Hobbit64

Perusing the headlines and saw this article which caught my eye.
Remember that paper written by the new SWAPA Rep speaking to the $12B in stock buybacks a few month ago?
The $11.8 billion mistake that led to Bed, Bath & Beyond’s demise

Mozam

Stock buybacks are not a mistake . It gives institutional investor a quick buck, then they move on. It only burns the buy and hold investors ,along with all the hard working employees at the said company.

Smooth at FL450

The big difference is that SWA is not cash starved. They could pay down all their debt and still be $3-5B net cash positive. The problem with the $12B in buybacks is that it was in lieu of updating the systems and processes the company depends on to support the operation. SWA has the money...they just need to be willing to spend it.

e6bpilot

BB&B didn't have a buyback problem. They had a revenue problem. Southwest doesn't currently have either. They just have inept management. I think everyone's hope is that we can avoid another large scale meltdown until they are able to strengthen the bones of the operation enough to have some resiliency.
Gary Kelly did a lot of great things as far as growing the company. He also completely sacrificed the future of the company for short term gain and then would point to our "industry leading" balance sheet for justification. I think the Christmas meltdown showed how fragile things have gotten and how much he screwed things up during his tenure. $12B can easily be ****ed away inside a month, as we have proven.
If anything, this helps the pilots' cause. The path forward in negotiations involves going through each sequential step in the RLA to get us as close as possible to a release as quickly as
possible. The next step starts May 1st.

loveislost7M8

In Bob’s first interview as CEO with the Dallas Morning News they asked him what his priorities are as CEO. He said for the most part diversity and reducing the carbon footprint.

https://www.dallasnews.com/business/...llenges-await/

Go Woke Go Broke...

e6bpilot

Can we keep the go woke go broke crap to one thread? Is that too much to ask?
Every CEO is making that a "priority" because every CEO works for institutional investors who also have to pretend to care. CEOs talk out of both sides of their mouths for a living.
Exxon has a DEI initiative and department. They are also pledged to reduce their carbon footprint. Are they going broke?

SetMCT

Exxon doesn't make batteries for electric cars so their days are numbered. This administration has done all they can to try and put them out of business. Just wait.

Cyio

Until they figure out a way to fight wars with no diesel, gas or petroleum byproducts I dont see oil companies going anywhere. In addition, this administration only lasts so long before people get sick of having their hard earned money taxed endlessly and vote in a more favorable option, most likely allowing once again oil exploration and development domestically.

e6bpilot

Exxon is doing great and will continue to do great. There is no data to support your assertion that the government is trying to kill them. There is strong demand for oil and gas for the foreseeable future. Most big oil and gas companies have revised their forecasts based on reality and we are getting ready to see a big wave of exploratory and drilling activity.
Yes, electrification is coming, but as a reference, the last coal locomotives in the US were retired in the 1980s. Oil and gas has decades of great times ahead of them. Most of those power plants that provide the electricity for electrification are currently powered by gas.
Do you really think Exxon cares about their carbon footprint? Do you really think they care about their ESG score? Yep. They sure do to the point that by paying at least lip service to both gets them more and better customers and allows them to make money. That's it. That's why it exists. Same at every big US corporation.

Back to the original subject, SWA isnt BB&B. Not even close. They make money despite their inability to get out of their own way. That will continue as long as there is an oligopoly in US air travel. BB&B was struggling to find market share in an ever broadening environment of competition and refused to change. I went in one of their stores recently. Great stuff, but wow was it expensive. You can literally walk around with the Amazon app and shop their showroom by scanning upc codes and get it (or very similar products) delivered to your house at a huge discount.

WHACKMASTER

You’re kidding right? The current gubment is blatantly trying to kill all fossil fuels and it’s all out war on anything that is not “green”. You can’t seriously be claiming otherwise.