Problem: International airlines always receive a large portion of their revenues from a variety of different currencies due to their international reach and global range of customers. Furthermore, their risk may depend on political/economic developments in other countries. Furthermore airlines need to purchase oil at world market prices, and oil is one of their largest single costs.
El Al Airlines in particular is in a risky business in a risky part of the world. Read the following articles on El Al Airlines and do some of your own research on El Al:
Steinblatt, R. (May 3, 2013) El Al makes $17.3m gain on currency hedges, Tribune Business News, Washington [Available on Proquest]
Solomon, S. (2013) El Al Says Fimi to Invest as Much as $75 Million for Stake, Bloomberg News,
https://www.businessweek.com/news/2013-04-14/el-al-says-fimi-to-invest-as-much-as-75-million-for-stake
Question 1. What recent major events do you think El Al's financial management team need to worry about the most?
Question 2. What strategies can El Al employ to guard against their main international financial risks?
Question 3. Would you personally invest in El Al Airlines? Explain your reasoning and use their international financial risks and their efforts to hedge against these risks as part of your answer.