EXHIBIT
99.1
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The
#1 Airborne Healthcare
Company
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Air
Methods Provides 3rd Quarter Update
Fully-Diluted
Earnings Per Share Expected to Range between $0.67 and $0.70
DENVER,
CO., October 23, 2008 -- Air Methods Corporation (NasdaqGS: AIRM), the largest
air medical transportation company in the world, provided an update on third
quarter 2008 results.
Based on
preliminary 2008 third quarter results, total community-based patient transports
were 10,690. Patients transported for community bases in operation
greater than one year (Same-Base Transports) decreased 1,552 transports or 16%,
while weather cancellations for these same bases increased by 422 transports
compared with the prior-year quarter. Excluding impact of higher
weather cancellations, Same-Base Transports decreased 11%. These
Same-Base Transports and weather cancellations exclude bases acquired from CJ
Systems Aviation Group, Inc. (CJ) effective October 1, 2007. The
decrease in patient transports in excess of higher weather cancellations is
attributed to a third-quarter spike in fuel prices and its impact on traffic
volume, slowdown in economic activity, and lost flights due to redeployment of
numerous aircraft and crews to respond to Hurricanes Gustav and
Ike. Gross revenues generated from hurricane response during the
third quarter exceeded $6.8 million, compared with $1.0 million in the
prior-year quarter. These hurricane revenue amounts are before
incremental costs and expenses, including crew compensation, fuel, travel
expenses, maintenance costs, and lost revenue from redeployment of
fleet.
Net
revenue per community-based transport increased 8% to $7,090 for the
current-year quarter, compared with $6,560 in the prior-year
quarter. Net revenue per community-based transport increased 5%
compared with $6,727 in the second quarter of 2008. Net revenue per
community-based transport excludes revenue generated from hurricane response
activities.
The
Company also announced that fuel costs per community-based patient transport
were 56% higher than during the prior-year quarter. Based on patients
transported during the current-year quarter, this increase resulted in
approximately $1.7 million in increased fuel costs. Maintenance
expenditures increased approximately 18%, or $2.6 million, during the current
quarter as compared with the third quarter of 2007, after excluding aircraft
acquired in the CJ acquisition. The company also reported that
the current-year third quarter results include net gains on disposition of
aircraft of $1.1 million, or approximately $0.05 per share after income
taxes.
Based on
preliminary results, the Company estimates that its fully-diluted earnings will
be between $0.67 and $0.70 per share for the quarter ended September 30,
2008. The Company noted that these preliminary results are subject to
final quarter-end closing and review procedures and are therefore subject to
change.
Aaron
Todd, CEO, stated, “Although our community-based flight volumes were weak during
the quarter, we have experienced an 11% increase in projected October flight
volume month-to-date as compared with the September volume of 3,196
transports. Most of the recent significant decreases in fuel prices
did not benefit the third quarter, and will be more fully realized in the fourth
quarter of 2008. We also anticipate that lower fuel prices will
increase road travel, with related increase in demand for air medical
transport. We are pleased that recent price increases have
continued to generate growth in net revenue per transport, and will continue to
assess the need for future increases.”
The
Company will report financial results for the third quarter of fiscal year 2008
after the close of the market on Thursday, November 6, 2008. The
Company has scheduled a conference call for Thursday, November 6, 2008 at 4:15
p.m. Eastern to discuss the results of the quarter.
Interested
parties can access the call by dialing (877) 883-0656 (domestic) or (706)
643-8826 (international) or by accessing the web cast at www.airmethods.com. A
replay of the call will be available at (800) 642-1687 (domestic) or (706)
645-9291 (international), access number 70416153, for 3 days following the call
and the web cast can be accessed at www.airmethods.com
for 30 days.
Air
Methods Corporation (www.airmethods.com)
is a leader in emergency air medical transportation and medical services. The
Hospital Based Services Division is the largest provider of air medical
transport services for hospitals. The Community Based Services Division is one
of the largest community-based providers of air medical services. The Products
Division specializes in the design and manufacture of aeromedical and aerospace
technology. The Company's fleet of owned, leased or maintained aircraft features
over 320 helicopters and fixed wing aircraft.

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Forward
Looking Statements: This news release includes certain forward-looking
statements, which are subject to various risks and uncertainties. Actual
results could differ materially from those currently anticipated due to a
number of factors, including but not limited to the integration of CJ into
our existing operations, the size, structure and growth of the Company's
air medical services and products markets; the collection rates for
patient transports; the continuation and/or renewal of air medical service
contracts; the acquisition of profitable Products Division contracts and
other flight service operations; the successful expansion of the
community-based operations; and other matters set forth in the Company's
public filings.
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CONTACTS: Aaron D.
Todd, Chief Executive Officer, (303) 792-7413. Please contact
Christine Clarke at (303) 792-7579 to be included on the Company’s fax and/or
mailing list.