OUR ORGANIZATION

Outgoing tour operators

Retail distribution

Air transportation

Accommodation

Incoming tour operators
Destination services

Denis Pétrin

Chief Financial Officer
+1 514 987-1660
investorrelations@transat.com

Transat A.T. inc.

Place du Parc
300 Léo-Pariseau Street
Suite 600
Montreal (Quebec)  H2X 4C2
Tel: +1 514 987-1660
Fax: +1 514 987-8035

Transfer Agent and Registrar

CIBC Mellon Trust Company
2001 University Street
Suite 1600
Montreal (Quebec)  H3A 2A6

Answerline (toll free):

1 800 387-0825
inquiries@cibcmellon.com
www.cibcmellon.com

Transat news via e-mail

Financial highlights: fourth quarter and fiscal 2009

Transat A.T. Inc.: Integrated international tour operator specializing in holiday travel

Transat A.T. Inc. is an integrated international tour operator that specializes in holiday travel. It offers more than 60 destination countries and distributes products in approximately 50 countries. Transat owns an air carrier, offers accomodation and destination services and operates an extensive distribution network. The Company has a dedicated team of thorough and efficient people who deliver quality vacation travel services at affordable prices to a broad customer base.

Highlights

  • $719.7 million in fourth-quarter revenues, compared with $790.4 million in 2008, reflecting lower input costs and selling prices.
  • Margin1 of $35.6 million, versus $23.2 million in the fourth quarter of 2008, an increase of 53%.
  • Adjusted after-tax income3 of $17.8 million for the fourth quarter of 2009, compared with $10.1 million in 2008.
  • $3.5 billion in revenues for fiscal 2009, up 1%.
  • Adjusted after-tax income3 of $33.7 million for fiscal 2009, versus $55.4 million in 2008, due in part to lower sale prices for Sun destinations in winter.
  • Net income of $18.1 million for the quarter and $61.8 million for the year, compared with losses of $82.4 million and $49.4 million respectively.

Quick Facts

Analyst coverage

“Our fourth-quarter volumes were similar to last year’s. But prices and especially costs were lower and we also achieved excellent load factors, which explains the higher margin. As for the results for the entire fiscal year, we feel they are satisfactory in light of the prevailing conditions, as 2009 has been a difficult year for international tourism, because of the recession and the A(H1N1) influenza virus. All in all, we maintained our volumes and market shares, reduced our costs, and managed our air capacity well, and this helped us meet the challenge posed by the drop in sale prices.”

Jean-Marc Eustache

President and Chief Executive Officer

Financial highlights for the quarters ended October 31
(in thousands of dollars)

  2009

$
2008
Restated¹
$

Variance
$

Variance
%

Consolidated Statements of Income (Loss)

       
Revenues 719,656 790,424 (70,768) (9.0)
Margin¹ 35,576 23,192 12,384 53.4
Net income (loss) 18,106 (82,369) 100,475 122.0
Basic earnings (loss) per share 0.53 (2.54) 3.07 120.9
Diluted earnings (loss) per share 0.52 (2.54) 3.06 120.5
Dividend – Class A and B shares 0.09 (0.09) (100.0)

Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows

Operating activities

(99,351) (104,911) 5,560 5.3

Financial highlights for the year ended October 31
(in thousands of dollars)

  2009

$
2008
Restated¹
$

Variance
$

Variance
%

Consolidated Statements of Income (Loss)

       
Revenues 3,545,341 3,512,851 32,490 (0.1)
Margin¹ 93,395 127,768 (34,373) (26.9)
Net income (loss) 61,847 (49,394) 111,241 225.2
Basic earnings (loss) per share 1.86 (1.49) 3.35 224.8
Diluted earnings (loss) per share 1.85 (1.49) 3.34 224.2
Dividend – Class A and B shares 0.09 0.36 (0.27) (75.0)

Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows

Operating activities

45,234 79,020 (33,786) (42.8)

 

   As at October 31
2009

$
 As at October 31
2008
restated¹
$


Variance
$


Variance
%

Consolidated Balance Sheets

       
Cash and cash equivalents 180,552 145,767 34,785 23.9
Cash and cash equivalents, in trust or otherwise reserved (short-term and long-term) 272,726 256,697 16,029 6.2
Investments in ABCP 71,401 86,595 (15,194) 17.5
  524,679 489,059 35,620 7.3
Total Assets 1,129,503 1,267,214 (137,711) (10.9)
Debt (short-term and long-term) 110,840 153,241 (42,401) (27.7)
Total debt² 507,273 450,335 56,938 12.6
Net debt² 255,320 217,973 37,347 17.1

¹New accounting policies and other changes

Refer to New accounting policies and other accounting changes section on p. 6 of our fourth quarter financial statements.

²Non-GAAP financial measures

The terms “margin,” “total debt” and “net debt” have no standard definition prescribed by Canadian GAAP and are therefore unlikely to be comparable to similar measures reported by other issuers. However, these terms are presented on a consistent basis from year to year, as management uses them to measure the Corporation’s financial performance.

Margin is used by management to assess Transat’s ongoing and recurring operational performance. This term is represented by revenues less operating expenses, according to the unaudited Consolidated Statements of Income.

Total debt is used by management to assess the Corporation’s future cash requirements. It represents the combination of balance sheet debt (long-term debt and debenture) and off-balance sheet arrangements.

Net debt is used by management to assess the Corporation’s cash position. It represents the total debt (as discussed above) less cash and cash equivalents not held in trust or otherwise reserved, and investments in asset backed commercial paper [“ABCP”].

Margin, total debt and net debt should not be considered by itself or as a substitute of other financial performance measures calculated in accordance with GAAP, but rather as additional information.

For more detailed information, please refer to the Fourth quaterly report.

Senior management

Jean-Marc Eustache

Chairman of the Board
President and Chief Executive Officer

Bernard Bussières

Vice-President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary

Michel Bellefeuille

Vice-President and Chief Information Officer

André De Montigny

Vice-President, Corporate Development

Denis Pétrin

Vice-President, Finance and Administration
Chief Financial Officer

Michel Lemay

Vice-President, Communications and Corporate Affairs

Jean-Luk Pellerin

Vice-President, Human Resources and Chief Talent Officer