United Airlines (NASDAQ:UAL) Price Target Raised to $130.00

Key Points

• BMO Capital Markets raised its price target to $130, implying about a 42% upside, and the Street consensus target is roughly $133.59 with the majority of analysts rating UAL a Buy.
• United beat Q1 estimates (EPS $1.19 vs. $1.08; revenue $14.61B, +10.5% y/y) but cut FY2026 guidance to $7–11 and warned of a jet‑fuel surge, planned capacity cuts and possible 15–20% fare increases, creating near‑term margin risk.
• Shares trade around $91.56 with a PE of 8.18 and a market cap near $29.7B, leaving current valuation well below analyst targets despite the operational headwinds.

United Airlines (NASDAQ:UAL - Get Free Report) had its target price lifted by equities research analysts at BMO Capital Markets from $110.00 to $130.00 in a report issued on Thursday,Benzinga reports. The firm currently has an "outperform" rating on the transportation company's stock. BMO Capital Markets' price objective suggests a potential upside of 41.98% from the company's current price.

A number of other equities analysts have also issued reports on the stock. UBS Group boosted their target price on shares of United Airlines from $134.00 to $135.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research report on Monday, March 23rd. Sanford C. Bernstein restated an "outperform" rating and issued a $136.00 price target on shares of United Airlines in a research report on Tuesday, January 27th. Argus cut their price objective on shares of United Airlines from $140.00 to $135.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, January 22nd. Susquehanna lifted their target price on United Airlines from $117.00 to $150.00 and gave the stock a "positive" rating in a research report on Friday, January 9th. Finally, Rothschild & Co Redburn lowered their price target on United Airlines from $125.00 to $110.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, March 5th. One 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's stock. According to MarketBeat, United Airlines has a consensus rating of "Buy" and a consensus target price of $133.59.

United Airlines Price Performance

NASDAQ UAL opened at $91.56 on Thursday. The stock has a 50-day simple moving average of $98.02 and a 200 day simple moving average of $102.43. United Airlines has a twelve month low of $65.66 and a twelve month high of $119.21. The stock has a market capitalization of $29.73 billion, a PE ratio of 8.18, a P/E/G ratio of 0.81 and a beta of 1.28. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.35, a quick ratio of 0.59 and a current ratio of 0.65.

United Airlines (NASDAQ:UAL - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, April 21st. The transportation company reported $1.19 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.08 by $0.11. United Airlines had a return on equity of 24.99% and a net margin of 6.06%.The company had revenue of $14.61 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $14.19 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the business posted $0.91 EPS. The company's revenue for the quarter was up 10.5% on a year-over-year basis. 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. Research analysts anticipate that United Airlines will post 7.95 EPS for the current year.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other United Airlines news, President Brett J. Hart sold 19,000 shares of the 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 completion of 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 legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. 0.86% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On United Airlines

Hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Apollon Wealth Management LLC lifted its holdings in United Airlines by 19.3% during the 1st quarter. Apollon Wealth Management LLC now owns 6,597 shares of the transportation company's stock valued at $607,000 after purchasing an additional 1,069 shares during the last quarter. Patton Fund Management Inc. increased its holdings in shares of United Airlines by 11.0% during the first quarter. Patton Fund Management Inc. now owns 2,395 shares of the transportation company's stock worth $221,000 after buying an additional 238 shares in the last quarter. Janney Montgomery Scott LLC raised its stake in shares of United Airlines by 13.6% in the first quarter. Janney Montgomery Scott LLC now owns 19,949 shares of the transportation company's stock valued at $1,837,000 after acquiring an additional 2,394 shares during the last quarter. Louisiana State Employees Retirement System acquired a new position in shares of United Airlines in the 1st quarter worth approximately $1,519,000. Finally, Blue Trust Inc. grew its position in United Airlines by 98.2% during the 1st quarter. Blue Trust Inc. now owns 787 shares of the transportation company's stock worth $72,000 after acquiring an additional 390 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 69.69% of the company's stock.

More United Airlines News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Q1 beat: UAL reported stronger‑than‑expected Q1 revenue and EPS, with revenue up ~10% y/y and improved margins — a reminder of resilient premium demand that supports near‑term cash generation. United Airlines Q1 Earnings & Revenues Surpass Estimates
• Positive Sentiment: Operational strength: Management highlighted on‑time performance and initiatives to boost premium revenue and loyalty, which underpin pricing power and long‑term strategy. United's Long‑Term Strategy Remains Focused on Winning Brand‑Loyal Customers
• Neutral Sentiment: Merger chatter cooled: CEO Scott Kirby downplayed merger talks with American; the White House also signaled skepticism — removes a potential strategic catalyst (but avoids regulatory distraction). United Airlines CEO plays down merger talk
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst backdrop: Street price targets remain well above current levels (median ~$130), indicating continued buy‑side conviction despite near‑term headwinds. Quiver Quant Q1 recap and analyst targets
• Negative Sentiment: Guidance cut: UAL reduced FY‑2026 EPS guidance to $7–11 (from $12–14 earlier) and set Q2 EPS well below consensus, a primary driver of the share decline as it signals meaningful margin pressure. United Airlines slashes 2026 forecast as fuel costs surge
• Negative Sentiment: Fuel shock and capacity cuts: Management cited a surge in jet‑fuel costs (fuel costs more than doubled for some routes) and plans to cut ~5 points of planned capacity for the year — both reduce near‑term profit visibility. United Airlines sees weak Q2, full‑year profit as fuel shock squeezes margins
• Negative Sentiment: Price risk to demand: CEO said fares may need to rise up to 15–20% to offset fuel — that could pressure volumes if consumers push back or if competitors adjust differently. United says fares may need to rise up to 20%
• Negative Sentiment: Industry contagion: Peers (e.g., Southwest) are also lowering or withdrawing guidance due to high fuel, underscoring the sector‑wide margin risk that could keep multiple airlines under pressure. Southwest drops guidance as oil rises

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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