United Airlines (NASDAQ:UAL) Issues Quarterly Earnings Results

United Airlines (NASDAQ:UAL) posted its earnings results on Tuesday. The transportation company reported $3.10 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.97 by $0.13, Zacks reports. United Airlines had a net margin of 5.68% and a return on equity of 26.00%. The firm had revenue of $15.40 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $15.35 billion. During the same period last year, the firm posted $3.26 EPS. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 4.8% on a year-over-year basis. United Airlines updated its Q1 2026 guidance to 1.000-1.500 EPS and its FY 2026 guidance to 12.000-14.000 EPS.

United Airlines Stock Performance

United Airlines stock opened at $110.96 on Thursday. United Airlines has a 12 month low of $52.00 and a 12 month high of $119.21. The stock’s 50-day moving average is $107.58 and its 200-day moving average is $100.77. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.45, a current ratio of 0.67 and a quick ratio of 0.61. The company has a market cap of $35.92 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 10.86, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.65 and a beta of 1.31.

Analyst Ratings Changes

UAL has been the subject of a number of recent research reports. Evercore ISI raised their price objective on shares of United Airlines from $105.00 to $135.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Monday, September 29th. Wells Fargo & Company started coverage on United Airlines in a report on Thursday, December 18th. They set an “overweight” rating and a $145.00 target price on the stock. Bank of America raised their price target on United Airlines from $120.00 to $130.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Tuesday, January 6th. Citigroup boosted their price target on United Airlines from $132.00 to $153.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, January 7th. Finally, Loop Capital set a $110.00 price objective on United Airlines in a research note on Tuesday, October 21st. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirteen have given a Buy rating and two have assigned a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, United Airlines presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $134.94.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other United Airlines news, CEO J Scott Kirby sold 120,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, December 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $107.86, for a total transaction of $12,943,200.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer directly owned 666,535 shares in the company, valued at $71,892,465.10. The trade was a 15.26% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. 0.71% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Institutional Trading of United Airlines

A number of institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in UAL. Bison Wealth LLC acquired a new stake in shares of United Airlines in the fourth quarter valued at about $246,000. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. grew its position in United Airlines by 24.0% in the first quarter. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. now owns 39,872 shares of the transportation company’s stock valued at $2,753,000 after acquiring an additional 7,713 shares in the last quarter. Focus Partners Wealth raised its stake in shares of United Airlines by 92.7% during the first quarter. Focus Partners Wealth now owns 12,349 shares of the transportation company’s stock valued at $853,000 after purchasing an additional 5,939 shares during the period. First Trust Advisors LP raised its stake in shares of United Airlines by 23.5% during the second quarter. First Trust Advisors LP now owns 292,580 shares of the transportation company’s stock valued at $23,298,000 after purchasing an additional 55,728 shares during the period. Finally, Cresset Asset Management LLC lifted its position in shares of United Airlines by 73.5% during the second quarter. Cresset Asset Management LLC now owns 9,410 shares of the transportation company’s stock worth $749,000 after purchasing an additional 3,987 shares in the last quarter. 69.69% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Key Stories Impacting United Airlines

Here are the key news stories impacting United Airlines this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q4 beat — United reported adjusted Q4 EPS and revenue above Street estimates and posted its highest quarterly revenue in company history, signaling operational strength and margin resilience. Read More.
• Positive Sentiment: Stronger 2026 guidance — Management set FY2026 EPS guidance of $12.00–$14.00 and Q1 guidance of $1.00–$1.50, backing the thesis that 2026 could be a record profit year if demand holds. Read More.
• Positive Sentiment: Record bookings & strong early?2026 demand — CEO commentary flagged record bookings and strong forward demand, which traders are treating as confirmation that premium and corporate travel momentum will continue. Read More.
• Positive Sentiment: Growing loyalty & premium revenue — United’s loyalty revenue rose ~10% YoY in Q4 (and ~9% for FY2025), and premium/corporate fares lifted unit revenue, supporting higher-margin growth. Read More.
• Neutral Sentiment: Fleet expansion to support growth — United plans >100 narrowbodies and ~20 widebodies in 2026 to capture demand, which supports revenue potential but implies significant capex and delivery timing risk. Read More.
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst momentum — Several firms raised targets and now have a higher consensus price target, boosting sentiment; this can amplify moves but also increase sensitivity to future guidance. Read More.
• Negative Sentiment: Competitive pressure at O’Hare — United’s public escalation with American over Chicago O’Hare slots/competition could increase short?term network costs or produce aggressive pricing in key markets. Read More.
• Negative Sentiment: Mixed beneath the headline — Q4 EPS was modestly down YoY and demand remains K?shaped (premium/corporate strong, lower?income leisure softer); macro risk (tariff/policy headlines, market risk?off days) could still pressure airline multiples. Read More.

United Airlines Company Profile

United Airlines Holdings, Inc operates United Airlines, a major U.S. full-service passenger carrier providing scheduled air transportation for passengers and cargo. The company offers a comprehensive route network that covers domestic markets across the United States as well as extensive international service to Europe, Asia, Latin America, and the Pacific. United operates a mixed fleet of narrow- and wide-body aircraft on point-to-point and hub-and-spoke routes, and supports corporate and leisure travel through offerings such as premium cabins, basic economy, and ancillary services including baggage, seat selection and in-flight amenities.

In addition to passenger operations, United provides cargo services through United Cargo, handling freight, mail and specialized shipments.