United Airlines (NASDAQ:UAL) Issues FY 2026 Earnings Guidance

United Airlines (NASDAQ:UAL) updated its FY 2026 earnings guidance on Tuesday. The company provided EPS guidance of 7.000-11.000 for the period, compared to the consensus EPS estimate of 9.050. The company issued revenue guidance of -. United Airlines also updated its Q2 2026 guidance to 1.000-2.000 EPS.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several research analysts have recently issued reports on the stock. Susquehanna upped their target price on shares of United Airlines from $117.00 to $150.00 and gave the stock a “positive” rating in a research note on Friday, January 9th. Jefferies Financial Group dropped their target price on shares of United Airlines from $148.00 to $125.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, March 12th. UBS Group upped their target price on shares of United Airlines from $134.00 to $135.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Monday, March 23rd. Morgan Stanley set a $150.00 target price on shares of United Airlines and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Thursday, January 8th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group upped their target price on shares of United Airlines from $115.00 to $129.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 13th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, fifteen have given a Buy rating and one has given a Hold rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of “Buy” and an average price target of $133.74.

United Airlines Stock Down 5.6%

UAL opened at $91.71 on Thursday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.59, a current ratio of 0.65 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.35. The firm has a 50 day moving average price of $98.02 and a 200-day moving average price of $102.43. United Airlines has a twelve month low of $65.66 and a twelve month high of $119.21. The stock has a market capitalization of $29.77 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 8.19, a PEG ratio of 0.81 and a beta of 1.28.

United Airlines (NASDAQ:UAL) last released its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, April 21st. The transportation company reported $1.19 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.08 by $0.11. United Airlines had a net margin of 6.06% and a return on equity of 24.99%. The firm had revenue of $14.61 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $14.19 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned $0.91 earnings per share. The firm’s quarterly revenue was up 10.5% on a year-over-year basis. United Airlines has set its FY 2026 guidance at 7.000-11.000 EPS and its Q2 2026 guidance at 1.000-2.000 EPS. Equities research analysts forecast that United Airlines will post 7.95 earnings per share for the current year.

Insider Buying and Selling at United Airlines

In other news, President Brett J. Hart sold 19,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, February 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $106.45, for a total transaction of $2,022,550.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the president directly owned 264,638 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $28,170,715.10. The trade was a 6.70% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. 0.86% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Key Stories Impacting United Airlines

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

• Positive Sentiment: Q1 beat: UAL reported stronger?than?expected Q1 revenue and EPS, with revenue up ~10% y/y and improved margins — a reminder of resilient premium demand that supports near?term cash generation. United Airlines Q1 Earnings & Revenues Surpass Estimates
• Positive Sentiment: Operational strength: Management highlighted on?time performance and initiatives to boost premium revenue and loyalty, which underpin pricing power and long?term strategy. United’s Long?Term Strategy Remains Focused on Winning Brand?Loyal Customers
• Neutral Sentiment: Merger chatter cooled: CEO Scott Kirby downplayed merger talks with American; the White House also signaled skepticism — removes a potential strategic catalyst (but avoids regulatory distraction). United Airlines CEO plays down merger talk
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst backdrop: Street price targets remain well above current levels (median ~$130), indicating continued buy?side conviction despite near?term headwinds. Quiver Quant Q1 recap and analyst targets
• Negative Sentiment: Guidance cut: UAL reduced FY?2026 EPS guidance to $7–11 (from $12–14 earlier) and set Q2 EPS well below consensus, a primary driver of the share decline as it signals meaningful margin pressure. United Airlines slashes 2026 forecast as fuel costs surge
• Negative Sentiment: Fuel shock and capacity cuts: Management cited a surge in jet?fuel costs (fuel costs more than doubled for some routes) and plans to cut ~5 points of planned capacity for the year — both reduce near?term profit visibility. United Airlines sees weak Q2, full?year profit as fuel shock squeezes margins
• Negative Sentiment: Price risk to demand: CEO said fares may need to rise up to 15–20% to offset fuel — that could pressure volumes if consumers push back or if competitors adjust differently. United says fares may need to rise up to 20%
• Negative Sentiment: Industry contagion: Peers (e.g., Southwest) are also lowering or withdrawing guidance due to high fuel, underscoring the sector?wide margin risk that could keep multiple airlines under pressure. Southwest drops guidance as oil rises

Institutional Trading of United Airlines

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. JPL Wealth Management LLC purchased a new stake in United Airlines during the third quarter valued at approximately $29,000. Quattro Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in United Airlines during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $44,000. Wiser Advisor Group LLC purchased a new stake in United Airlines during the third quarter valued at approximately $41,000. DV Equities LLC purchased a new stake in United Airlines during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $51,000. Finally, Wilkerson Advisory Group LLC purchased a new stake in United Airlines during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $61,000. 69.69% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

About United Airlines

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.