The falling crude oil prices have supported airline stocks and the sector-related exchange traded fund, but other factors may help keep the industry flying.
On the upcoming webcast, Why Airlines Have Been Soaring to Record Profits, Frank Holmes, CEO and Chief Investment Officer at U.S. Global Investors, and Darryl Genovesi, Equity Research Analyst at UBS, will touch upon the positive effects low energy prices have had on the airline industry but will also look at other growth factors that can further support the sector.
The U.S. Global Jets ETF (NYSEArca: JETS), the only dedicated airline industry-related ETF on the market, was up 1.5% Monday. The sector was one of the few positive areas in the market as airliners rallied on the plunge in oil prices. [Oil ETFs Plunge to All-Time Lows]
Crude oil prices retreated to a seven-year low Monday but helped airline stocks take off, with American Airlines (NasdaqGS: AAL) up 1.4%, United Continental (NYSE: UAL) up 2.7%, Delta Air Lines (NYSE: DAL) up 3.3% and Southwest Airlines (NYSE: LUV) up 0.2%. The airliners are the top four components in JETS, making up 49.6% of the fund’s overall portfolio.
Fuel is the largest expense for airlines, which makes the sector sensitive to swings in the energy market.
The airline industry started to take off in 2013 as major carriers began to cut costs and enacted better pricing disciplines, and the sector surged last year after oil prices plunged, reports Johanna Bennett for Barron’s.