Although we don't believe in timing the market or panicking over market movements, we do like to keep an eye on big changes -- just in case they're material to our investing thesis.
What: Shares of CHC Group(NYSE: HELI) sank 12% today after the helicopter services company's quarterly results and outlook missed Wall Street expectations.
So what: The stock has been volatile since its January IPO on valuation concerns, and today's third-quarter report -- loss of $0.32 per share on revenue of $454 million -- coupled with beat-down guidance only reinforces those worries. While maintenance and repair revenue soared 25%, CHC's total revenue only increased 3% from the year-ago period, giving analysts plenty of nervousness over its growth trajectory going forward.
Now what: Management now expects 2014 adjusted EBITDAR to be flat to slightly down and revenue to be flat to slightly up. "Long-term trends for oil-and-gas investments in deep and ultra-deep discovery and production -- where the need for our services is greatest -- remain robust," President and CEO William Amelio said. "We are pursuing our financial priorities by focusing on disciplined capital allocation, reduced leverage and positive free cash flow -- with safety leadership in the air and on the ground." When you couple the strong near-term headwinds facing CHC with its still-hefty debt load, however, I wouldn't be too quick to bet on it.
