BofA Securities analyst Andrew G. Didora downgraded JetBlue Airways Corporation (NASDAQ: JBLU) to Underperform from Neutral, lowering the price target to $3 from $6.
After rallying over 56% from the early November trough in share price, the analyst cautions about the challenging domestic airline industry backdrop coupled with GTF engine issues that will likely pressure growth and costs in 2024, continuing to hurt the post-pandemic earnings recovery.
There is further execution risk as the market awaits the judge's ruling in JBLU's lawsuit with the DoJ with regards to purchasing Spirit Airlines, Inc (NYSE: SAVE).
Airline stocks meaningfully underperformed the market last year (+5% vs S&P 500 +24%), dragged by increasing domestic supply, cost inflation, and normalizing travel demand drove down estimates for domestic airlines, per the analyst.
Didora forecasts a 1.4% capacity decline in 2024 as the number of aircraft out of service due ...