Mission Statement, Vision, & Core Values of Air Transport Services Group, Inc. (ATSG)

A company's mission, vision, and core values aren't just posters on a wall; they are the operational blueprint that drives financial performance, especially for a logistics powerhouse like Air Transport Services Group, Inc. (ATSG), which reported $2.0 billion in 2024 full-year revenues. When a firm's principles are sound, do they translate into strategic resilience, like the move to integrate new Airbus A330 freighters into their fleet, or help navigate a major transition like the recent acquisition by Stonepeak for approximately $3.1 billion? How do ATSG's commitments to reliability and customer focus influence their strategy as the world's largest lessor of mid-size freighters with a fleet of over 100 in-service aircraft? Let's defintely dig into the foundational statements that guide their next era of growth.

Air Transport Services Group, Inc. (ATSG) Overview

You need to understand the foundation of Air Transport Services Group, Inc. (ATSG) to grasp its market position, and the quick takeaway is simple: they are the backbone of global e-commerce air logistics, moving from a single airline to a comprehensive aviation powerhouse now backed by a major infrastructure investor.

ATSG's roots trace back to the airline operations of Airborne Express, with its key subsidiary, ABX Air, Inc., incorporated in 1980. The holding company, Air Transport Services Group, was formally established later to diversify beyond just one customer, eventually becoming a full-service provider of outsourced air cargo and passenger transport. They operate on a model called Aircraft, Crew, Maintenance, and Insurance (ACMI), which essentially means they provide the entire operational package to clients who need dedicated lift capacity but don't want to own and run an airline.

Their product portfolio is deep, covering everything from aircraft dry leasing-where they lease you the plane, and you handle the rest-to full-service logistics. This specialized approach, focusing on midsize freighters like the Boeing 767, is what makes them a pivotal player in the supply chain. If you want to dive deeper into their business model, you can find a comprehensive breakdown here: Air Transport Services Group, Inc. (ATSG): History, Ownership, Mission, How It Works & Makes Money.

• Provide dry leasing of freighter and passenger aircraft.
• Offer ACMI services for turnkey cargo transport.
• Handle Maintenance, Repair & Overhaul (MRO) and aircraft conversions.

Latest Financial Performance and the 2025 Acquisition

The biggest financial headline for ATSG in 2025 wasn't an earnings beat, but its acquisition by Stonepeak, a leading alternative investment firm, in an all-cash transaction with an enterprise valuation of approximately $3.1 billion. This deal closed in April 2025, immediately taking the company private and delisting its shares from the NASDAQ. What this tells you is that a major infrastructure investor sees long-term, stable value in ATSG's asset-heavy, contracted business model.

Looking at the last full year of public data, the company's financial results for the 2024 fiscal year showed total revenues of nearly $2.0 billion, a slight decrease from the previous year, with a net profit of $27.4 million. For the fourth quarter of 2024, reported in March 2025, revenues were $517 million. The core of this revenue comes from their Cargo Aircraft Management (CAM) leasing segment and their ACMI Services, which continue to benefit from strong demand for their fleet of converted freighters. That's a massive asset base generating reliable, contracted cash flow.

Here's the quick math on the acquisition: Stonepeak paid a premium for control, valuing the company at over $3 billion, which speaks volumes about the perceived future value of their freighter fleet and long-term customer contracts, despite the general market softness seen in 2024. The new private structure allows them to focus on long-term capital-intensive growth, like the delivery of their first converted A330 freighters in 2025, which is a key growth vector.

A Global Leader in Freighter Aircraft Leasing

ATSG isn't just another cargo company; they are a global leader in a very specific, high-demand niche. They hold the title of the world's largest lessor of converted Boeing 767 freighter aircraft through their Cargo Aircraft Management (CAM) subsidiary. This specialization in the medium widebody segment of the air cargo market is what gives them a defensible competitive moat, especially in the e-commerce and express delivery space.

Their success is defintely tied to their blue-chip customer base, which includes major global enterprises that rely on their fleet of 167 aircraft (as of the end of 2024, including 147 freighters) to ensure seamless global logistics. The transition to a private company in 2025, backed by Stonepeak, signals a strategic doubling down on infrastructure and asset expansion. This new chapter means a greater focus on capital deployment and fleet modernization, solidifying their position as a premier provider of outsourced air cargo solutions for years to come. That kind of market dominance doesn't happen by accident.

Air Transport Services Group, Inc. (ATSG) Mission Statement

The mission statement of Air Transport Services Group, Inc. (ATSG) is the compass for its operations, especially as the company navigates a major transition, like the pending acquisition by Stonepeak in the first half of 2025. It's not just corporate wallpaper; it's a commitment that guides capital allocation, fleet expansion, and customer service. For a company that generated a trailing twelve-month (TTM) revenue of approximately $1.96 billion USD as of November 2025, this mission is the bedrock of its value proposition in the air cargo and leasing market.

ATSG's guiding principle is: Providing best-in-class reliable services to our customers through our people, a team of dedicated professionals, who value our customers, deliver on our promises and contribute to sustainable development. This single statement effectively merges the company's core purpose-reliable service-with its operational strategy and ethical commitment. It tells you exactly where they focus their resources: on the customer, the people, and the long-term health of the business and the planet. This focus is defintely critical for maintaining their position as the leading provider of medium wide-body freighter aircraft leasing.

Core Component 1: Best-in-Class Reliable Services and Customer Focus

The first core component is the promise of best-in-class reliable services, which is intrinsically tied to prioritizing customer needs and striving to exceed expectations. In the logistics world, reliability is currency. Your customers-like e-commerce giants and the Department of Defense (DoD)-need guaranteed lift capacity and on-time performance. For the nine months ended September 30, 2024, ATSG's largest customer, Amazon (ASI), accounted for approximately 33% of consolidated revenues, with the DoD representing another 29%. That level of customer concentration means service quality isn't optional; it's existential.

This commitment translates into tangible actions, like ensuring their fleet of owned aircraft, which includes 767s, A321s, and A330s, is maintained to the highest standards. For example, the company's Cargo Aircraft Management Inc. (CAM) segment had 91 owned aircraft leased to external customers at the end of the fourth quarter of 2024. Delivering on reliability is what keeps those long-term leasing contracts in place. You can see more about the market dynamics that drive these relationships in Exploring Air Transport Services Group, Inc. (ATSG) Investor Profile: Who's Buying and Why?

Core Component 2: Dedicated Professionals and Delivering on Promises

The mission explicitly states that reliable service is delivered through their people-a team of dedicated professionals. This is a nod to the operational complexity of their business, which involves not just leasing aircraft but also providing Aircraft, Crew, Maintenance, and Insurance (ACMI) services. You can't deliver on a promise of air cargo lift without high-caliber pilots, maintenance technicians, and ground support staff.

This component is backed by the company's operational strength, which helped drive an Adjusted EBITDA of $549.4 million for the full year 2024. This figure shows the efficiency of their operations, which is a direct result of their professional workforce. The company's commitment to its people is also reflected in its focus on employee engagement, safety, and development. The core idea here is simple: a well-supported, expert team is the only way to ensure dependable and consistent service delivery.

• Maintain expertise through continuous training.
• Prioritize safety to protect people and assets.
• Ensure high standards of conduct and expertise.

Core Component 3: Contribution to Sustainable Development

The final, forward-looking component is the commitment to sustainable development. For an aviation company, this means more than just a tagline; it means managing environmental impact and ensuring long-term growth. This is a critical risk factor for investors, so they need to see clear action.

ATSG addresses this by focusing on a modern, fuel-efficient fleet. While they are a major lessor of the Boeing 767, they are also actively diversifying into newer, more efficient aircraft. For instance, the company is enthusiastic about the delivery of its first four converted Airbus A330 freighters in 2025. The A330-300 converted freighter offers a payload of over 60 metric tons, which is a significant capacity upgrade with better fuel burn per ton-mile compared to older models. This strategic move shows a commitment to efficient use of natural resources and addresses the long-term need for a greener supply chain. Here's the quick math: newer aircraft conversions like the A330 are a direct investment in lowering their operational carbon footprint, which ultimately protects future cash flow.

Air Transport Services Group, Inc. (ATSG) Vision Statement

You're looking for the true north of Air Transport Services Group, Inc. (ATSG), especially with the pending acquisition by Stonepeak for approximately $3.1 billion, and that starts with their vision. Their guiding star is a commitment to providing best-in-class, reliable services to customers, delivered by a dedicated team that values customers, keeps its promises, and contributes to sustainable development. This isn't just a corporate slogan; it maps directly to their operational strategy and financial performance, which saw full-year 2024 revenue of $1.962 billion. That's the real-world measure of their execution.

The vision breaks down into three actionable pillars. For investors, understanding these pillars is key to mapping near-term risks and opportunities, particularly as the company navigates the transition to a privately-held entity, which is expected to close in the first half of 2025. Honesty, the Stonepeak deal is the biggest variable right now.

Best-in-Class Reliable Services and Customer Focus

The core of ATSG's vision is delivering best-in-class reliability, which translates into a relentless focus on their blue-chip customers, like major express delivery and e-commerce companies. This means providing dependable and consistent service, which is why their Cargo Aircraft Management (CAM) segment is so important. They are the world's largest lessor of freighter aircraft, focusing on mid-size freighters preferred for regional air networks.

A concrete example of this focus is their Aircraft, Crew, Maintenance, and Insurance (ACMI) services, which generated the majority of their revenue in 2024. The operational efficiency here is what drives cash flow. For the full year 2024, ATSG generated $228.1 million in Free Cash Flow, a significant turnaround from the prior year. This cash generation is defintely a key factor in the Stonepeak valuation. You can dive deeper into the ownership landscape here: Exploring Air Transport Services Group, Inc. (ATSG) Investor Profile: Who's Buying and Why?

• Expand the fleet to meet e-commerce demand.
• Optimize the air transportation network's reach.
• Integrate advanced technology for cargo handling.

Through Our People and Professionalism

The vision explicitly states that this best-in-class service is achieved through a team of dedicated professionals. This is a critical operational component, especially in the Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) segment. High-quality MRO services, provided by subsidiaries like Airborne Maintenance & Engineering Services, are non-negotiable for maintaining the reliability of a fleet that had approximately 139 aircraft in 2024.

For a service-based business, people are the asset. The company aims to find, keep, and engage the highest caliber of employees, which is a direct investment in operational uptime. This focus on professionalism and expertise is what allows them to offer an unmatched mix of services and capabilities through their subsidiaries. The financial impact of a well-run operation is clear: the company reported $549.4 million in Adjusted EBITDA for 2024, showing strong underlying profitability even with market headwinds.

Contributing to Sustainable Development

The final pillar of ATSG's vision is the commitment to sustainable development, which encompasses their corporate responsibility. This isn't just about environmental, social, and governance (ESG) reporting; it's about long-term growth and risk mitigation. They recognize that their social, environmental, and ethical conduct has an impact on their long-term growth.

This commitment manifests in several ways:

• Respect for human rights as a fundamental value.
• Prioritizing employee health and safety.
• Efficient use of natural resources.

From an investor standpoint, this focus on sustainability helps secure long-term contracts with blue-chip customers who have their own strict ESG requirements. While the full 2025 financial picture isn't complete, the company's Q1 2025 estimated revenue of $496 million suggests a stable, if slightly contracting, near-term outlook that is supported by these long-term strategic values. Here's the quick math: a stable customer base, driven by reliable service, is the most sustainable growth engine you can have.

Air Transport Services Group, Inc. (ATSG) Core Values

You're looking for the bedrock of Air Transport Services Group, Inc. (ATSG), the principles that drive their massive fleet and logistics network. The direct takeaway is that their values-Safety, Quality, Integrity, Teamwork, and Customer Focus-aren't just posters on a wall; they are the operational blueprint for their shift into next-generation air cargo solutions, especially following the major 2025 acquisition.

In the air cargo business, especially after a significant corporate event like the Stonepeak acquisition for approximately $3.1 billion in the first half of 2025, those core values become even more critical. They are the non-negotiable standards that ensure a reliable supply chain for e-commerce giants and government entities alike. Here's the quick math: a reliable aircraft means revenue block hours, and unreliable aircraft means massive contract penalties. It's that simple.

Safety

Safety is the absolute foundation for any aviation company, and for ATSG, it's about protecting assets, people, and the bottom line. You can't generate reliable free cash flow-which hit $228.1 million for the full year 2024-if your operational safety is compromised. The company's commitment to safety is demonstrated through its subsidiaries, which hold separate and distinct U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Part 121 Air Carrier certificates, the highest standard for commercial air transport operations.

• Maintain FAA Part 121 compliance across all three airlines.
• Invest in crew training for new, complex aircraft like the Airbus A330.
• Ensure rigorous maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) protocols.

This isn't just a compliance checklist; it's a culture that keeps their diverse fleet, which includes Boeing 767s and Airbus A321s, flying reliably for customers like Amazon and DHL. Honestly, in this industry, safety is the ultimate quality metric.

Quality

Quality, for ATSG, translates directly to fleet modernization and operational efficiency. Their Cargo Aircraft Management (CAM) segment, the leasing arm, makes concrete investment decisions that reflect this value. The most visible 2025 example is the introduction of the Airbus A330-300 Passenger-to-Freighter (P2F) aircraft into their fleet. The first two of their initial four A330 P2F conversions were delivered in the first half of 2025, with the second delivered in August 2025.

This move is a strategic quality upgrade. The A330 P2F offers a payload capacity of approximately 62 tonnes and a greater range than their legacy Boeing 767s, providing a more fuel-efficient and capable medium wide-body solution for their customers. This is how you future-proof a leasing portfolio. Plus, they're still actively converting six A321 narrowbody aircraft, which are perfect for shorter, high-frequency e-commerce routes.

Integrity

Integrity in a financial and regulatory sense was paramount for ATSG in 2025. The company went through a major transition: being acquired by Stonepeak in a definitive all-cash transaction. This process required intense scrutiny and transparency to all stakeholders, including the U.S. Department of Transportation for regulatory approval, which was completed in the first half of the year.

Here's the thinking: a transaction of this magnitude-a $3.1 billion enterprise valuation-is a multi-faceted test of corporate ethics and compliance. The fact that the deal closed as planned demonstrates a clean balance sheet and adherence to complex governance standards. It shows the market that ATSG is a trustworthy partner, even through a change of ownership.

Teamwork

ATSG's entire business model, known as 'Lease+Plus,' is a textbook example of internal teamwork. It's the synergy between their leasing (CAM) and airline operations (ACMI Services) segments that creates their unique value proposition. They don't just lease you a plane; they can also provide the crew, maintenance, and insurance.

• Coordinate aircraft conversions between Cargo Aircraft Management and maintenance subsidiaries.
• Integrate flight crews (ACMI) with newly leased A330 and A321 aircraft.
• Ensure consistent service across the three separate airline certificates.

This coordinated effort is what allows them to immediately operationalize new aircraft for key clients. A softer, but defintely important, example of their commitment to people and future teamwork is their hosting of the Girls In Aviation Day 2025, which aims to inspire the next generation of aviation professionals for their Wilmington, Ohio, headquarters and beyond.

Customer Focus

Their customer focus is best seen in their long-term contracts and strategic fleet decisions that anticipate client needs. The expansion of their relationship with Amazon Air is a prime example, with the company operating additional Boeing 767 freighters for the e-commerce giant, and extending the operating contract through May 2029 with an option for a further five years.

This long-term commitment requires continuous capital investment on ATSG's part to meet future demand. By delivering their new A330 freighters to customers like ULS Airlines Cargo in 2025, they are directly addressing the global demand for more capacity and fuel-efficient aircraft. This proactive fleet management ensures that their customers, who are major global logistics players, have the right tools to meet their own growing e-commerce and express delivery volumes.

For a deeper dive into the company's structure and how this all fits together, you should check out Air Transport Services Group, Inc. (ATSG): History, Ownership, Mission, How It Works & Makes Money.