Skywest (SKYW) risk factors, FY2025 10-K

Skywest's FY2025 10-K, filed Feb 17, 2026, lists 41 risk factors in 4 groups. Against the prior year's 41: 1 new, 1 dropped, 13 substantially reworded.

Risk factors listed
414 groups
New this year
1vs 41 last year
Dropped
1since the prior 10-K
Substantially reworded
13of those kept
Section length
10k wordsItem 1A

What the changes say

  • Pilot recruitment challenges and pilot retention risks continue to dominate operations.

What changed since the prior 10-K

New

  • New

    We may experience difficulty in recruiting, training and retaining a sufficient number of qualified pilots

    We face ongoing risks in recruiting, training, and retaining sufficient qualified pilots, impacting our flight schedules and revenues.

Dropped

  • Dropped

    We have experienced, and may continue to experience, difficulty in retaining and upgrading qualified pilots

Reworded

  • 98% rewrittenRisks Related to Operating and Leasing Regional Jet Aircraft and Engines

    The effect of any, or some combination, of the foregoing risks could affect our arrangement with Eve and future benefits may not materialize

    Updated Eve holdings to 1.1 million common shares valued at $4.3 million as of December 31, 2025, replacing the previous $8.2 million warrant value.

    Was: The effect of any, or some combination, of the foregoing risks could affect our partnership with Eve and future benefits may not materialize

  • 70% rewritten

    Changes to U.S. tariff and import/export regulations may have a negative effect on our suppliers and/or service providers and, in turn, could have a material adverse impact on our financial condition

    Added specific mention of recently enacted tariffs increasing the cost of international aircraft parts, particularly non-U.S. E175 components imported from Brazil.

  • 69% rewrittenRisks Related to Our Code-Share Agreements with Our Major Airline Partners

    We operate on-demand charter flights through our wholly-owned subsidiary, SWC, and such operations involve significant risk

    Updated SWC charter operations to reflect its recent DOT commuter authority approval rather than a pending application.

  • 65% rewrittenRisks Related to Our Operating Costs and Personnel

    We have guaranteed the indebtedness of third parties that may default on their debt and require us to pay

    Updated guaranteed debt for the third-party commuter carrier to $12.6 million at December 31, 2025, and added uncertainty regarding pilot recruitment benefits.

  • 44% rewrittenRisks Related to Our Code-Share Agreements with Our Major Airline Partners

    Reduced utilization levels of our aircraft under our capacity purchase agreements with our major airline partners would have a material adverse impact on the results of our operations and financial condition

    Clarified that capacity purchase agreement compensation shifted in recent years to lower fixed monthly payments and higher variable payments.

  • 41% rewritten

    We may experience disruption in service due to delays from key third-party service providers

    Added a direct warning that a key service provider failure could disrupt operations.

    Was: We may experience disruption in service due to delays from key third-party aircraft maintenance service providers

  • 37% rewrittenRisks Related to Our Code-Share Agreements with Our Major Airline Partners

    Revenue levels from our prorate agreements with our major airline partners may not continue to increase and are terminable upon notice of 180 days or less. Additionally, revenue levels from our SWC operation may not continue to increase

    Updated prorate and SWC revenue growth figures to $153.0 million or 33.5% for 2025.

    Was: Revenue levels from our prorate agreements with our major airline partners may not continue to increase and are terminable upon notice of 120 days or less. Additionally, revenue levels from our SWC operation may not continue to increase

  • 34% rewrittenRisks Related to Operating and Leasing Regional Jet Aircraft and Engines

    We have a significant amount of contractual long-term debt obligations

    Updated total long-term debt obligations down to approximately $2.4 billion, including $2.2 billion for aircraft and spare engines as of December 31, 2025.

  • 27% rewrittenRisks Related to Dividends, Share Repurchases and Our Common Stock

    Our common stock price may fluctuate significantly

  • 27% rewrittenRisks Related to Our Operating Costs and Personnel

    Increases in labor costs, including pilot costs, flight attendant costs, maintenance costs and overhead costs may result in lower operating margins under our capacity purchase agreements

  • 26% rewrittenRisks Related to Operating and Leasing Regional Jet Aircraft and Engines

    We entered into an arrangement with a third party to develop demand for electric-powered aircraft that involves significant uncertainty and risk

    Was: We entered into a partnership with a third party to develop demand for electric-powered aircraft that involves significant uncertainty and risk

  • 26% rewritten

    Various negative economic or industry conditions may result in reductions to our flight schedules, which could materially and adversely affect our operations and financial condition

  • 23% rewritten

    We have experienced, and may continue to experience, difficulty recruiting and retaining other operational personnel

All 41 risk factors

Headings as the filing states them, in filing order.

Other

  1. 01Various negative economic or industry conditions may result in reductions to our flight schedules, which could materially and adversely affect our operations and financial condition26% rewritten
  2. 02We may experience disruption in service due to delays from key third-party service providers41% rewritten
  3. 03Cybersecurity incidents, hardware or software failures or other information technology disruptions may negatively impact our operations, reputation and financial condition
  4. 04Interruptions or disruptions in service at one of our hub airports, due to weather, system malfunctions or for any other reason, could have a material adverse impact on our operations
  5. 05We may experience difficulty in recruiting, training and retaining a sufficient number of qualified pilotsNew
  6. 06We have experienced, and may continue to experience, difficulty recruiting and retaining other operational personnel23% rewritten
  7. 07The occurrence of an aviation accident involving our aircraft would negatively impact our operations and financial condition
  8. 08We are subject to significant governmental regulation and potential regulatory changes
  9. 09Changes to U.S. tariff and import/export regulations may have a negative effect on our suppliers and/or service providers and, in turn, could have a material adverse impact on our financial condition70% rewritten
  10. 10Compliance, or failure to comply, with new or existing laws, regulations and other requirements relating to the privacy, security and handling of information about individuals could adversely affect our business, results of operations, or financial condition
  11. 11Terrorist activities or warnings have dramatically impacted the airline industry and will likely continue to do so

Risks Related to Our Code-Share Agreements with Our Major Airline Partners

  1. 12Our business model is dependent on code-share agreements with four major airline partners
  2. 13Reduced utilization levels of our aircraft under our capacity purchase agreements with our major airline partners would have a material adverse impact on the results of our operations and financial condition44% rewritten
  3. 14Our major airline partners may experience events that negatively impact their financial strength or operations, which may also negatively impact our operations
  4. 15Our growth may be limited with our major airline partners' flight systems
  5. 16There are long-term risks related to supply and demand of regional aircraft associated with our regional airline services strategy
  6. 17Revenue levels from our prorate agreements with our major airline partners may not continue to increase and are terminable upon notice of 180 days or less. Additionally, revenue levels from our SWC operation may not continue to increase37% rewritten
  7. 18Disagreements regarding the interpretation of our code-share agreements with our major airline partners could have an adverse effect on our operating results and financial condition
  8. 19We operate on-demand charter flights through our wholly-owned subsidiary, SWC, and such operations involve significant risk69% rewritten
  9. 20The airline industry is highly competitive, which could adversely affect our operating results and financial condition

Risks Related to Our Operating Costs and Personnel

  1. 21Increases in labor costs, including pilot costs, flight attendant costs, maintenance costs and overhead costs may result in lower operating margins under our capacity purchase agreements27% rewritten
  2. 22Increased labor costs, pilot and other labor availability, labor disputes and unionization of our workforces may adversely affect our ability to conduct our business and reduce our profitability
  3. 23We may experience an increase in fuel prices in our prorate and SWC operations
  4. 24Our business could be harmed if we lose the services of our key personnel
  5. 25We may experience credit losses in excess of our estimated credit loss reserves
  6. 26We have guaranteed the indebtedness of third parties that may default on their debt and require us to pay65% rewritten

Risks Related to Operating and Leasing Regional Jet Aircraft and Engines

  1. 27We are reliant on two aircraft manufacturers and one engine manufacturer
  2. 28We have a significant amount of contractual long-term debt obligations34% rewritten
  3. 29As of December 31, 2025, we have firm purchase commitments for 69 E175 aircraft and spare engines totaling $2.3 billion. Over the next several years, as we continue to add new aircraft to our fleet, we anticipate using significant amounts of capital to acquire these aircraft
  4. 30The residual value of our owned aircraft may be less than estimated in our depreciation policies
  5. 31We lease aircraft and engines to third parties and the lessee may default under the lease terms, which could negatively affect our financial condition, cash flow and results of operations
  6. 32We have entered into a strategic engine leasing joint venture that operates under joint control with a third party that may not meet our investment objectives
  7. 33We entered into an arrangement with a third party to develop demand for electric-powered aircraft that involves significant uncertainty and risk26% rewritten
  8. 34The effect of any, or some combination, of the foregoing risks could affect our arrangement with Eve and future benefits may not materialize98% rewritten
  9. 35We have invested in Contour, which involves significant risk and may not produce a satisfactory return on our investment
  10. 36We are subject to various environmental requirements, including laws and regulations related to climate change and emissions. Compliance with new or existing environmental requirements could materially and adversely affect the Company's business plans, strategies and results of operations

Risks Related to Dividends, Share Repurchases and Our Common Stock

  1. 37We cannot assure that we will resume dividend payments in the future and we cannot assure that we will continue stock repurchases in the future
  2. 38Our common stock price may fluctuate significantly27% rewritten
  3. 39Provisions of our articles of incorporation, by-laws and code-share agreements may limit the ability or desire of others to gain control of our Company
  4. 40We may be a party to litigation in the normal course of business or otherwise, which could affect our financial condition and results of operations
  5. 41The adoption of new tax legislation or changes to existing tax laws and regulations could adversely affect our financial condition or results of operations

Other Skywest 10-Ks

  • FY2024 10-K risk factors
    41 risks

    SkyWest's risk profile is dominated by reliance on major airline partner contracts, pilot retention challenges, and fleet financing obligations.

    Filed Feb 13, 2025

About this page

The headings are the filing's own. The one-line readings and the overview are automated and can be wrong: read Item 1A of the 10-K for the exact wording.