American Airlines Profits Lag Behind Rivals Significantly
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Feb 07 2026
0mins
Source: Newsfilter
- Profit Comparison: American Airlines reported only $111 million in profit last year, significantly trailing Delta Air Lines' $5 billion and United Airlines' over $3.3 billion, indicating a lack of competitiveness that may impact investor confidence.
- Leadership Scrutiny: The airline's poor performance has led pilot and flight attendant unions to question CEO Robert Isom's leadership, arguing that the company has failed to define an effective strategy to correct its course, resulting in employee disappointment about the future.
- Transformation Challenges: American Airlines is attempting to boost revenue through premium product offerings, despite sluggish growth in economy cabin revenue; Isom stated that by 2026, half of the company's revenue is expected to come from
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Analyst Views on UAL
Wall Street analysts forecast UAL stock price to rise
16 Analyst Rating
15 Buy
1 Hold
0 Sell
Strong Buy
Current: 95.080
Low
115.00
Averages
139.07
High
156.00
Current: 95.080
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.
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- Surge in Fuel Costs: Since the U.S. and Israel's attack on Iran on February 28, jet fuel prices have skyrocketed by 80%, becoming the second-largest expense for airlines after labor, which is forcing carriers to adjust their pricing strategies.
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See More
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See More
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