Webjet's earnings forecast disappoints

Webjet shares have tumbled despite the online travel agency forecasting a rise of around 14 per cent in full-year earnings.

Shares in Webjet have plummeted after the online travel agency disappointed investors with its forecast of 14 per cent earnings growth.

Webjet said it is on track to deliver earnings of $80 million in the 2017/18 financial year, up from $69.9 million in the prior year.

Managing director John Guscic told the company's annual general meeting that Webjet's online consumer travel brands and business-to-business operations were exceeding its target growth rates.

Commsec market analyst Steve Daghlian said Webjet's earnings guidance was "a little short" of the $89 million the market had expected.

"That's about an 11 per cent drop on their prior analyst expectations," Mr Daghlian said.

The company's earnings guidance includes $5.6 million of impacts from business acquisitions, the introduction of an Australian tax on services from overseas, and additional costs in its hotel agreement with European holiday company Thomas Cook.

Webjet shares dropped $1.37, or 11.6 per cent, to $10.49.

Mr Guscic said Webjet has set a growth target for bookings in its consumer travel brands of more than three times the market rate, and growth of more than five times the market rate in its business-to-business operations.


Share

2 min read

Published

Source: AAP



Share this with family and friends


Get SBS News daily and direct to your Inbox

Sign up now for the latest news from Australia and around the world direct to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Download our apps
SBS News
SBS Audio
SBS On Demand

Listen to our podcasts
An overview of the day's top stories from SBS News
Interviews and feature reports from SBS News
Your daily ten minute finance and business news wrap with SBS Finance Editor Ricardo Gonçalves.
A daily five minute news wrap for English learners and people with disability
Get the latest with our News podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

Watch on SBS
SBS World News

SBS World News

Take a global view with Australia's most comprehensive world news service
Watch the latest news videos from Australia and across the world