According to a friend of mine who has served on many Boards and has been involved in M&A activity at the senior officer and board level the two biggest reasons companies have lare share offerings are general corporate purposes and acquistions. I believe dependent upon industry macroeconomic conditions stock could be sold to be used for general corporate purposes, PDP deposits, and a strategic acquisition where stock is used in lieu of cash to acquire another company.
Doug Parker has tried to acquire ATA, Delta, and United. And, with the help of the Seabury Group's John Luth and Bruce Lakefield put together a financing package that permitted US Airways and America West to merge.
Parker wants to merge again, Glenn Tilton believes in mergers and consolidation, Larry Kellner is against M&A activity and said Continental wants to remain independent and United's CFO recently said her company was and has been for sale.
Kathryn Mikells was recently interviewed by CNBC and she said, "It's been known for years that United is up for sale and new aircraft orders could impede a buyer."
And, "In the longer term after United and Continental complete their (alliance) antitrust review there will be “more opportunity (for US Airways) to work with Continental†and US Airways will become more “deeply embedded with United and it commits them to the domestic portion of the alliance,†US Airways Presdient Scott Kirby said in the April 28 Crew News employee meeting webcast. "It means it will have more opportunity for us†and “don’t believe everything you read (in the media),†Kirby noted.
In the future who knows what will happen to this cyclical industry. Credit markets are tight, but are now becoming available from the stimulus package, volatile oil prices, swine flu, or a shock event could keep demand depressed; however, at some point I believe the pricing environment will impove and capital will flow. At that point the share price will improve and then 200,000 shares could provide a lot of capital that couple be used to help fund a major transaction, which could be a strategic corporate transaction because of the history of US Airways' executive suite.
Regards,
USA320Pilot