Allegiant and Sun Country Merger Set to Close Soon
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: 3 days ago
0mins
Should l Buy ALGT?
Source: seekingalpha
- Merger Agreement Finalized: Allegiant and Sun Country announced their merger agreement in January, with a total deal value of approximately $1.5 billion, including debt, and is expected to close this week, marking a significant consolidation in the U.S. leisure airline market.
- Market Expansion: Post-merger, Allegiant will operate over 650 routes, combining its strength in small and mid-sized markets with Sun Country's network in larger cities and international leisure destinations, enhancing competitive positioning.
- Equity Structure Changes: After the merger closes, Allegiant shareholders are expected to own about 67% of the combined entity, while Sun Country shareholders will hold approximately 33%, impacting future decision-making and strategic direction for both companies.
- Operational Integration Plan: Until they receive a single operating certificate from the FAA, both companies will continue to operate separately, ensuring that existing ticketing and flight schedules remain unaffected, thereby laying a solid foundation for a smooth transition post-merger.
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Analyst Views on ALGT
Wall Street analysts forecast ALGT stock price to rise
12 Analyst Rating
5 Buy
7 Hold
0 Sell
Moderate Buy
Current: 80.380
Low
65.00
Averages
104.75
High
130.00
Current: 80.380
Low
65.00
Averages
104.75
High
130.00
About ALGT
Allegiant Travel Company is a leisure travel company focused on providing travel and leisure services and products to residents of under-served cities in the United States. The Company operates through Airline segment. The Company provides various travel services and products, including scheduled service air transportation, ancillary air-related products and services, third party products and services, and fixed-fee contract air transportation. Its scheduled service air transportation provides scheduled air transportation on limited-frequency, nonstop flights predominantly between under-served cities and leisure destinations. Its ancillary air-related products and services provide unbundled air-related services and products in with air transportation. Its third party products and services offer third party travel products such as hotel rooms, rental cars, and travel insurance from a third party insurer for sale to our passengers.
About the author

Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
- Acquisition Finalized: Allegiant completed its acquisition of Sun Country yesterday, which is expected to enhance the competitive edge of both companies in the budget airline market, potentially increasing overall operational efficiency and market share.
- New Fed Chair: Kevin Warsh was confirmed as the chair of the Federal Reserve with a narrow 54-vote margin, marking the lowest support for any Fed chair in history, which may foreshadow challenges he will face in monetary policy, especially with rising inflation.
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- Acquisition Completed: Allegiant's acquisition of Sun Country was finalized yesterday, which is expected to enhance market share and operational efficiency, laying a solid foundation for future growth.
- New Fed Chair: The Senate confirmed Kevin Warsh as the new chair of the Federal Reserve with a narrow vote of 54, indicating the challenges he may face, particularly with rising inflation potentially impacting future monetary policy.
- Tech Stock Rally: Despite two-thirds of S&P 500 members trading in the red, strong performance from tech stocks propelled the Nasdaq to a new record high, reflecting sustained investor confidence in the technology sector.
- Cisco Beats Expectations: Cisco exceeded Wall Street's third-quarter expectations, with shares surging over 15% in after-hours trading, while also announcing plans to cut nearly 4,000 jobs, highlighting significant growth in AI orders this year.
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- Acquisition Finalized: Allegiant Air completed its acquisition of Sun Country Airlines on Wednesday for $1.5 billion, and despite the surge in jet fuel costs, Allegiant aims to maintain its unique business model to protect margins.
- Market Expansion: The combined airline will serve approximately 175 cities with over 650 routes, with Allegiant planning to ramp up service during peak travel periods while reducing capacity on lower-demand Tuesdays and Wednesdays to optimize revenue.
- Strong Demand: Despite jet fuel prices doubling since February, Allegiant's budget-conscious leisure customer demand remains robust, with a reported profit of $42.5 million in the first quarter, reflecting a 32% year-over-year increase and demonstrating the effectiveness of low-cost business models.
- Industry Challenges: As Allegiant acquires Sun Country, other low-cost carriers face significant challenges, notably the collapse of Spirit Airlines, suggesting that Allegiant's strategic approach may provide a buffer in a highly competitive market.
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- Acquisition Completed: Allegiant finalized its acquisition of rival Sun Country Airlines on Wednesday, with a total deal value of $1.5 billion, including debt, marking a significant expansion in the low-cost airline market.
- CEO Strategic Positioning: Allegiant CEO Greg Anderson stated that despite soaring fuel prices, the airline will continue to focus on protecting margins rather than chasing growth, thereby maintaining competitiveness amid industry turmoil.
- Market Service Expansion: The combined airline will serve approximately 175 cities with over 650 routes, planning to ramp up service during peak travel periods while dialing back capacity on lower-demand Tuesdays and Wednesdays to enhance pricing power.
- Strong Financial Performance: Allegiant reported a profit of $42.5 million in the first quarter, a 32% increase year-over-year, demonstrating the effectiveness of the low-cost airline model despite the industry facing billions in additional costs due to rising fuel prices.
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- Merger Agreement Finalized: Allegiant and Sun Country announced their merger agreement in January, with a total deal value of approximately $1.5 billion, including debt, and is expected to close this week, marking a significant consolidation in the U.S. leisure airline market.
- Market Expansion: Post-merger, Allegiant will operate over 650 routes, combining its strength in small and mid-sized markets with Sun Country's network in larger cities and international leisure destinations, enhancing competitive positioning.
- Equity Structure Changes: After the merger closes, Allegiant shareholders are expected to own about 67% of the combined entity, while Sun Country shareholders will hold approximately 33%, impacting future decision-making and strategic direction for both companies.
- Operational Integration Plan: Until they receive a single operating certificate from the FAA, both companies will continue to operate separately, ensuring that existing ticketing and flight schedules remain unaffected, thereby laying a solid foundation for a smooth transition post-merger.
See More
- Impact of Spirit's Collapse: Spirit Airlines ceased operations on May 2 after failing to secure a $500 million government bailout, intensifying competition among U.S. budget carriers; while its exit allows for fare increases, it does not resolve the long-standing cost pressures faced by the low-cost flight model.
- Competitor Strategies: Rivals like JetBlue and Frontier are targeting Spirit's market share, contending with the same surging fuel costs, with Frontier expecting a 3% to 5% increase in revenue per seat due to Spirit's exit, yet overall profitability remains constrained by rising operational costs.
- Fuel Cost Pressures: Avelo Airlines' CEO noted fuel prices surged from $2.56 to $4.71 per gallon, forcing a $20 fare increase; JetBlue and Frontier anticipate fuel costs rising over $100 million and $70 million to $83 million respectively this quarter, significantly impacting their profitability.
- Uncertain Market Outlook: While Allegiant Air reported a strong adjusted operating margin of 14.9%, the overall low-cost carrier sector faces dual challenges of high fuel costs and limited pricing power, leaving the future market outlook uncertain.
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