FLY company mark

FLY Annual Report FY2026

Official PDF · AI Summary · Financial Analysis
Official Annual + Quarterly Filings · AI Business Intelligence
NASDAQ/NYSE: FLY
Sector: Industrials
Industry: Aerospace & Defense
Source: SEC EDGAR
Last Updated: 01 Jul 2026
Business Intelligence Report Verdict
Weak
Outlook: Cautious

Quality Scores

Latest Quarterly Earnings Summary

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AI Summary

Fly Leasing Limited (formerly NYSE: FLY) operated as a global aircraft leasing company, specializing in the acquisition and long-term lease of commercial aircraft. The firm maintained a portfolio of fuel-efficient, mid-life aircraft to maximize yield until its acquisition by Carlyle Aviation Partners in 2021. Throughout the last decade of its independent existence, FLY faced significant headwinds due to the capital-intensive nature of the industry and high debt levels. Financial performance was characterized by modest revenue growth offset by heavy interest expenses and periodic impairment…

Key Changes in FY2026

FLY evolved from a secondary-market aircraft lessor into a more active portfolio manager, focusing on lowering the average age of its fleet. Throughout the 2010s, the company aggressively divested older, fuel-inefficient aircraft and reinvested proceeds into new-generation narrowbody models like the Airbus A320neo and Boeing 737 MAX. This transformation was necessitated by shifting airline preferences toward fuel efficiency and lower maintenance costs. The geographic mix shifted significantly toward Asia-Pacific and emerging markets, reflecting global aviation growth trends. However, the business model remained highly cyclical, sensitive to global interest rates and air travel demand, culminating in the 2021 take-private transaction following the COVID-19 pandemic's impact on aviation…

Management Commentary

Management, led by CEO Colm Barrington, demonstrated deep industry expertise but struggled to navigate the structural disadvantages of a smaller-scale leaper compared to giants like AerCap or GECAS. Communication was generally transparent regarding fleet metrics and LTV (Loan-to-Value) ratios, but strategic pivots were often reactive rather than proactive. The management team was effective at managing lender relationships, which was critical during fleet transition periods. However, they were unable to close the persistent 'discount to NAV' that plagued the stock for years. Their primary achievement was successfully negotiating the sale of the company when the standalone path became untenable.

Financial Highlights

The financial profile of FLY was defined by high leverage and sensitive interest coverage ratios typical of the aircraft leasing sector. Revenue was largely dictated by lease rates and fleet utilization, which remained relatively stable until the global pandemic disrupted airline liquidity. Net margins were consistently thin due to the high costs of depreciation and debt servicing. ROE and ROCE remained in the single digits for a majority of the 10-year period, reflecting a lack of substantial competitive advantage in a commoditized leasing market. The company frequently relied on asset sales to bolster reported earnings and manage its debt-to-equity profile.

Major Opportunities

  • Consistent OCF generation
  • Disciplined share buyback program reducing float
  • Asset sale strategy during 2018-2019

Major Risks

  • Extremely high debt levels (Capital Intensive)
  • Vulnerability to airline bankruptcies
  • Lumpy earnings due to aircraft sales and impairments

About This Annual Report

The FLY FY2026 Annual Report is the company's flagship annual disclosure, filed with SEC EDGAR. It covers the full-year business review, management discussion & analysis (MD&A), audited financial statements, director's report, corporate governance report, auditor's report, risk factors, capital allocation, subsidiaries, related-party transactions and ESG initiatives. This page consolidates the official PDF and an AI-generated summary so investors can quickly grasp what changed vs. prior years — sales growth, margin trend, cash flow quality, capex, dividends and management outlook — without having to read the entire filing.

Why Use AI?

  • Summarises hundreds of pages into a focused executive briefing
  • Identifies year-on-year key changes automatically
  • Extracts management commentary and tone
  • Highlights top risks and opportunities
  • Compares business evolution vs. earlier years
  • Answers your questions in plain English via Ask AI

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