Ryanair Holdings plc

Ryanair Holdings lowered its fiscal 2027 traffic forecast from 216 million to 214 million passengers, trimming its winter schedule to limit exposure to unhedged high fuel prices between November 2026 and March 2027. The carrier expects traffic to be flat year over year over that winter period and estimates the schedule reduction will cut winter losses by €70 million to €100 million. Ryanair also faces production delays at Boeing, where the MAX-10 is expected to be certified in late summer 2026 with the first 15 deliveries in spring 2027 and 300 of the fuel-efficient aircraft due by March 2034. Total operating expenses rose 11% year over year in the first quarter of fiscal 2027, with fuel and oil costs up 16% as the price of the company's 20% unhedged fuel more than doubled, while depreciation climbed 21% and maintenance, materials and repair expenses rose 30%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for third-quarter and fourth-quarter 2026 earnings, as well as for 2026 and 2027 earnings, has been revised downward over the past 90 days, and the stock carries a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell).

Ryanair chief executive Michael O'Leary has warned that Andy Burnham's plans to heap taxes on foreign visitors risk killing off tourism and devastating regional economies. O'Leary criticised the Prime Minister's move to hand English mayors the power to impose uncapped overnight visitor levies on hotels, holiday lets and bed and breakfasts, saying tourists already pay a £15 departure tax on short-haul flights and should not be double taxed on hotel nights. He argued that if Labour intends to tax hotel stays it should abolish air passenger duty, claiming the levy costs Britain about £2.5m a year, a sum he said would be recouped within 12 months through a jump in traffic and newly viable routes. Ryanair alone would base 30 more jets at UK airports, lifting passenger numbers by more than a quarter to 80 million, adding 200 routes and creating 10,000 jobs by 2030, he said, compared with a potential scaling back of operations if taxes rise. O'Leary also predicted high oil prices could trigger a 20pc jump in airfares next summer, repeated his call for the sacking of Martin Rolfe, head of National Air Traffic Services, and complained that an investor revolt over his €150m bonus scheme would force Ryanair into 12 months of meetings after 40pc of shareholder votes rejected his pay deal.

American Airlines, United Airlines and Southwest Airlines are cutting their least-profitable routes as jet fuel prices climb to $4.71 per gallon, more than double the cost a year ago and near a 20-year high. Speaking at Morgan Stanley's annual Laguna Conference on Sept. 16, American CFO Devon May said the fuel spike has added $1 billion to the carrier's projected fourth-quarter expenses, prompting it to cut some December flights and plan for less growth next year. Southwest CFO Tom Doxey said the airline halved its planned 2-3% flight capacity growth "because fuel has been higher," while United CFO Mike Leskinen said United will fly fewer flights in December and could cut further next year, noting that 35% of its fourth-quarter tickets were already booked but that higher fuel costs get passed through to consumers with a lag. United and American declined to share the number of flights they cut, and a Southwest spokesperson told Fortune its schedule adjustments were "very minimal" and do not affect large-scale exits of routes or airports. United and American spent about $8.2 billion and $7.8 billion respectively on fuel in the first six months of this year, both up almost 49% from a year earlier, while Southwest spent nearly $3.6 billion, up about 39%; fares were 23.4% higher in August than a year earlier, compared to a 3.4% increase in overall consumer prices. The fuel shock has also hit Europe, where Ryanair cut its full-year passenger forecast this month from 216 million to 214 million.

Ryanair Holdings plc cut its full-year traffic target from 216 million to 214 million passengers, saying it wants to shrink its exposure to unhedged jet fuel during its unprofitable winter schedule from November to March. Jet fuel was trading near $140 a barrel when the airline made the call, and Ryanair expects the smaller winter flight plan to trim its seasonal losses by €70 million to €100 million. Management warned that competitors with weaker fuel hedges could struggle to keep flying, or even survive, the coming winter. August traffic still grew 6% year over year to 22.2 million passengers, with the load factor holding steady at 96%. The airline has locked in about 80% of its fuel needs for the year at roughly $67 a barrel, far below the current $140 spot price, and holds roughly €2.8 billion in cash with no debt after repaying its final bond.

Ryanair Holdings plc is urging the European Union to extend the derogation for its Entry/Exit System, citing border-control delays of up to two to three hours at airports including Krakow, Lisbon, Milan and Rome during the summer. The EES became fully operational at external Schengen border crossing points on April 10, 2026, and is designed to digitally record entries, exits and biometric data of eligible non-EU short-stay travelers. Ryanair attributed the disruption to malfunctioning kiosks, staffing shortages and longer processing times, warning that persistent congestion at major airports could increase the risk of missed connections and add pressure on airport and airline operations. Extending the derogation, as Ryanair proposes, would give national authorities greater flexibility to manage congestion while technical and staffing issues are addressed. The European Commission said the system had registered more than 145 million entries and exits by July 2026, indicating substantial usage since becoming fully operational.

Ryanair chief executive Michael O'Leary warned at the airline's annual general meeting in Dublin that airfares could rise sharply next year if oil prices stay high. O'Leary said fares should be modestly lower in the July-to-September quarter, but the December and March quarters remain unpredictable, and that a significant uplift in airfares may follow if oil prices remain elevated into next year, though Ryanair has guaranteed no extra fuel charges. Ryanair is Europe's largest low-cost airline, and fuel is one of its biggest expenses; Brent crude has now gone above $100 a barrel due to the U.S. and Iran conflict, and jet fuel has climbed to about $140 a barrel. The airline has secured 80% of its fuel needs up until the end of March 2027 at about $67 a barrel, plus an additional 15% at $85 a barrel for the 2028 fiscal year, and O'Leary said it is better hedged than almost any other airline in Europe. Ryanair cut its full-year passenger target to 214 million from 216 million and expects winter flying reductions to lower winter losses by €70 million to €100 million, after first-quarter profit after tax fell 34% to €538 million even as traffic rose 6% and average fares dropped about 6%.

Ryanair, the Irish low-cost airline, has cut its passenger target for fiscal year 2027 to 214 million from 216 million to reduce exposure to winter fuel costs. The company warned that persistently high jet fuel prices, currently around $140 per barrel, could push up short-haul European fares. However, it still expects to be profitable in fiscal 2027, having hedged about 80% of its jet fuel needs through March 2027 at an average price of around $67 per barrel. Although after-tax profit is expected to be below the record high of fiscal 2026. Ryanair said August passenger numbers were 22.2 million, up 6% from 21 million in the same period last year, while the load factor was 96%, flat year-on-year. In August, Ryanair operated more than 120,500 flights. Meanwhile, Ryanair had to cancel more than 400 flights in August due to the eruption of Mount Etna in Italy.

Ryanair Holdings reported a 6% increase in first-quarter fiscal 2027 traffic to 61.3 million passengers, but average fares fell 6% to €48 and operating profit dropped 37% to €575.4 million. Operating expenses rose 11% to €3.81 billion, driven by a 16% jump in fuel and oil costs, an 8% rise in route charges, and a 30% surge in maintenance, materials and repair expenses. The airline carried 208.4 million passengers in fiscal 2026, up 4%, and expects fiscal 2027 traffic to rise another 4% to 216 million passengers. Ryanair ended June with more than €2.8 billion of gross cash and €2.7 billion of net cash after repaying €1.3 billion of debt, and it was about 90% through its €750 million buyback program. The stock trades at 1.46 times forward 12-month price-to-sales, below its five-year median of 1.75 times, but Zacks Investment Research maintains a Sell rating on the shares.

Ryanair has signed a five-year cloud contract with Google to deploy Gemini AI tools and DeepMind models across its operations, rolling out Google Workspace and Google Cloud to 35,000 employees. The airline, Europe's largest by passenger numbers, will use Gemini Enterprise to build custom AI agents for crew scheduling and disruption management, while DeepMind's AlphaEvolve and WeatherNext models support fleet operations and maintenance scheduling. The deal adds Google as a second major cloud partner alongside Amazon Web Services, a dual-cloud setup CEO Eddie Wilson says protects against outages as Ryanair targets 300 million passengers a year by 2034. The announcement comes as profit after tax fell 34% in the first quarter to €538 million, with average fares down 6% and unit costs up 5%, and management expects Q2 pricing to keep trending down by mid-single digits. Ryanair has also paused share buybacks this year, with no further repurchases planned until cash is rebuilt toward a €4 billion target, while traffic rose 6% to 61.3 million passengers in the quarter and full-year guidance calls for 216 million passengers.

Ryanair reported a 34% drop in profit after tax to €593 million for its fiscal first quarter, as a 6% decline in average fares and a spike in unhedged jet fuel prices offset a 6% increase in passenger numbers. Revenue edged up 1% to €4.4 billion, but the airline warned that summer fares are likely to remain slightly below last year's levels due to consumer hesitancy. Management highlighted that about 80% of fuel needs through March 2027 are hedged at $67 per barrel, with an additional 15% of next year's requirements hedged at $85 per barrel, which it says positions the carrier better than many competitors. The company declined to provide a full-year profit forecast, citing the importance of close-in bookings over the remainder of the summer.

The months-long closure of the Strait of Hormuz has triggered severe global jet fuel shortages, forcing airlines to cut flights and seek alternative supplies. Europe faces a jet fuel supply deficit of almost 600,000 barrels per day in the third quarter, according to consultancy Energy Aspects, compared with surpluses of around 116,000 barrels per day in the United States and 425,000 barrels per day in Asia-Pacific. Jet fuel prices spiked to a high of $215.32 a barrel in late March before easing to just over $130. Ryanair reported an 11% rise in operating costs after 20% of its unhedged fuel was hit by price spikes, while Southwest Airlines shipped 12.6 million gallons of fuel from Texas to California via the Panama Canal to ease West Coast shortages. United Airlines expects nearly $6 billion in additional fuel expense for full-year 2026 compared with its forecast at the start of the year.

Europe’s budget airlines are feeling the impact of higher fuel costs linked to the US-Iran conflict, with both Ryanair and EasyJet reporting sharp profit declines. EasyJet posted a 70% drop in pre-tax profit to £85 million for the April-to-June period, down from £286 million a year earlier, while Ryanair’s after-tax profit fell 34% to €538 million, missing analyst forecasts of €579 million. Ryanair has hedged 80% of its fuel needs through March 2027 at $67 per barrel and recently locked in 15% of next year’s requirements at $85 per barrel, providing greater protection against price swings. EasyJet has hedged 72% of its fuel at $726 per metric ton but remains exposed to volatility, with every $100 per metric ton movement equating to roughly £35 million in fuel costs. Both carriers face uncertainty from last-minute summer bookings and consumer hesitancy, though Ryanair’s extensive hedging offers more near-term cost visibility.

Several major companies saw significant stock moves on July 21, 2026, driven by earnings reports and strategic developments. Domino's Pizza shares rose 2.1% after second-quarter 2026 revenues of $1.19 billion beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.17 billion. AMC Entertainment soared 26.8% after reporting second-quarter 2026 earnings of 14 cents per share, widely surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 1 cent. Alphabet gained 1.5% on reports that Google is developing a Gemini-integrated AI server chip. Ryanair slid 5.9% after first-quarter fiscal 2027 adjusted earnings of $1.19 per share missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.25.

London stocks closed lower on Monday as new Prime Minister Andy Burnham began a Cabinet reshuffle and gilt yields rose. The FTSE 100 fell 0.7% to 10,524.76, the FTSE 250 dipped 0.3% to 23,540.71, and the AIM all-share edged down 0.2% to 757.89. David Lammy, Rachel Reeves, and Steve Reed were among the first senior ministers dismissed, with Lammy announcing his departure on social media and Reeves calling her tenure as Chancellor a privilege. Burnham promised a 10-year plan and immediate cost-of-living measures, while the UK 10-year gilt yield widened to 5.04%. Computacenter led FTSE 100 gainers, up 5.6% after a Berenberg upgrade, while Ryanair fell 4.6% on a profit decline and cautious outlook.

Ryanair reported a 34% drop in first-quarter net profit to 538 million euros, down from 820 million euros a year earlier, as the Middle East conflict drove up jet-fuel costs and dampened ticket sales. Operating costs rose 11% to 3.81 billion euros, with the price of the airline's 20% unhedged jet-fuel more than doubling. Passenger traffic grew 6%, but fares fell 6% amid consumer hesitancy and later bookings linked to the conflict. Chief Executive Michael O'Leary warned that full-year profit remains highly sensitive to conflict escalation, unhedged fuel prices, and other macroeconomic shocks. Ryanair's shares slid nearly 6% in Dublin trading following the bigger-than-expected profit decline.

European stock markets opened in negative territory today amid concerns over escalating conflict between the United States and Iran, which has driven oil prices higher. The STOXX 600 index opened at 640.98 points, down 0.09%. France's CAC-40 opened at 8,316.38 points, down 0.27%, and Germany's DAX opened at 24,769.15 points, down 0.25%. Energy stocks rose 1.4%, while travel and leisure stocks fell 1.3%, with Ryanair shares tumbling 5.43% after reporting a 34% drop in first-quarter profit due to higher fuel costs and lower fares. Investors are also watching the European Central Bank meeting this week, where it is expected to keep its policy rate unchanged.

The London stock market closed lower on Monday, with the FTSE 100 index falling 75.61 points, or 0.71%, to end at 10,524.76 points, marking its biggest daily drop in about two weeks. Ongoing tensions between the United States and Iran continued to undermine global investment confidence, leading to a muted market response to Andy Burnham becoming the seventh prime minister of the United Kingdom in 10 years. Housebuilders slid 3.5%, the most among the main FTSE 350 sectors, while long-dated UK government bond yields rose, with the 30-year yield hitting a two-month high. Utilities fell 1.4%, and pharmaceuticals and biotechnology dropped 1.6%, with AstraZeneca down 1.7%. Banks lost 0.7%, and industrial metals miners declined 1.1%. Airline stocks came under selling pressure after Ryanair reported a one-third drop in quarterly profit, with Wizz Air tumbling 2.9%, while IAG and easyJet both fell 1.4%. Computacenter surged 5.6% after Berenberg upgraded its rating from hold to buy.

European stock markets edged lower at the open on Monday, amid concerns that escalating US-Iran tensions will push oil prices higher and add to inflationary pressures. The STOXX 600 index slipped 0.2% to 640.45 points, with Ryanair shares tumbling 4.6%, the biggest fall in the index, after reporting a 34% drop in first-quarter profit due to higher fuel costs and weaker fares. Meanwhile, technology stocks rose 0.4% ahead of earnings from US tech giants, which investors are watching as a potential new catalyst for the AI stock investment theme. Brent crude oil surged above $90 a barrel for the first time in a month, as US strikes on Iran entered a ninth consecutive day and reports emerged that some oil tankers were unable to transit the Strait of Hormuz. This pushed energy stocks up 1.4%, but weighed on travel and leisure shares, which fell 1.3%. Investors are also eyeing the European Central Bank meeting later this week, with markets largely expecting the ECB to keep its policy rate unchanged.

Ryanair Holdings, Domino's Pizza, and AMC Entertainment are scheduled to report quarterly earnings before the market opens on July 20, 2026. Ryanair's consensus earnings per share forecast is $1.25 from three analysts, a 28.16% decrease from the same quarter last year, while Domino's consensus is $4.09 from seven analysts, a 7.35% increase. AMC's consensus forecast from four analysts is a loss of one cent per share, unchanged from the prior year. Zacks Investment Research notes that Ryanair's forward price-to-earnings ratio of 14.95, Domino's 17.46, and AMC's negative 5.91 all compare favorably to their respective industry averages, implying higher expected earnings growth relative to competitors.

Zacks Equity Research has named Neurocrine Biosciences as the Bull of the Day and Ryanair Holdings as the Bear of the Day. Neurocrine earned a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) after analysts raised earnings estimates across all major periods over the last 60 days, with current-quarter EPS jumping 23.6% to $2.25 and full-year EPS rising 18.4% to $9.47. The company's flagship drug INGREZZA generated $2.86 billion in 2025 revenue, up 22% year over year, and management guided for $2.7 billion to $2.8 billion in INGREZZA sales in 2026. Ryanair, meanwhile, landed a Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell) as analysts slashed profit forecasts following management's cautious summer fare outlook, with fiscal 2027 EPS estimates dropping 24% over 90 days to $4.25. The airline cited softening ticket prices, rising operating costs, and limited earnings visibility.

Ryanair Holdings has been downgraded to a Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell) after analysts slashed earnings estimates, driven by management's cautious outlook for the peak summer travel season. Following its most recent Q4 fiscal 2026 results in May, Ryanair acknowledged that airfare pricing has softened more than previously anticipated, with June-quarter fares expected to decline by a mid-single-digit percentage year over year and September-quarter pricing projected to remain roughly flat. The company also noted that consumers are booking flights later than usual amid macroeconomic uncertainty, making revenue forecasting increasingly difficult. At the same time, Ryanair is facing rising costs from volatile jet fuel prices, higher airport charges, labor expenses, and environmental taxes across Europe. As a result, EPS estimates for the current fiscal year have dropped 24% in the last 90 days from $5.59 to $4.25, while estimates for the following fiscal year fell 15% from $6.03 to $5.12.