market folly

We're posting up notes from the Sohn New York Investment Conference.  Next up is David Einhorn of Greenlight Capital who presented long Aercap (AER), short GATX (GATX).


David Einhorn's Sohn New York Presentation

•    Companies that lease airplanes have better businesses than companies that lease railcars (long Aercap, short GATX)

o    Airline leases are usually at least 10 years with a 25 year life
o    Railcar leases are 5 years when it’s new or less when it is used. Useful life is around 45 years
o    Airlines in cyclical growth
o    Railroads are more cyclical
o    Airplane utilization much higher than railcar
o    Can move airplanes around easier
o    Credit has cost airline leasing companies 0.1%. Cost railcar leasing companies nothing
o    Railroads becoming more efficient and using less railcars
o    Aercap- airline leasing in growing industry. Average age 6 years. Sells 15 year old planes. Longer leases
o    GATX-Railcar leasing. 14% market share. Cyclical and secular headwinds. Provides maintenance to customers. Average 20 year age. More dependent on releasing rates. Recent leases are shorter term
o    Aercap trades at a 50% discount to GATX even though it’s a better business both on P/E and P/B
o    Aercap is buying back stock. Reduced shares outstanding by 36%. Will continue to buyback stock


Be sure to check out the rest of the Sohn New York conference presentations.