United Airlines (NASDAQ:UAL) Downgraded by Wall Street Zen to "Hold"

Key Points

• Wall Street Zen downgraded United Airlines to “Hold” from “Buy,” although the broader analyst consensus remains “Moderate Buy” with a consensus price target of $156.79.
• United Airlines reported quarterly EPS of $1.99, beating estimates of $1.88, while revenue rose 16.4% year over year to $17.67 billion. The company provided fiscal 2026 EPS guidance of $9.00–$11.00.
• Shares opened at $121.33, down 1.8%, while insiders have sold approximately 303,010 shares worth $35.6 million over the past three months; institutional investors own 69.69% of the stock.

United Airlines (NASDAQ:UAL - Get Free Report) was downgraded by analysts at Wall Street Zen from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note issued on Saturday.

Other analysts have also issued research reports about the company. Citigroup upped 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. Sanford C. Bernstein raised their price objective on shares of United Airlines from $136.00 to $153.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a research note on Wednesday, July 1st. Weiss Ratings reissued a "hold (c+)" rating on shares of United Airlines in a report on Friday, July 17th. Morgan Stanley raised their price target on shares of United Airlines from $185.00 to $190.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a research note on Thursday, July 16th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group reissued a "buy" rating and set a $155.00 price target on shares of United Airlines in a research note on Sunday, July 19th. Sixteen equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have assigned a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, United Airlines has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $156.79.

United Airlines Stock Down 1.8%

Shares of NASDAQ UAL opened at $121.33 on Friday. The stock has a market capitalization of $39.38 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 11.35, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.91 and a beta of 1.25. United Airlines has a 52 week low of $82.42 and a 52 week high of $138.77. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of $119.39 and a 200 day moving average price of $107.03. The company has a quick ratio of 0.72, a current ratio of 0.78 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.45.

United Airlines (NASDAQ:UAL - Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, July 15th. The transportation company reported $1.99 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.88 by $0.11. United Airlines had a net margin of 5.56% and a return on equity of 19.05%. The company had revenue of $17.67 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $17.62 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $3.87 earnings per share. The firm's revenue for the quarter was up 16.4% compared to the same quarter last year. United Airlines has set its FY 2026 guidance at 9.000-11.000 EPS. Equities research analysts anticipate that United Airlines will post 10.48 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Insider Buying and Selling at United Airlines

In related news, EVP Torbjorn J. Enqvist sold 20,000 shares of the company's stock in a transaction on Friday, July 24th. The shares were sold at an average price of $119.91, for a total transaction of $2,398,200.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 114,800 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $13,765,668. This represents a 14.84% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. The sale was made to cover tax withholding obligations related to the vesting of equity awards. Also, EVP Kate Gebo sold 34,669 shares of the stock in a transaction on Tuesday, May 26th. The shares were sold at an average price of $105.41, for a total value of $3,654,459.29. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president owned 67,707 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $7,136,994.87. This represents a 33.86% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. In the last three months, insiders have sold 303,010 shares of company stock worth $35,552,943. Corporate insiders own 0.86% of the company's stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On United Airlines

Large investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Norges Bank bought a new stake in shares of United Airlines in the fourth quarter worth $234,244,000. Holocene Advisors LP acquired a new stake in United Airlines in the second quarter valued at $84,753,000. AQR Capital Management LLC boosted its stake in United Airlines by 56.8% during 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 acquiring an additional 1,060,371 shares during the last quarter. Nuveen LLC grew its holdings in United Airlines by 90.5% during the 4th quarter. Nuveen LLC now owns 1,528,242 shares of the transportation company's stock worth $170,888,000 after acquiring an additional 726,022 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Freestone Grove Partners LP grew its holdings in United Airlines by 1,282.2% during the 3rd quarter. Freestone Grove Partners LP now owns 776,783 shares of the transportation company's stock worth $74,960,000 after acquiring an additional 720,583 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds 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.

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