Auto Rental News
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

Avis Budget Group’s Income Declines in Q3

For the third quarter, Avis Budget Group reported declines in adjusted EBITDA, pretax income, and net income. Performance in Americas beat International.

October 31, 2019
Avis Budget Group’s Income Declines in Q3

 

Photo by Atomic Taco/flickr

2 min to read


Avis Budget Group today reported results for its third quarter ended September 30, 2019.

The company announced revenues of $2.753 billion, an increase of 1% compared to the prior year’s third quarter, excluding a $44 million impact from currency exchange rate movements.

Ad Loading...

For the quarter, adjusted EBITDA was $471 million including a $9 million impact from currency exchange rate movements, a 1% decline from the previous year’s quarter. Adjusted net income was $223 million, a drop from $265 last year.

Avis reported a 2% increase in rental days, partially offset by a 1% decrease in revenue per day (RPD). Per-unit fleet costs improved by 6% year-over-year and utilization improved 20 basis points.

“Our adjusted EBITDA margin was more than 17% for the quarter. Our Americas segment had record adjusted EBITDA performance. Our operations achieved record Net Promoter Scores for the second quarter in a row, showing the impact of our efforts to improve our customer experience,” said Larry De Shon, Avis Budget Group president and CEO.

“In addition, we made further progress on our strategic partnerships with Uber, Lyft, and Via where we increased our ride-hail fleet by nearly 60% from prior quarter. We remain focused on improving our core rental car business, while driving innovation to continue our transformation into a mobility service provider.”

In the Americas, third quarter revenues increased 1% to a record $1.868 billion compared to the prior year, primarily due to a 3% increase in rental days, partially offset by a 2% decrease in RPD. Per-unit fleet costs improved by 9%, with utilization improving 30 basis points to 72.6%. As a result, adjusted EBITDA increased to a record $321 million.

Ad Loading...

Joe Ferraro, president, Americas commented, “Positive revenue growth in the quarter, along with strong ancillary performance and corporate account volume growth contributed to our success. Also, stable residual values and a record 70% of our vehicle dispositions through alternative channels drove fleet cost improvements. Altogether, this generated all-time record revenue and adjusted EBITDA.”

In the international segment, third quarter revenues decreased 1% compared to prior year, excluding a 4% negative impact from currency exchange rate movements, primarily due to a 1% decrease in rental days. RPD, excluding exchange rate effects, improved compared to prior year.

Per-unit fleet costs were up 1%, excluding exchange rate effects, and utilization was flat. As a result, Adjusted EBITDA was flat to the prior year’s quarter, excluding a $9 million negative impact from currency exchange rate movements, primarily due to mitigating cost reduction actions.

Avis Budget Group missed on revenue by $90 million, according to Wall Street estimates. The company was trading down 10% at market close, while Hertz was off over 3%.

More Rental Operations

50 states map showing LOR rates for each state with different shades of light to dark green

U.S. Rental Length Declines Slightly in Q1 2026, Enterprise Reports

LOR overall continues to trend downward, but ongoing market and economic conditions could affect future results while the industry deals with staffing and productivity challenges.

Read More →
Illustration of a driverless futuristic front seat/dashboard view of other cars on a freeway with city skyline on horizon.

Hertz, Uber Deepen Roles In Self-Driving And Driver-Led Fleet Services

The business arrangement connects demand with scalable fleet management services and supports a range of mobility uses.

Read More →
A tech collage of electronic devices against a computer chip blueprint map.
Rental OperationsMay 1, 2026

Why Car Rental Can No Longer Run On Workarounds

The shift from branch-based software to connected operations is turning rental technology into strategic infrastructure.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
A tech collage of electronic devices against a computer chip blueprint map.
Rental OperationsMay 1, 2026

Why Car Rental Can No Longer Run On Workarounds

The shift from branch-based software to connected operations is turning rental technology into strategic infrastructure.

Read More →
A black Audi SUV superimposed on a historic scene from downtown Tashkent, Uzbekistan.

Carwiz Sets Up Rental Operations In Central Asia

The global franchise operation reaches a first in its rental fleet portfolio with new service in Uzbekistan.

Read More →
A raging brushfire in the countryside.
Rental Operationsby Martin RomjueApril 30, 2026

Where Rental Fleets Must Adjust To Shifting Catastrophe Risks

West Coast disasters pose unique challenges and liabilities for rental fleet operators, who are advised to take steps tailored to their specific situations.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
ARN Industry Newsmakers thumbnail page with ARN and ICRS logos and shots of Nick DiPrima and Martin Romjue
Rental Operationsby Martin RomjueApril 27, 2026

Using AI To Find Rental Car Damage

Angry car renters are storming social media, the mainstream media, and online ratings platforms to complain about charges they claim are either unfounded or excessive.

Read More →
Photo of CEO Krešimir Dobrilović against a gray modernist crooked-tile mural display.

Carwiz Opens Car Rental Service In Panama

A Carwiz partner in Puerto Rico is taking on the Panama franchise with operations in the nation's largest airport.

Read More →
A world map with Flexways logo and new locations headline.

Flexways Opens 10 Locations Among Franchise, Affiliate Rental Networks

The integrated business model combines each operator’s local expertise with international standards to boost sales.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Photo of a suitcase, passport, and smartphone.

Traveler Customer Satisfaction Up This Year Data Study Shows

The study looks at customer analytics to size up performance in car rentals, rideshare, airlines, lodging, and OTAs.

Read More →
Ad Loading...