airberlin unable to meet earnings target despite 14% growth in operating profit in 3Q2013

airberlin reported (13-Nov-2013) the following preliminary financial highlights for three months ended 30-Sep-2013:

• Revenue: EUR1346 million, -3.5% year-on-year;
• Operating profit: EUR115.6 million, +14.2%;
• EBITDAR: EUR287.1 million, +2.7%;
• Profit before tax: EUR102.2 million, +2.0%;
• Net profit: EUR101.0 million, -4.0%;
• Earnings per share: EUR 87 cents, -3.3%;
• Load factor: 87.3%, -0.4 ppt;
• Revenue per ASK: EUR 7.66 cents, +0.5%;
• Yield: EUR124.9, +2.2%;
• Total assets: EUR2213 million;
• Net debt: EUR811.6 million. [more - original PR]

airberlin: "Under difficult market conditions we have been able to improve earnings and increase significant key figures such as RASK and yield. We continue to fly with good occupancy. Despite the third quarter having gone well, we have been unable to meet our earnings targets, although our Turbine turnaround programme contributes to the 2013 earnings as planned. Market conditions and special external factors prevented us from doing so. In addition, we will be faced with a difficult six-month winter period," Wolfgang Prock-Schauer, CEO. Source: Company statement, 13-Nov-2013.