United Airlines Reports Q4 Earnings Beat Despite Challenges
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: 27 Jan 26
Source: MarketWatch
United Airlines' stock fell 3.03% and hit a 20-day low amid broader market gains, with the Nasdaq-100 up 0.91% and the S&P 500 up 0.45%.
The company reported a Q4 2025 earnings beat, achieving profitability despite a $250 million pretax headwind. This performance reflects effective cost management strategies and may enhance United's competitive positioning in the aviation sector, potentially attracting more customers and boosting investor confidence.
This earnings performance signals a positive outlook for United Airlines, suggesting that the company is well-positioned for future growth and may continue to invest in expansion and service quality improvements.
Analyst Views on UAL
Wall Street analysts forecast UAL stock price to rise over the next 12 months. According to Wall Street analysts, the average 1-year price target for UAL is 139.07 USD with a low forecast of 115.00 USD and a high forecast of 156.00 USD. However, analyst price targets are subjective and often lag stock prices, so investors should focus on the objective reasons behind analyst rating changes, which better reflect the company's fundamentals.
16 Analyst Rating
15 Buy
1 Hold
0 Sell
Strong Buy
Current: 104.910
Low
115.00
Averages
139.07
High
156.00
Current: 104.910
Low
115.00
Averages
139.07
High
156.00
About UAL
United Airlines Holdings, Inc. is a holding company. The Company transports people and cargo throughout North America and to destinations in Asia, Europe, Africa, the Pacific, the Middle East and Latin America. The Company, through United Airlines, Inc., and its regional carriers, operates across six continents, with hubs at Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD), Denver International Airport (DEN), George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH), Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR), San Francisco International Airport (SFO), Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) and A.B. Won Pat International Airport (GUM). Its hub and spoke system allow it to transport passengers between a large number of destinations with frequent services. The Company has contractual relationships with various regional carriers to provide regional aircraft service branded as United Express. It provides freight and mail transportation services (Air Cargo).
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
