China Airlines set revenue goal at NT$105.5 B. for 2005

Taipei, Jan. 21, 2005 (CENS)--China Airlines Ltd. (CAL), Taiwan's largest air carrier, has set its annual revenue goal for 2005 at NT$105.5 billion (US$3.29 billion at US$1:NT$32), breaking the NT$100 billion (US$3.12 billion) mark for the first time.

In the meantime, the company set the pretax earnings goal at NT$4.4 billion (US$137.5 million), or NT$1.25 (US$0.04) in earnings per share, up 8% from last year's projection.

The company estimated it would obtain NT$930 million (US$29.06 million), NT$450 million (US$14.06 million), NT$1.66 billion (US$51.87 million), and NT$1.35 billion (US$39.06 million) in quarterly pretax earnings in the four quarters of this year, respectively.

Although the global economic growth will slow down due to skyrocketed oil prices and the rise of interest rates, some international economic institutions predicted Taiwan's economy would grow between 4.3% and 4.6% in 2005, said CAL.

Because of the imminent delivery of its ordered five Airbus and another five Boeing aircraft, CAL believed its passenger and cargo transportation revenues would grow 13.7% and 12.7% annually this year, respectively. The company estimated it would see revenue to grow by 12.8% this year from last year's level.