By Doyinsola Oladipo and Nandan Mandayam
Oct 27 (Reuters) – JetBlue Airways shares surged 20% on Tuesday, after the airline raised its revenue forecast and defended its financial position against a recent slump in its bonds.
The airline moved up its third-quarter earnings release by a day to Monday, after a report that creditors were working with restructuring advisers amid the bond sell-off sent shares tumbling 10%. Short interest in the stock currently stands at 25%.
“I think there’s a significant disconnect between the narrative in the bond market and what our financial results are demonstrating,” JetBlue CEO Joanna Geraghty told analysts on Tuesday, adding the company had the liquidity cushion to achieve its $1 EPS target for 2028 despite volatile fuel prices.
JetBlue’s TrueBlue senior secured note, a bond backed by the airline’s loyalty program, came under heavy selling pressure this month, with the price halving to about $47 and yields surging to distressed levels above 30% as of October 26, according to data from LSEG.
The New York-based carrier said it was among the industry’s leaders for revenue expansion in the second half of 2026 as airlines broadly raised fares to offset higher jet fuel costs stemming from the Iran war.
The airline raised its full-year seat revenue growth forecast on Monday to 13.5%-14.5% from 10%-12.5%, citing strong fares, resilient demand and growth in Fort Lauderdale, with 93% of its seats having seen fare increases.
JetBlue said it has now delivered four consecutive quarters of improving year-over-year seat revenue growth, though the carrier has not turned an annual profit since 2019.
It also ended the quarter with $2.2 billion in liquidity, including a $600 million undrawn credit facility, and about $7 billion in unencumbered assets — $2.8 billion of which are aircraft and engines, following updated appraisals.
The airline said its financing options, alongside existing liquidity, give it “flexibility and runway” to navigate a prolonged period of higher fuel prices.
It is also counting on Paisly to improve its operating income. The travel services unit posted record quarterly results and is on track for 2026 operating income of $100 million, with that contribution expected to double by 2028, President Marty St. George said.
JetBlue can still deliver a positive margin next year even if jet fuel prices remain above $4 a gallon, St. George said, adding that the carrier is confident of fully recovering the additional fuel costs by early 2027.
The fuel headwinds, along with weather and air traffic control disruptions earlier this year, have wiped away roughly 48% of JetBlue’s share value, dropping its valuation to about $890 million and making it the worst-performing US carrier.
“Liquidity and $2.8 billion of aircraft assets could provide runway, but the path to profitability hinges on fuel,” analysts at TD Cowen said.
JetBlue paid $3.91 per gallon for fuel in the third quarter, up 57% from a year earlier — far outpacing the 18.4% rise in unit revenue and highlighting the margin pressure that stronger pricing has yet to offset.
(Reporting by Kanishka Ajmera, Nathan Gomes and Nandan Mandayam in Bengaluru, Doyinsola Oladipo in New York; Editing by Vijay Kishore)
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