United Airlines (NASDAQ:UAL) Issues FY 2026 Earnings Guidance

Key Points

• United set FY2026 adjusted EPS guidance of 7.00–11.00 (down from prior $12–$14), with Q2 guidance of 1.00–2.00, citing higher jet fuel and geopolitical impacts; the midpoint sits near the Street consensus of 9.05.
• The company still beat Q1 estimates—EPS of $1.19 vs. $1.15 and revenue of $14.61B vs. $14.19B—but said higher fuel costs (about $340M) and a ~5-point capacity pullback will pressure margins.
• Shares fell about 1.8% to $97.13 after the update; analysts’ average rating remains a “Buy” with a $131.19 target, while insider selling (President Brett J. Hart sold 19,000 shares) and merger rumors add near-term sentiment risk.

United Airlines (NASDAQ:UAL - Get Free Report) updated its FY 2026 earnings guidance on Tuesday. The company provided EPS guidance of 7.000-11.000 for the period, compared to the consensus EPS estimate of 9.050. The company issued revenue guidance of -. United Airlines also updated its Q2 2026 guidance to 1.000-2.000 EPS.

Analyst Ratings Changes

UAL has been the subject of several research analyst reports. Wall Street Zen downgraded shares of United Airlines from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Saturday, March 14th. Bank of America raised their price objective on United Airlines from $120.00 to $130.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a report on Tuesday, January 6th. Rothschild & Co Redburn decreased their target price on United Airlines from $125.00 to $110.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, March 5th. Argus lowered their target price on United Airlines from $140.00 to $135.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a report on Thursday, January 22nd. Finally, Weiss Ratings reissued a "hold (c+)" rating on shares of United Airlines in a research report on Wednesday, January 21st. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, fifteen have assigned a Buy rating and one has assigned a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, United Airlines has an average rating of "Buy" and an average target price of $131.19.

United Airlines Stock Down 1.8%

UAL stock traded down $1.78 during trading on Tuesday, hitting $97.13. 9,740,001 shares of the company's stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 7,194,691. The firm has a market capitalization of $31.53 billion, a P/E ratio of 9.50, a PEG ratio of 0.85 and a beta of 1.28. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $98.85 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $102.50. The company has a quick ratio of 0.59, a current ratio of 0.65 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.35. United Airlines has a 1 year low of $65.26 and a 1 year high of $119.21.

United Airlines (NASDAQ:UAL - Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Tuesday, April 21st. The transportation company reported $1.19 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $1.15 by $0.04. The company had revenue of $14.61 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $14.19 billion. United Airlines had a return on equity of 25.13% and a net margin of 5.68%.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. Sell-side analysts anticipate that United Airlines will post 7.95 EPS for the current year.

Insider Transactions at United Airlines

In other United Airlines news, President Brett J. Hart sold 19,000 shares of the business's stock in a transaction dated Monday, February 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $106.45, for a total value of $2,022,550.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the president directly owned 264,638 shares in the company, valued at approximately $28,170,715.10. The trade was a 6.70% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. 0.86% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Key Stories Impacting United Airlines

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

• Positive Sentiment: Q1 results beat expectations: United reported strong revenue growth, materially higher operating profit and EPS that beat Street estimates, with improved pre‑tax margins and solid cash generation — a clear fundamental beat supporting the stock. United Airlines (UAL) Releases Q1 2026 Earnings: Revenue Growth and Strong EPS Beat
• Positive Sentiment: Management highlights long‑term strategy gains — premium/economy cabin segmentation, MileagePlus enhancements and best‑in‑class on‑time performance — which support margin expansion and higher‑yield customers over time. United's Long-Term Strategy Remains Focused on Winning Brand-Loyal Customers, Boosted by Q1 Growth in Earnings and Margins
• Neutral Sentiment: Capacity pullback planned: United says it will cut about 5 points of planned capacity for the rest of the year (Q3/Q4 expected flat to +2%), a tactical move that can protect margins but may limit revenue upside if demand stays strong. United Tops Views, Plans To Cut Capacity Amid Fuel Price Surge. Alaska Air Earnings Mixed.
• Negative Sentiment: 2026 guidance cut: United trimmed its full‑year adjusted EPS outlook to $7–$11 from $12–$14, citing the impact of higher jet fuel tied to geopolitical developments — a key reason sentiment weakened despite the quarter beat. United Airlines slashes 2026 forecast as fuel costs surge
• Negative Sentiment: Jet fuel hit: Higher fuel costs added roughly $340M in the quarter, forcing tactical adjustments and pressuring margins if prices remain elevated. United Airlines Profit Rises Despite Higher Jet Fuel Costs
• Negative Sentiment: Merger noise and political scrutiny: Talk that United floated a tie‑up with American has been publicly rejected by American and drawn bipartisan questions about antitrust — the episode raises regulatory and reputational uncertainty. American Airlines Has Denied Rumors of a Merger With United. Here Are 2 Others Factors Dragging Down the Stock Right Now.
• Negative Sentiment: Insider selling flagged: Recent open‑market sales by top executives (reported in filings coverage) can be read negatively by some investors, adding to near‑term sentiment pressure. United Airlines (UAL) Releases Q1 2026 Earnings: Revenue Growth and Strong EPS Beat

Hedge Funds Weigh In On United Airlines

Large investors have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Holocene Advisors LP purchased a new position in United Airlines during the 2nd quarter worth $84,753,000. AQR Capital Management LLC boosted its holdings in United Airlines by 56.8% in the fourth quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 2,928,657 shares of the transportation company's stock worth $325,549,000 after acquiring an additional 1,060,371 shares in the last quarter. Nuveen LLC grew its stake in shares of United Airlines by 90.5% during the fourth 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 during the last quarter. Freestone Grove Partners LP increased its holdings in shares of United Airlines by 1,282.2% during the third quarter. Freestone Grove Partners LP now owns 776,783 shares of the transportation company's stock valued at $74,960,000 after acquiring an additional 720,583 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Electron Capital Partners LLC acquired a new position in shares of United Airlines during the third quarter valued at about $56,837,000. 69.69% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

About United Airlines

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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