Delta Air Lines (NYSE:DAL) Stock Price Target Lowered at Susquehanna

Key Points

• Susquehanna lowered Delta’s price target from $105 to $100 but maintained a positive rating, implying approximately 19.6% upside. The analyst consensus remains “Moderate Buy,” with an average target of $98.93.
• Delta exceeded quarterly expectations, reporting $1.56 in EPS versus a $1.49 estimate and $17.67 billion in revenue versus $17.43 billion expected. Revenue increased 18.7% year over year.
• Delta insiders sold about $33.1 million of stock over the past 90 days, including substantial sales by the CEO and an executive vice president, while institutional investors own nearly 70% of the company.

Delta Air Lines (NYSE:DAL - Get Free Report) had its price target cut by research analysts at Susquehanna from $105.00 to $100.00 in a report released on Wednesday, Benzinga reports. The firm presently has a "positive" rating on the transportation company's stock. Susquehanna's price objective points to a potential upside of 19.59% from the company's current price.

A number of other research firms have also weighed in on DAL. Wells Fargo & Company lowered their target price on Delta Air Lines from $105.00 to $100.00 and set an "overweight" rating for the company in a report on Tuesday. Benchmark reaffirmed a "buy" rating on shares of Delta Air Lines in a research report on Wednesday, July 8th. UBS Group reiterated a "buy" rating on shares of Delta Air Lines in a research note on Tuesday. Argus set a $105.00 target price on shares of Delta Air Lines in a report on Tuesday, July 14th. Finally, Bank of America boosted their target price on shares of Delta Air Lines from $93.00 to $100.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a report on Wednesday, July 1st. Twenty-three research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, one has assigned a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $98.93.

Delta Air Lines Trading Up 0.6%

NYSE DAL opened at $83.62 on Wednesday. Delta Air Lines has a one year low of $55.03 and a one year high of $95.68. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.48, a quick ratio of 0.35 and a current ratio of 0.42. The company has a market capitalization of $54.99 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 13.87, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.20 and a beta of 1.34. The company's 50-day simple moving average is $83.81 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $79.57.

Delta Air Lines (NYSE:DAL - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, July 9th. The transportation company reported $1.56 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.49 by $0.07. The firm had revenue of $17.67 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $17.43 billion. Delta Air Lines had a net margin of 5.79% and a return on equity of 17.52%. The company's revenue was up 18.7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $2.10 EPS. Equities analysts forecast that Delta Air Lines will post 5.93 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Delta Air Lines news, EVP Alain Bellemare sold 35,000 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction on Tuesday, August 4th. The shares were sold at an average price of $92.72, for a total value of $3,245,200.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president owned 95,025 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $8,810,718. This trade represents a 26.92% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, CEO Edward H. Bastian sold 206,510 shares of Delta Air Lines stock in a transaction on Tuesday, August 4th. The stock was sold at an average price of $92.80, for a total transaction of $19,164,128.00. Following the sale, the chief executive officer owned 1,363,448 shares of the company's stock, valued at $126,527,974.40. The trade was a 13.15% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Insiders sold 356,726 shares of company stock worth $33,081,037 over the last ninety days. Company insiders own 0.80% of the company's stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Delta Air Lines

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Bank of New York Mellon Corp acquired a new stake in Delta Air Lines during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $1,182,646,000. Pacer Advisors Inc. grew its position in shares of Delta Air Lines by 1,579.2% during the fourth quarter. Pacer Advisors Inc. now owns 2,673,400 shares of the transportation company's stock worth $185,534,000 after buying an additional 2,514,193 shares in the last quarter. Great Lakes Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Delta Air Lines during the second quarter worth approximately $160,265,000. Allianz Asset Management GmbH raised its holdings in Delta Air Lines by 55.0% in the fourth quarter. Allianz Asset Management GmbH now owns 4,327,719 shares of the transportation company's stock valued at $300,344,000 after acquiring an additional 1,536,138 shares in the last quarter. Finally, River Road Asset Management LLC lifted its stake in Delta Air Lines by 339.5% in the fourth quarter. River Road Asset Management LLC now owns 1,288,956 shares of the transportation company's stock worth $89,454,000 after acquiring an additional 995,685 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 69.93% of the company's stock.

Trending Headlines about Delta Air Lines

Here are the key news stories impacting Delta Air Lines this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Analysts expect third-quarter revenue of roughly $17.6 billion and earnings per share near $1.90, while some forecasts suggest that lower fuel prices could support profitability. UBS maintains a Buy rating and a $105 price target. Delta Air Lines earnings expectations
• Positive Sentiment: Retail investors have increased their interest in DAL ahead of earnings, with the stock reported to be up about 21% over the referenced period. Strong leisure demand and expected revenue growth are supporting the bullish case. Retail investor interest in Delta
• Positive Sentiment: Delta plans to add twice-daily nonstop service between Salt Lake City and Flagstaff in 2027, expanding access to tourism destinations including Sedona and the Grand Canyon. Delta adds Salt Lake City-Flagstaff service
• Neutral Sentiment: Options markets imply a sizable post-earnings move of approximately 6.4%, reflecting elevated uncertainty rather than a clear directional signal. Delta options signal expected move
• Neutral Sentiment: Delta CEO Ed Bastian said the Iran war is increasing costs for customers, highlighting the potential for higher fares but also the risk of weaker consumer demand. Delta CEO discusses Iran war impact
• Negative Sentiment: Fuel costs are reported to be about 40% higher year over year, while refinery-related expenses and other operating costs could pressure margins despite healthy demand. Delta fuel cost pressures
• Negative Sentiment: UBS says Delta faces a high bar for fourth-quarter revenue guidance, and investors may react negatively if management cuts earnings expectations without providing stronger sales growth. Bank of America also trimmed its price target. UBS Delta earnings outlook

Delta Air Lines Company Profile

Delta Air Lines, Inc is a major U.S. airline that provides scheduled passenger and air freight transportation. The company serves destinations throughout the United States and connects customers to international markets across Europe, Asia, Latin America, Canada, Africa and the Caribbean through its own operations and regional airline partners.

Delta offers multiple classes of passenger service, including premium cabins and its main cabin, along with travel-related products such as vacation packages and loyalty benefits through the SkyMiles program.

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