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Here's Why You Should Retain Allegiant (ALGT) Stock Now

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Allegiant Travel Company (ALGT - Free Report) currently benefits from upbeat air-travel demand and a strong cash position. However, escalating fuel cost is worrisome.

ALGT has a Growth Score of A. This style score condenses all the essential metrics from a company’s financial statement to get a true sense of the quality and sustainability of its growth.

For 2022 and 2023, earnings are expected to grow at a rate of 132% and 201%, respectively.

Factors That Augur Well

With air-travel demand rising in the United States, the carrier expects total operating revenues for second-quarter 2022 to increase 28-32% from the second-quarter 2019 actuals. Total system available seat miles (ASMs: a measure of capacity) are expected to improve 9-13% from the second-quarter 2019 actuals.

ALGT has a strong cash position. Cash and cash equivalents balance of $1.24 billion at the end of the first quarter of 2022 is higher than the current debt figure of $140 million. This implies that Allegiant has enough cash to meet its debt burden. Moreover, ALGT’s current ratio (a measure of liquidity) stood at a healthy 1.59. The current ratio greater than 1.5 is usually considered good for a company.

A Key Risk

Escalating fuel costs pose a threat to Allegiant’s bottom line. Oil price is moving north, primarily because of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Average fuel cost per gallon (scheduled) surged 65.1% to $3.07 in first-quarter 2022. The carrier expects fuel price per gallon (adjusted) in second-quarter 2022 to be $4.00.  

Zacks Rank & Key Picks

Allegiant currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see  the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

Some better-ranked stocks in the broader Zacks Transportation sector are Ryder System, Inc. (R - Free Report) , C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc. (CHRW - Free Report) and GATX Corporation (GATX - Free Report) .

Ryder has a trailing-four quarter surprise of 48.2%, on average, with its earnings having surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate in all the last four quarters. R is benefiting from improving economic and freight conditions in the United States. Revenues in all segments grew (on higher rental revenues, new business and favorable pricing) in first-quarter 2022.

R currently sports a Zacks Rank #1.

The long-term (three-to-five years) expected earnings per share (EPS) growth rate for C.H. Robinson is pegged at 9%. Improving freight market conditions are aiding CHRW. In first-quarter 2022, the top line improved 41.8% owing to favorable truckload pricing for customers and handsome profits in ocean freight.

Driven by the positives, the stock has rallied 11.7% in the past year.  CHRW currently carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).

GATX has a trailing four-quarter surprise of 40.1%, on average, with its earnings having surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate in all the last four quarters. The gradual improvement in the North American railcar leasing market is a huge positive for GATX.

Driven by the upsides, the stock has risen 12% in the past year.  GATX currently has a Zacks Rank of 2.
 

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