Delta Air Lines (NYSE:DAL – Free Report) had its price objective cut by TD Cowen from $77.00 to $76.00 in a research note released on Thursday morning,MarketScreener reports. They currently have a buy rating on the transportation company’s stock.
Several other research firms have also commented on DAL. Argus set a $80.00 price objective on shares of Delta Air Lines in a research report on Wednesday, January 14th. Seaport Research Partners lifted their target price on shares of Delta Air Lines from $80.00 to $89.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, January 9th. Wells Fargo & Company reduced their price target on shares of Delta Air Lines from $87.00 to $75.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a report on Monday, March 16th. Sanford C. Bernstein reiterated an “outperform” rating and issued a $81.00 price target on shares of Delta Air Lines in a research report on Wednesday, January 14th. Finally, Raymond James Financial lowered their price target on shares of Delta Air Lines from $80.00 to $76.00 and set a “strong-buy” rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, March 31st. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-two have issued a Buy rating, one has assigned a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $78.84.
Read Our Latest Analysis on DAL
Delta Air Lines Stock Performance
Delta Air Lines (NYSE:DAL – Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Tuesday, January 13th. The transportation company reported $1.55 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.53 by $0.02. The company had revenue of $14.61 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $15.80 billion. Delta Air Lines had a return on equity of 20.96% and a net margin of 7.90%.Delta Air Lines’s quarterly revenue was up 2.9% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $1.85 earnings per share. Delta Air Lines has set its Q1 2026 guidance at 0.500-0.900 EPS and its FY 2026 guidance at 6.500-7.500 EPS. Sell-side analysts expect that Delta Air Lines will post 7.63 EPS for the current fiscal year.
Delta Air Lines Dividend Announcement
The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, March 19th. Investors of record on Thursday, February 26th were paid a $0.1875 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, February 26th. This represents a $0.75 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.1%. Delta Air Lines’s payout ratio is presently 9.78%.
Insider Transactions at Delta Air Lines
In other news, CEO Edward H. Bastian sold 173,230 shares of Delta Air Lines stock in a transaction dated Thursday, January 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $71.00, for a total transaction of $12,299,330.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer directly owned 632,823 shares in the company, valued at $44,930,433. The trade was a 21.49% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Also, EVP Erik Storey Snell sold 39,420 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, January 16th. The shares were sold at an average price of $71.02, for a total transaction of $2,799,608.40. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 35,625 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $2,530,087.50. This represents a 52.53% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Insiders have sold a total of 620,550 shares of company stock worth $44,127,667 in the last ninety days. Company insiders own 0.88% of the company’s stock.
Institutional Trading of Delta Air Lines
A number of hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the company. IFM Investors Pty Ltd lifted its stake in shares of Delta Air Lines by 0.5% during the 4th quarter. IFM Investors Pty Ltd now owns 28,167 shares of the transportation company’s stock worth $1,955,000 after purchasing an additional 144 shares during the period. Utah Retirement Systems grew its position in shares of Delta Air Lines by 0.3% in the fourth quarter. Utah Retirement Systems now owns 52,620 shares of the transportation company’s stock valued at $3,652,000 after purchasing an additional 144 shares during the period. First Financial Bank Trust Division grew its position in shares of Delta Air Lines by 3.3% in the fourth quarter. First Financial Bank Trust Division now owns 4,721 shares of the transportation company’s stock valued at $328,000 after purchasing an additional 150 shares during the period. HBK Sorce Advisory LLC increased its stake in Delta Air Lines by 2.6% in the fourth quarter. HBK Sorce Advisory LLC now owns 6,022 shares of the transportation company’s stock valued at $454,000 after purchasing an additional 151 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Larson Financial Group LLC increased its stake in Delta Air Lines by 2.4% in the fourth quarter. Larson Financial Group LLC now owns 6,472 shares of the transportation company’s stock valued at $449,000 after purchasing an additional 152 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 69.93% of the company’s stock.
Delta Air Lines News Roundup
Here are the key news stories impacting Delta Air Lines this week:
- Positive Sentiment: Goldman Sachs remains bullish and keeps a buy rating on DAL, providing support from a major sell‑side name. Goldman Sachs Sticks to Their Buy Rating for Delta Air Lines (DAL)
- Positive Sentiment: Delta struck a long-term deal with Amazon’s Project Leo to bring high-speed, free LEO satellite Wi‑Fi to 500 aircraft starting in 2028 — a revenue/loyalty and customer‑experience positive that differentiates Delta’s product. Delta Picks Bezos Over Musk For Satellite Wi‑Fi
- Positive Sentiment: Several firms still see upside despite trims — Susquehanna maintains a “positive” rating with a lowered $81 PT and TD Cowen keeps a buy rating at $76 — providing some analyst conviction under the shares. Susquehanna Adjusts Price Target on Delta
- Neutral Sentiment: Q1 preview/estimates: multiple previews highlight April 8 earnings as the key near‑term event (Zacks/Yahoo). Analysts expect revenue in the ~$15.0–15.3B range and mixed views on EPS; results and commentary on fares, capacity and fuel pass‑through will drive short‑term moves. Unlocking Q1 Potential of Delta (DAL)
- Neutral Sentiment: Delta has outperformed some peers recently (notably amid Middle East tensions), which supports relative strength but doesn’t remove macro and fuel risk. Delta Air Lines stock price analysis and earnings preview
- Negative Sentiment: Rising jet fuel: UBS and other analysts warn that nearly doubled jet fuel in March will pressure margins unless Delta can recapture costs via fares/fees — a clear near‑term earnings headwind. Airlines brace for fuel shock as UBS sees revenue recovery as key earnings driver
- Negative Sentiment: Operational disruption risk: CEO Ed Bastian publicly criticized Congress over TSA staffing shortages tied to the partial shutdown — longer security lines and delays could dent near‑term revenue and raise costs. Delta CEO Ed Bastian blasts Congress
- Negative Sentiment: Mixed/softer analyst outlooks and target trims: several shops (Raymond James, TD Cowen moves, a Bank of America pessimistic note) have trimmed targets or flagged downside, and there are reports of insider selling — putting pressure on sentiment ahead of earnings. Delta Air Lines Price Target Actions
About Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines is a major U.S.-based global airline that provides scheduled passenger and cargo air transportation, aircraft maintenance and repair services, and related travel products. Its operations include mainline domestic and international passenger services, a branded regional network operating under the Delta Connection name, dedicated air cargo carriage, and in-house maintenance, repair and overhaul through Delta TechOps. Delta offers a range of cabin products for different customer segments, including premium business-class service on long-haul routes and tiered economy offerings on domestic and international flights, and it markets customer loyalty benefits through the SkyMiles frequent-flyer program.
The carrier operates a mixed fleet of narrow- and wide-body aircraft from multiple U.S.
Further Reading
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