Ryanair flying

Mark Crouch, analyst at investment platform eToro, says: 
 

“Ryanair has been the exception to the rule when it comes to budget airlines, brushing off the burdens of the pandemic like water off a duck’s back. Seeing growth in scheduled revenues and increasing passenger numbers, the company’s share price is within a whisker of the 2017 all-time high.

“The ultra low-cost carrier operated their largest ever schedule last year including three new bases and 190 new routes, while adapting to the unrest in the Middle East and ATC strikes in Europe, which the company says should cause only short-term disruption to the bottom line, providing they don’t escalate. However, they have narrowed their FY24 guidance range.

“Now boasting one of the strongest balance sheets in the industry, investors will feel even more elevated by the announcement of a €400m maiden dividend. Despite delays, the purchase and delivery of 136 Boeing Max-10 aircraft last year with another 50 expected by July, further underlines Ryanair’s drive to expand their fleet, creating thousands of new jobs in the process.”