.

You can easily see the most significant risks a company is facing. Additionally, you can find out which risk factors a company has added, removed or adjusted since its previous disclosure. You can also see how a company’s risk factors compare to others in its sector.

Without reading company reports or participating in conference calls, you would most likely not have access to this sort of information, which is usually not included in press releases or other public announcements.

A simplified analysis of risk factors is unique to TipRanks.

What are all the risk factor categories?

TipRanks has identified 6 major categories of risk factors and a number of subcategories for each. You can see how these categories are broken down in the list below.

1. Financial & Corporate

Accounting & Financial Operations - risks related to accounting loss, value of intangible assets, financial statements, value of intangible assets, financial reporting, estimates, guidance, company profitability, dividends, fluctuating results.
Share Price & Shareholder Rights – risks related to things that impact share prices and the rights of shareholders, including analyst ratings, major shareholder activity, trade volatility, liquidity of shares, anti-takeover provisions, international listing, dual listing.
Debt & Financing – risks related to debt, funding, financing and interest rates, financial investments.
Corporate Activity and Growth – risks related to restructuring, M&As, joint ventures, execution of corporate strategy, strategic alliances.

2. Legal & Regulatory

Litigation and Legal Liabilities – risks related to litigation/ lawsuits against the company.
Regulation – risks related to compliance, GDPR, and new legislation.
Environmental / Social – risks related to environmental regulation and to data privacy.
Taxation & Government Incentives – risks related to taxation and changes in government incentives.

3. Production

Costs – risks related to costs of production including commodity prices, future contracts, inventory.
Supply Chain – risks related to the company’s suppliers.
Manufacturing – risks related to the company’s manufacturing process including product quality and product recalls.
Human Capital – risks related to recruitment, training and retention of key employees, employee relationships & unions labor disputes, pension, and post retirement benefits, medical, health and welfare benefits, employee misconduct, employee litigation.

4. Technology & Innovation

Innovation / R&D – risks related to innovation and new product development.
Technology – risks related to the company’s reliance on technology.
Cyber Security – risks related to securing the company’s digital assets and from cyber attacks.
Trade Secrets & Patents – risks related to the company’s ability to protect its intellectual property and to infringement claims against the company as well as piracy and unlicensed copying.

5. Ability to Sell

Demand – risks related to the demand of the company’s goods and services including seasonality, reliance on key customers.
Competition – risks related to the company’s competition including substitutes.
Sales & Marketing – risks related to sales, marketing, and distribution channels, pricing, and market penetration.
Brand & Reputation – risks related to the company’s brand and reputation.

6. Macro & Political

Economy & Political Environment – risks related to changes in economic and political conditions.
Natural and Human Disruptions – risks related to catastrophes, floods, storms, terror, earthquakes, coronavirus pandemic/COVID-19.
International Operations – risks related to the global nature of the company.
Capital Markets – risks related to exchange rates and trade, cryptocurrency.

Become an Expert with TipRanks Premium

What am I Missing?

Make informed decisions based on Top Analysts' activity

Know what industry insiders are buying

Get actionable alerts from top Wall Street Analysts

Find out before anyone else which stock is going to shoot up

Get powerful stock screeners & detailed portfolio analysis

Subscribe Now See Plans & Pricing