Idea of the Day Ryanair down but not out

What: Budget airline Ryanair made a shocking announcement over the weekend that it was cancelling up to 50 flights a day for the next 6 weeks due to “mess up” that means a backlog of pilots’ will be taking their annual leave at the same time. How a listed company could make such a basic mistake is beyond us here at City Index, and although bonkers, this statement is very Michael O’Leary-esque, and when it comes to this man nothing much surprises us.

However, this proved a costly decision for Ryanair, whose share price slipped to its lowest level since April on the news. The share price has been in the doldrums since peaking in mid-August, and had already fallen some 14% ahead of the cancellation announcement, bucking the overall strong period for market sentiment. The question now is, where will Ryanair go next, in the past PR disasters have had little impact on Ryanair’s share price, so will this time be any different?

Overall, our view is that budget airlines tend to be lapse on customer service and get away with it because they can beat the competition on price; thus, the next few weeks’ flight cancellations may not harm the Ryanair share price in the long term.

How: There are a few things that make us think that the recent decline in Ryanair’s share price could be a turning point for the stock. Firstly, it has retraced some 61.8% of the gap that occurred when the stock opened this morning. That suggests that there is some latent buying interest in Ryanair’s stock that could stoke a broader recovery.

Secondly, today’s decline stopped short of the 200-day sma at EUR 16.27, which is a key technical support level. This move suggests that technical traders are watching Ryanair, and may have been waiting for a decline to this level before buying the stock. Bargain hunters could be on the prowl for Ryanair, which may help to fuel a deeper recovery.

Thirdly, market dynamics may also help to boost Ryanair’s share price. With risk sentiment high, and inflows into global stocks holding up well, investors are on the lookout for a bargain. With a P/E ratio of 14, lower than the 18 level for the overall Eurostoxx index, Ryanair looks cheap in comparison to the overall market, which could also attract potential buyers.

From a technical perspective, if we get a close in the next couple of days that fills this morning’s gap at EUR 17.09, then we may see further gains. Other key resistance levels to watch include EUR 17.94 – the 100-day sma – and then EUR 18.50 – the 61.8% retracement of the mid-Aug high to Monday’s low.

StoneX Financial Ltd (trading as “City Index”) is an execution-only service provider. This material, whether or not it states any opinions, is for general information purposes only and it does not take into account your personal circumstances or objectives. This material has been prepared using the thoughts and opinions of the author and these may change. However, City Index does not plan to provide further updates to any material once published and it is not under any obligation to keep this material up to date. This material is short term in nature and may only relate to facts and circumstances existing at a specific time or day. Nothing in this material is (or should be considered to be) financial, investment, legal, tax or other advice and no reliance should be placed on it.

No opinion given in this material constitutes a recommendation by City Index or the author that any particular investment, security, transaction or investment strategy is suitable for any specific person. The material has not been prepared in accordance with legal requirements designed to promote the independence of investment research. Although City Index is not specifically prevented from dealing before providing this material, City Index does not seek to take advantage of the material prior to its dissemination. This material is not intended for distribution to, or use by, any person in any country or jurisdiction where such distribution or use would be contrary to local law or regulation.

For further details see our full non-independent research disclaimer and quarterly summary.

CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 69% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money. CFD and Forex Trading are leveraged products and your capital is at risk. They may not be suitable for everyone. Please ensure you fully understand the risks involved by reading our full risk warning.

City Index is a trading name of StoneX Financial Ltd. Head and Registered Office: 1st Floor, Moor House, 120 London Wall, London, EC2Y 5ET. StoneX Financial Ltd is a company registered in England and Wales, number: 05616586. Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. FCA Register Number: 446717.

City Index is a trademark of StoneX Financial Ltd.

The information on this website is not targeted at the general public of any particular country. It is not intended for distribution to residents in any country where such distribution or use would contravene any local law or regulatory requirement.