Vanguard Group Inc. Raises Holdings in United Airlines Holdings Inc $UAL

Key Points

• Vanguard slightly raised its stake in United Airlines by 0.1%, now owning 37,379,569 shares—about 11.55% of the company valued at roughly $4.18 billion.
• United beat Q1 expectations with $1.19 EPS (vs. $1.08 est.) and $14.61B revenue, set FY2026 guidance of 7.00–11.00 EPS, and maintains a consensus analyst rating of "Buy" with a ~$132.18 price target.
• United's reported approach to merge with American was rebuffed; CEO Scott Kirby's explanation calmed some rumors, but the episode increases short‑term headline risk and highlights significant regulatory M&A hurdles.

Vanguard Group Inc. increased its stake in shares of United Airlines Holdings Inc (NASDAQ:UAL - Free Report) by 0.1% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 37,379,569 shares of the transportation company's stock after acquiring an additional 55,210 shares during the period. Vanguard Group Inc. owned about 11.55% of United Airlines worth $4,179,783,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. JPL Wealth Management LLC acquired a new stake in United Airlines during the third quarter worth about $29,000. BOCHK Asset Management Ltd acquired a new stake in United Airlines during the fourth quarter worth about $34,000. Financial Consulate Inc. acquired a new position in United Airlines in the 3rd quarter worth about $29,000. JFS Wealth Advisors LLC raised its holdings in United Airlines by 51.4% in the 4th quarter. JFS Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 318 shares of the transportation company's stock worth $36,000 after purchasing an additional 108 shares during the period. Finally, Newbridge Financial Services Group Inc. raised its holdings in United Airlines by 1,304.3% in the 4th quarter. Newbridge Financial Services Group Inc. now owns 323 shares of the transportation company's stock worth $36,000 after purchasing an additional 300 shares during the period. 69.69% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

United Airlines Price Performance

NASDAQ:UAL opened at $91.90 on Tuesday. The company has a current ratio of 0.70, a quick ratio of 0.64 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.38. The stock has a 50 day moving average of $96.98 and a two-hundred day moving average of $102.33. The firm has a market cap of $29.83 billion, a P/E ratio of 8.21, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.76 and a beta of 1.28. United Airlines Holdings Inc has a 12 month low of $65.66 and a 12 month high of $119.21.

United Airlines (NASDAQ:UAL - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, April 21st. The transportation company reported $1.19 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $1.08 by $0.11. United Airlines had a return on equity of 24.33% and a net margin of 6.06%.The business had revenue of $14.61 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $14.19 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $0.91 earnings per share. The business's revenue was up 10.5% compared to the same quarter last year. 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, analysts expect that United Airlines Holdings Inc will post 9.88 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

More United Airlines News

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

• Positive Sentiment: CEO & management transparency — Scott Kirby publicly explained why he pursued a combination (growth-first, customer benefits) and then confirmed talks ended, reducing lingering rumor risk and clarifying strategy for investors. Statement from United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby
• Positive Sentiment: Underlying fundamentals remain supportive — recent Q1 beat, healthy margins and a $1.5B buyback program signal financial firepower that investors view as a cushion against short-term headline risk. MarketBeat analysis of United's financial position
• Positive Sentiment: Street commentary is largely constructive — high-profile commentators (e.g., Jim Cramer coverage) downplay long-term damage from the failed approach, which can limit sell pressure. Jim Cramer Doesn’t Believe United Will Face Major Problem
• Neutral Sentiment: Sector/market backdrop — consumer stocks and travel names saw pressure in afternoon trade, which may amplify headlines-driven moves in UAL but isn’t unique to the company. Sector Update: Consumer Stocks Fall Late Afternoon
• Neutral Sentiment: Industry structural issues remain — capacity deployment and high fuel/labor costs are broader headwinds; these factors shape why management seeks scale but don’t change UAL’s near-term fundamentals. Airline Capacity Deployment Slowdown Coverage
• Negative Sentiment: Merger was rebuffed — American Airlines declined to engage; that closes one avenue for rapid scale and removes a potential upside narrative that had been lifting sentiment. WSJ: United Abandons Pursuit of American
• Negative Sentiment: Regulatory and political risk highlighted — combining two of the largest U.S. carriers would face intense antitrust and political scrutiny; the episode underscores that regulatory barriers limit M&A upside. Yahoo Finance: Talks End Without Agreement
• Negative Sentiment: Headline risk and short-term volatility — the publicized approach and rejection create headlines-driven trading and could pressure shares until investors refocus on earnings, buybacks, and travel demand trends. Fox Business: United Drops Merger Pursuit

Insider Buying and Selling

In other United Airlines news, President Brett J. Hart sold 19,000 shares of the company's stock in a transaction on Monday, February 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $106.45, for a total transaction of $2,022,550.00. Following the transaction, the president directly owned 264,638 shares in the company, valued at $28,170,715.10. This represents a 6.70% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. 0.86% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of research firms recently weighed in on UAL. Sanford C. Bernstein reaffirmed an "outperform" rating and issued a $136.00 price target on shares of United Airlines in a report on Tuesday, January 27th. Susquehanna set a $135.00 price target on United Airlines in a report on Thursday. BMO Capital Markets upped their price target on United Airlines from $110.00 to $130.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a report on Thursday, April 23rd. Citigroup reduced their price target on United Airlines from $155.00 to $132.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a report on Friday, March 20th. Finally, Barclays boosted their price objective on United Airlines from $135.00 to $150.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a research note on Monday, January 12th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, fifteen have assigned a Buy rating and one has given a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of "Buy" and a consensus price target of $132.18.

United Airlines 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.

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