ATLANTA – Delta Air Lines, the nation's third-largest carrier, says its loss widened in the first quarter to a whopping $6.39 billion (euro4 billion) due to soaring fuel prices and the steep decline in the company's market value.
The results badly missed Wall Street expectations, despite a 12 percent increase in sales.
The Atlanta-based company said Wednesday the loss is equivalent to $16.15 (euro10.14) a share. That compares with a loss of $130 million that Delta reported in the year-ago January-March quarter, when it was still in bankruptcy.
Excluding special items, primarily a $6.1 billion (euro3.83 billion) non-cash charge relating to the decline in Delta's market value due to sustained record fuel prices, the airline lost $274 million (euro171.99 million), or 69 cents a share, in the first quarter.
Analysts expected a loss of 49 cents a share, excluding one-time items.
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