Coronavirus is dominating corporate conference calls.
Bloomberg data shows that about 60 percent of the calls companies hold each day to make investor presentations or discuss earnings mention the outbreak.
United Airlines was the first to cite Coronavirus on a Jan. 22 call. President J. Scott Kirby said:
“We also can’t sit here to tell you that we know exactly how long the MAX will be grounded or what the economic impact of the Asian coronavirus would be.”
A day later, Dawn Gilbertson, a reporter from USA Today, asked American Airlines Chairman and CEO Doug Parker:
“I know it’s early, but are you guys seeing any booking impact at all? Have you contemplated any travel waivers for the region? And lastly and maybe this one is for Robert, what measures is American taking to protect passengers and crew?
Parker answered that it was “too soon to see any impact.”
That was 48 days ago.