Delta Air Lines (DAL) 8-KMaterial Impairments

UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 8-K

CURRENT REPORT
Pursuant to Section 13 OR 15(d) of the

Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): May 13, 2020

DELTA AIR LINES, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

P.O. Box 20706, Atlanta, Georgia 30320-6001

(Address of principal executive offices)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (404) 715-2600

Registrant’s Web site address: www.delta.com

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below):

☐ Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

☐ Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

☐ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

☐ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (17 CFR 230.405) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (17 CFR 240.12b-2).

Emerging growth company ☐           

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐

Item 2.06       Material Impairments.

The board of directors of Delta Air Lines, Inc. (“Delta,” “we,” or “our”) on May 13, 2020 authorized a plan to retire our Boeing 777 aircraft and remove them from service by the end of 2020. We also previously determined to accelerate the retirement of our MD-90 aircraft, which will exit the fleet effective June 2020. These decisions are intended to better align our network with lower passenger demand stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic, streamline and modernize our fleet, and generate cost savings.

As a result of these decisions, we evaluated our Boeing 777 and MD-90 aircraft for impairment and concluded that the carrying value of these aircraft was no longer recoverable when compared to their estimated remaining future cash flows. Consequently, during the June 2020 quarter, we expect to record non-cash impairment charges associated with these aircraft. Although the actual amount of the charges has not yet been finalized, we expect the aggregate impairment charges to range from $1.4 billion to $1.7 billion, before tax. An immaterial amount associated with the impairment charges is expected to result in future cash expenditures. We plan to continue to consider further opportunities for early aircraft retirements in an effort to modernize and simplify our fleet in the future.

Item 7.01       Regulation FD Disclosure.

On May 14, 2020, we released a memo from Ed Bastian, our Chief Executive Officer, to all employees of Delta. A copy of that memo is attached.

In accordance with general instruction B.2 of Form 8−K, the information in this report that is being furnished pursuant to Item 7.01 of Form 8-K (including the exhibit) shall not be deemed to be “filed” for the purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or otherwise subject to liabilities of that section, nor shall they be deemed incorporated by reference in any filing under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, except as expressly set forth in such filing. This report will not be deemed an admission as to the materiality of any information in the report that is required to be disclosed solely by Regulation FD.

Statements in this Form 8-K and Exhibit 99.1 that are not historical facts, including statements regarding our estimates, expectations, beliefs, intentions, projections or strategies for the future, may be "forward-looking statements" as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All forward-looking statements involve a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the estimates, expectations, beliefs, intentions, projections and strategies reflected in or suggested by the forward-looking statements.  These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the material adverse effect that the COVID-19 pandemic is having on our business; the impact of incurring significant debt in response to the pandemic; the possible effects of accidents involving our aircraft; breaches or security lapses in our information technology systems; disruptions in our information technology infrastructure; our dependence on technology in our operations; the performance of our significant investments in airlines in other parts of the world; the restrictions that financial and other covenants in our financing agreements could have on our financial and business operations; labor issues; the effects of weather, natural disasters and seasonality on our business; the effects of an extended disruption in services provided by third parties; the cost of aircraft fuel; the availability of aircraft fuel; failure or inability of insurance to cover a significant liability at Monroe’s Trainer refinery; the impact of environmental regulation on the Trainer refinery, including costs related to renewable fuel standard regulations; our ability to retain senior management and key employees; damage to our reputation and brand if we are exposed to significant adverse publicity; the effects of terrorist attacks or geopolitical conflict; competitive conditions in the airline industry; interruptions or disruptions in service at major airports at which we operate; the effects of extensive government regulation on our business; the impact of environmental regulation on our business; the sensitivity of the airline industry to prolonged periods of stagnant or weak economic conditions; and uncertainty in economic conditions and regulatory environment in the United Kingdom related to the exit of the United Kingdom from the European Union.  

Additional information concerning risks and uncertainties that could cause differences between actual results and forward-looking statements is contained in our Securities and Exchange Commission filings, including our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended Dec. 31, 2019 and our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended March 31, 2020.  Caution should be taken not to place undue reliance on our forward-looking statements, which represent our views only as of May 14, 2020, and which we have no current intention to update except to the extent required by law.

Item 9.01       Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(d)  Exhibits.

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.