Wizz Air (LON: WIZZ) shares fell sharply on Wednesday after the budget airline reported a 41.5% drop in annual net profit, blaming ongoing engine groundings and rising costs for a sharp fall in profitability.
The carrier posted a net profit of €213.9 million for the year to March 31, down from €365.9 million a year earlier.
Operating profit plunged 61.7% to €167.5 million, while the EBITDA margin dropped to 21.5% from 23.5%.
Wizz Air shares fell more than 24% in early Thursday trading, currently trading around the 1,266p mark. It is now back at levels last seen in early April.
Despite carrying a record 63.4 million passengers and raising total revenue by 3.8% to €5.27 billion, Wizz Air’s costs surged.
Total unit costs rose 10.9%, with non-fuel costs jumping nearly 20% due to grounded aircraft, inflation, and higher airport and handling charges.
The airline ended the period with 42 aircraft on the ground due to Pratt & Whitney engine issues, although it expects that number to fall to around 34 by the end of the first half of its current financial year.
Chief Executive József Váradi described the year as one of “resilience and transformation,” noting that “Wizz Air has evolved structurally, embedding increased flexibility into our standard operating model.”
Looking ahead, Wizz expects capacity to rise by around 20% in fiscal 2026 and said current bookings support higher revenue year-on-year, though it refrained from issuing formal guidance due to limited visibility.
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