Victor Cook

Why Airline Mergers Don't Work: Scale Is Not a Blessing

Change is the Only Constant,
Better strategic alternatives do exist.

For example, see my Seeking Alpha article “General Motors’ Natural Share Level: Can GM Be Like IBM?” (December 15, 2008).

A company’s “natural share level” occurs when the incremental cost of the next revenue share point equals the incremental earnings from acquiring that share point. In my book -- “Competing for Customers and Capital” -- I ran these numbers for Southwest Airlines in a similar peer group for Q1’03 on page 126. LUV’s actual share level was 7.6%. That share level produced an actual EBITDA of $139 million. At that time LUV’s “natural share level” was 13.6% with a theoretical maximum EBITDA of $176 million.

By Q2’09 LUV’s actual share level had increased to 10.0%. I haven’t had reason to run the company’s natural share level or maximum EBITDA for the most recent quarter. I guess you’ve given me one!

If you’re interested in how “natural” or “maximum earnings” market share is determined check out my 14 minute audio slide show on “The Rule of Maximum Earnings” from chapter 5 of my book. Here’s a direct link: breeze.tulane.edu/chap.../.

Thanks for your thoughtful comment.

~V