United Airlines (NASDAQ:UAL) Downgraded to Hold Rating by TD Cowen

Key Points

• TD Cowen downgraded United Airlines from "strong-buy" to "hold," but the stock still carries a consensus "Moderate Buy" from analysts with a consensus price target of $135.14 (15 Buys, 3 Holds).
• Q4 results beat estimates — United reported $3.10 EPS vs. $2.97 expected and $15.4B revenue, and issued guidance of Q1 2026 EPS 1.00–1.50 and FY2026 EPS 12.00–14.00 (analysts model ~12.96 EPS).
• Shares opened at $91.10 and were down about 3.6% amid concerns that the Iran/Middle East conflict and rising jet fuel costs could pressure near-term margins; President Brett J. Hart disclosed selling 19,000 shares recently.

United Airlines (NASDAQ:UAL - Get Free Report) was downgraded by equities research analysts at TD Cowen from a "strong-buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research report issued on Tuesday,Zacks.com reports.

Several other analysts have also commented on the company. Wall Street Zen raised United Airlines from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a report on Saturday, February 14th. Rothschild & Co Redburn dropped their target price on United Airlines from $125.00 to $110.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, March 5th. The Goldman Sachs Group upped their price target on shares of United Airlines from $115.00 to $129.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research report on Tuesday, January 13th. UBS Group increased their price objective on shares of United Airlines from $145.00 to $147.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research note on Thursday, January 22nd. Finally, BMO Capital Markets restated an "outperform" rating and set a $132.50 target price on shares of United Airlines in a research report on Thursday, January 22nd. Fifteen equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and three have given a Hold rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $135.14.

United Airlines Stock Down 3.6%

Shares of United Airlines stock opened at $91.10 on Tuesday. United Airlines has a twelve month low of $52.00 and a twelve month high of $119.21. The company has a quick ratio of 0.59, a current ratio of 0.65 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.35. The company's 50 day moving average is $109.51 and its 200 day moving average is $104.66. The company has a market cap of $29.46 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 8.91, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.50 and a beta of 1.25.

United Airlines (NASDAQ:UAL - Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Tuesday, January 20th. The transportation company reported $3.10 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $2.97 by $0.13. The business had revenue of $15.40 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $15.35 billion. United Airlines had a net margin of 5.68% and a return on equity of 25.13%. The firm's revenue was up 4.8% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $3.26 EPS. United Airlines has set its Q1 2026 guidance at 1.000-1.500 EPS and its FY 2026 guidance at 12.000-14.000 EPS. Research analysts anticipate that United Airlines will post 12.96 EPS for the current year.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other news, President Brett J. Hart sold 19,000 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction dated Monday, February 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $106.45, for a total value of $2,022,550.00. Following the transaction, the president owned 264,638 shares of the company's stock, valued at $28,170,715.10. This trade represents a 6.70% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. 0.63% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Legacy Wealth Managment LLC ID bought a new stake in United Airlines during the 4th quarter worth approximately $25,000. Financial Consulate Inc. bought a new position in shares of United Airlines in the third quarter worth approximately $29,000. JPL Wealth Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of United Airlines in the third quarter worth $29,000. Abich Financial Wealth Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of United Airlines during the 3rd quarter valued at $34,000. Finally, BOCHK Asset Management Ltd bought a new stake in shares of United Airlines during the 4th quarter valued at $34,000. 69.69% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Key United Airlines News

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

• Positive Sentiment: TD Cowen kept a Buy rating on UAL while trimming its price target to $128, signaling continued analyst conviction in medium-term upside despite recent volatility. TD Cowen price target cut to $128
• Positive Sentiment: Coverage pieces list UAL among undervalued large-cap airlines, supporting the narrative that current weakness could present a buying opportunity for value-oriented investors. Five undervalued large-cap airline carriers
• Neutral Sentiment: Market whales/options activity: large institutional/options flows have been notable in UAL — this can signal either directional conviction (bullish or bearish) depending on the mix of calls vs. puts and expiries, so watch expirations and strike concentrations for short-term volatility clues. Market Whales and Their Recent Bets on UAL Options
• Neutral Sentiment: Valuation check after volatility: analysts and commentators are re-evaluating UAL’s valuation amid wider sector declines — could justify buying on weakness or further trimming depending on fuel/demand outlook. United Airlines Valuation Check
• Neutral Sentiment: Schaeffers/awards-season mention: stock commentary noted UAL in a broader thematic review — useful for idea inflows but not an immediate price mover. Awards Season: Which Stocks Take Home Hardware?
• Negative Sentiment: Geopolitical shock: multiple articles link UAL’s drop to the Iran/Middle East conflict — jet fuel (Argus index) and refined-product crack spreads have spiked, raising operating cost risk and weakening leisure demand. Is the Airline Stock Dip After the Iran Attacks Justified?
• Negative Sentiment: Near-term margin and demand concerns: coverage highlights a “fuel shock” test to margins and lower travel demand expectations, cited as the immediate driver of earlier intra-day plunges. United Airlines Faces Fuel Shock
• Negative Sentiment: Headline-driven selling: news pieces explaining why UAL shares fell point to elevated short-term risk from macro/geopolitical headlines and high short-term volatility — expect continued sensitivity to fuel prices, route disruptions, and demand indicators. Why UAL Shares Are Plunging Today

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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