Quantbot Technologies LP Purchases New Stake in Alaska Air Group, Inc. $ALK

Key Points

• Quantbot Technologies acquired 54,023 Alaska Air Group shares worth approximately $2.82 million in the second quarter. Institutional investors collectively own 81.9% of ALK.
• CEO Benito Minicucci purchased 25,000 shares for about $1 million, increasing his direct stake by 10.8%, while an executive vice president sold 5,300 shares.
• Analyst sentiment remains a “Moderate Buy,” with a consensus price target of $65.65, but Alaska Air reported a $0.92 quarterly loss per share and is expected to post a full-year loss.

Quantbot Technologies LP acquired a new position in shares of Alaska Air Group, Inc. (NYSE:ALK - Free Report) during the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor acquired 54,023 shares of the transportation company's stock, valued at approximately $2,820,000.

Several other large investors have also recently bought and sold shares of ALK. Atlas Capital Advisors Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Alaska Air Group during the 4th quarter worth $26,000. First Command Advisory Services Inc. lifted its stake in shares of Alaska Air Group by 242.5% in the fourth quarter. First Command Advisory Services Inc. now owns 685 shares of the transportation company's stock valued at $34,000 after purchasing an additional 485 shares during the period. Compound Global Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Alaska Air Group in the second quarter valued at about $39,000. Cedar Mountain Advisors LLC boosted its holdings in Alaska Air Group by 963.3% during the second quarter. Cedar Mountain Advisors LLC now owns 840 shares of the transportation company's stock worth $44,000 after buying an additional 761 shares in the last quarter. Finally, SBI Securities Co. Ltd. boosted its holdings in Alaska Air Group by 30.4% during the fourth quarter. SBI Securities Co. Ltd. now owns 910 shares of the transportation company's stock worth $46,000 after buying an additional 212 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 81.90% of the company's stock.

Insider Activity at Alaska Air Group

In related news, EVP Andrew R. Harrison sold 5,300 shares of Alaska Air Group stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, August 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $49.67, for a total transaction of $263,251.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 25,528 shares in the company, valued at $1,267,975.76. The trade was a 17.19% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, CEO Benito Minicucci bought 25,000 shares of Alaska Air Group stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, August 20th. The stock was bought at an average cost of $40.06 per share, for a total transaction of $1,001,500.00. Following the purchase, the chief executive officer owned 256,582 shares in the company, valued at $10,278,674.92. This represents a 10.80% increase in their position. Additional details regarding this purchase are available in the official SEC disclosure. 1.00% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several brokerages have weighed in on ALK. Citigroup lowered their target price on shares of Alaska Air Group from $47.00 to $37.00 and set a "sell" rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, July 24th. Weiss Ratings downgraded shares of Alaska Air Group from a "sell (d+)" rating to a "sell (d)" rating in a research report on Tuesday, August 18th. BMO Capital Markets boosted their price target on Alaska Air Group from $55.00 to $62.50 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a research note on Thursday, July 2nd. Bank of America upped their price target on Alaska Air Group from $60.00 to $65.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a report on Wednesday, July 1st. Finally, TD Cowen reaffirmed a "buy" rating and issued a $59.00 price objective (up from $51.00) on shares of Alaska Air Group in a research note on Thursday, July 2nd. Eleven investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, one has given a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $65.65.

Key Alaska Air Group News

Here are the key news stories impacting Alaska Air Group this week:

• Positive Sentiment: CEO Benito Minicucci purchased 25,000 Alaska Air shares at an average price of $40.06, investing approximately $1 million and increasing his direct ownership by 10.8%. The sizable open-market purchase may support investor confidence that management views the selloff as an attractive entry point. Alaska Air CEO share purchase article
• Positive Sentiment: Alaska Airlines plans to add nonstop Seattle flights to Athens and Paris in 2027. The new routes expand its long-haul network and could create additional revenue opportunities while strengthening Seattle as a global gateway. Alaska Airlines Athens and Paris routes article
• Neutral Sentiment: The stock has declined about 28% over the referenced period and was down 7.1% since its latest earnings report, keeping valuation and management’s insider purchase in focus. The decline also reflects continued concerns about the airline’s earnings outlook.
• Negative Sentiment: Alaska Air’s latest quarterly results showed a loss of $0.92 per share, although that was better than the $0.99 consensus estimate. Revenue increased 9.7% year over year to $4.07 billion but slightly missed expectations, and the company remained unprofitable. Analysts expect a full-year loss, indicating that the new international routes may take time to contribute meaningfully.

Alaska Air Group Price Performance

Alaska Air Group stock opened at $40.46 on Monday. Alaska Air Group, Inc. has a 52 week low of $33.03 and a 52 week high of $65.88. The company has a quick ratio of 0.51, a current ratio of 0.55 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.58. The firm's 50-day simple moving average is $48.09 and its 200 day simple moving average is $45.36. The firm has a market capitalization of $4.51 billion, a PE ratio of -25.77 and a beta of 1.29.

Alaska Air Group (NYSE:ALK - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, July 21st. The transportation company reported ($0.92) EPS for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of ($0.99) by $0.07. The firm had revenue of $4.07 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $4.09 billion. Alaska Air Group had a negative net margin of 1.19% and a negative return on equity of 3.11%. The firm's revenue was up 9.7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the company earned $1.42 EPS. Alaska Air Group has set its Q3 2026 guidance at 0.000-1.000 EPS. On average, equities research analysts predict that Alaska Air Group, Inc. will post -1.22 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Alaska Air Group Profile

Alaska Air Group is a publicly traded holding company headquartered in Seattle, Washington, that operates two main airlines—Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air. Through these carriers, the company offers scheduled passenger and cargo services across a network spanning the United States, Canada and Mexico. Its core business activities include domestic and international air transportation, loyalty program management under the Mileage Plan brand, and ancillary revenue streams such as baggage fees, in-flight sales and code-share partnerships with other global airlines.

The roots of Alaska Air Group trace back to the foundation of its flagship carrier, Alaska Airlines, in 1932.

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