Goldman Sachs reinstates Allegiant Travel stock rating at Buy on merger synergies

INVESTING.COMJun 17, 9:29 AM UTC

Key insights

  • Goldman Sachs initiated coverage on Allegiant Travel (ALGT) with a Buy rating, citing significant merger synergies from its acquisition of Sun Country. The firm anticipates profitable growth, network optimization, and improved free cash flow, with a price target implying 31% upside. Despite recent debt offerings, the analyst upgrade suggests a positive outlook for the airline sector, potentially boosting investor sentiment for related
Goldman Sachs reinstates Allegiant Travel stock rating at Buy on merger synergies

Investing.com - Goldman Sachs reinstated coverage on Allegiant Travel Company (NASDAQ:ALGT) with a Buy rating and set a price target of $125.00.

The reinstatement follows the completion of Allegiant’s acquisition of Sun Country in May. The price target implies 31% upside from current levels. The stock has already delivered an impressive 84% return over the past year, currently trading at $95.92 with a market cap of $2.56 billion.

Goldman Sachs said the merger creates incremental, profitable growth opportunities in an improving industry competitive environment. The firm cited the company’s fuel hedge position and attractive valuation. According to InvestingPro analysis, while the stock currently appears overvalued relative to its Fair Value, analysts forecast earnings of $3.27 per share for fiscal 2026, a significant turnaround from the recent loss of $1.88 per share. InvestingPro offers 8 additional exclusive tips for ALGT, plus comprehensive Pro Research Reports covering over 1,400 US equities.

The combination of two high-margin, low-utilization carriers is expected to drive new growth opportunities through network optimization and a faster return to rebuilding legacy Sun Country’s peak capacity. Legacy Allegiant secured an attractively priced Boeing 737 MAX order book, while Sun Country had limited growth aircraft planned for coming years.

Goldman Sachs expects distributing growth aircraft across the combined network, along with other merger synergies, to improve the free cash flow outlook. The firm noted potential additional benefits from monetizing the current fleet.

In other recent news, Allegiant Travel Company announced the pricing of $650 million in senior secured notes with a 7.125% interest rate due in 2031. This offering was increased by $150 million from an initially planned $500 million. Allegiant also launched a tender offer to purchase $403 million of its outstanding 7.250% senior secured notes due in 2027, offering a premium to early participants. Additionally, the company commenced a private offering of $500 million in senior secured notes due 2031, secured by most of the company’s assets, excluding certain properties and aircraft. In other developments, Allegiant has chosen Navan as its platform for managing employee business travel, covering flights and assignments for operational support. Lastly, during Bank of America’s recent conference, Allegiant, along with other airlines, showed no interest in acquiring Spirit Airlines’ aircraft due to configuration challenges.

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