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

United Airlines (NASDAQ:UAL) updated its FY 2026 earnings guidance on Wednesday morning. The company provided earnings per share guidance of 9.000-11.000 for the period, compared to the consensus earnings per share estimate of 9.960. The company issued revenue guidance of -.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several research analysts have recently commented on UAL shares. UBS Group increased their price target on shares of United Airlines from $148.00 to $153.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Tuesday, June 23rd. The Goldman Sachs Group upped their price objective on shares of United Airlines from $131.00 to $162.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday, July 2nd. Jefferies Financial Group lowered their target price on shares of United Airlines from $118.00 to $112.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, April 27th. Citigroup raised their target price on United Airlines from $132.00 to $171.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Monday, June 22nd. Finally, Susquehanna boosted their price target on United Airlines from $135.00 to $172.00 and gave the stock a “positive” rating in a research report on Tuesday, July 7th. Sixteen investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have given a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $151.62.

United Airlines Stock Performance

NASDAQ UAL traded up $0.62 during midday trading on Wednesday, hitting $120.97. The company had a trading volume of 5,537,293 shares, compared to its average volume of 6,586,213. The firm has a fifty day simple moving average of $113.50 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $106.52. United Airlines has a fifty-two week low of $82.42 and a fifty-two week high of $138.77. The company has a quick ratio of 0.64, a current ratio of 0.70 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.38. The stock has a market cap of $39.26 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 10.80, a P/E/G ratio of 0.89 and a beta of 1.25.

United Airlines (NASDAQ:UAL) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, July 15th. The transportation company reported $1.99 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.89 by $0.10. United Airlines had a net margin of 6.06% and a return on equity of 24.33%. The business had revenue of $17.67 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $17.62 billion. United Airlines has set its FY 2026 guidance at 9.000-11.000 EPS. Equities analysts forecast that United Airlines will post 10.5 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insider Buying and Selling at United Airlines

In other news, EVP Kate Gebo sold 34,669 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, May 26th. The stock was sold at an average price of $105.41, for a total transaction of $3,654,459.29. Following the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 67,707 shares in the company, valued at approximately $7,136,994.87. The trade was a 33.86% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, EVP Andrew P. Nocella sold 7,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Friday, May 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $90.19, for a total value of $631,330.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president owned 215,345 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $19,421,965.55. The trade was a 3.15% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Insiders sold a total of 96,381 shares of company stock valued at $10,837,575 in the last quarter. Corporate insiders own 0.86% of the company’s stock.

United Airlines News Roundup

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

• Positive Sentiment: Morgan Stanley highlighted United Airlines as one of its top stock picks into earnings, citing expectations for strong quarterly results and potential outperformance. Morgan Stanley picks United Airlines stock
• Positive Sentiment: Wall Street analysts’ average price target still implies meaningful upside for UAL, reinforcing the view that the shares may have room to run if earnings and guidance meet expectations. Analyst upside for United Airlines
• Positive Sentiment: United’s new Economy Plus and premium seating features on its Airbus A321XLR aircraft may help it boost ancillary revenue and strengthen its premium-brand positioning. United seat innovation article
• Neutral Sentiment: Investors are waiting for United’s Q2 earnings after the close, with UBS saying the market is looking for EPS of about $1.85 to $1.90, well above United’s own $1 to $2 guidance range. United Airlines Q2 preview
• Neutral Sentiment: Broader market futures are higher and investors are generally upbeat on earnings season, which may be providing a modest tailwind to airline shares including UAL. Market rally and futures article
• Negative Sentiment: Fuel costs remain the biggest near-term risk heading into the report, and higher oil prices could pressure margins if United cannot offset them with fare strength or cost control. Fuel cost concern for United Airlines

Institutional Investors Weigh In On United Airlines

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the business. State Street Corp increased its stake in United Airlines by 0.5% in the fourth 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 fourth quarter. Par Capital Management Inc. now owns 4,894,850 shares of the transportation company’s stock worth $547,342,000 after purchasing an additional 75,000 shares during the period. AQR Capital Management LLC boosted its holdings in United Airlines by 56.8% during the fourth 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 in the last quarter. Boston Partners boosted its holdings in United Airlines by 4.5% during the third 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 in the last quarter. Finally, Ameriprise Financial Inc. grew 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. Institutional investors own 69.69% of the company’s stock.

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.