United Airlines (NASDAQ:UAL) Releases Q2 2026 Earnings Guidance

United Airlines (NASDAQ:UAL) issued an update on its second quarter 2026 earnings guidance on Tuesday morning. The company provided earnings per share (EPS) guidance of 1.000-2.000 for the period, compared to the consensus estimate of 1.960. The company issued revenue guidance of -. United Airlines also updated its FY 2026 guidance to 7.000-11.000 EPS.

United Airlines Stock Down 5.6%

Shares of United Airlines stock opened at $91.71 on Thursday. The firm’s 50 day moving average price is $98.02 and its 200-day moving average price is $102.43. The company has a quick ratio of 0.59, a current ratio of 0.65 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.35. United Airlines has a 52-week low of $65.66 and a 52-week high of $119.21. The company has a market cap of $29.77 billion, a P/E ratio of 8.19, a PEG ratio of 0.81 and a beta of 1.28.

United Airlines (NASDAQ:UAL) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, April 21st. The transportation company reported $1.19 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.08 by $0.11. The firm had revenue of $14.61 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $14.19 billion. United Airlines had a net margin of 6.06% and a return on equity of 24.99%. The company’s quarterly revenue was up 10.5% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $0.91 EPS. 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. On average, sell-side analysts predict that United Airlines will post 7.95 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

UAL has been the topic of several research analyst reports. Weiss Ratings reissued a “hold (c+)” rating on shares of United Airlines in a research report on Monday. Wall Street Zen downgraded shares of United Airlines from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Saturday, March 14th. Bank of America boosted their target price on shares of United Airlines from $120.00 to $130.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Tuesday, January 6th. Morgan Stanley set a $150.00 target price on shares of United Airlines and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Thursday, January 8th. Finally, TD Cowen raised shares of United Airlines from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday, March 18th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, fifteen have given a Buy rating and one has assigned a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of “Buy” and a consensus target price of $133.74.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other United Airlines news, President Brett J. Hart sold 19,000 shares of United Airlines 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 sale, the president directly owned 264,638 shares in the company, valued at approximately $28,170,715.10. The trade was a 6.70% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. Insiders own 0.86% of the company’s stock.

More United Airlines News

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

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the business. State Street Corp lifted its stake in United Airlines by 0.5% during the 4th quarter. State Street Corp now owns 11,510,200 shares of the transportation company’s stock valued at $1,287,071,000 after acquiring an additional 52,962 shares during the period. Par Capital Management Inc. lifted its stake in United Airlines by 1.6% during the 4th quarter. Par Capital Management Inc. now owns 4,894,850 shares of the transportation company’s stock valued at $547,342,000 after acquiring an additional 75,000 shares during the period. AQR Capital Management LLC lifted its stake in shares of United Airlines by 56.8% in the 4th quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 2,928,657 shares of the transportation company’s stock valued at $325,549,000 after purchasing an additional 1,060,371 shares during the period. Boston Partners lifted its stake in shares of United Airlines by 4.5% in the 3rd quarter. Boston Partners now owns 2,434,975 shares of the transportation company’s stock valued at $234,731,000 after purchasing an additional 105,525 shares during the period. Finally, Ameriprise Financial Inc. lifted its stake in shares of United Airlines by 17.4% in the 3rd quarter. Ameriprise Financial Inc. now owns 1,709,166 shares of the transportation company’s stock valued at $164,934,000 after purchasing an additional 253,033 shares during the period. 69.69% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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.