Delta Air Lines Reports Q4 Earnings Beat, 2026 Guidance Below Consensus
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Jan 13 2026
0mins
Should l Buy DAL?
Source: Benzinga
- Earnings Beat: Delta Air Lines reported adjusted earnings of $1.55 per share for Q4, slightly exceeding the consensus estimate of $1.53, indicating strong revenue performance despite guidance falling short of investor expectations.
- 2026 Guidance: The company guided for earnings between $6.50 and $7.50 per share for 2026, with the midpoint of $6.50 below the consensus of $7.28, yet representing a 20% growth ahead of its 3-5 year target of 10% average growth.
- Q1 Outlook: Delta expects Q1 2026 earnings between $0.50 and $0.90 per share, with the midpoint aligning closely with the consensus of $0.72, indicating a stable short-term earnings outlook.
- Stock Reaction: At the time of publication, Delta's shares declined by 2.82% to $69.01, reflecting market caution regarding its future guidance, which may impact investor confidence.
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Analyst Views on DAL
Wall Street analysts forecast DAL stock price to rise over the next 12 months. According to Wall Street analysts, the average 1-year price target for DAL is 81.36 USD with a low forecast of 69.00 USD and a high forecast of 90.00 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
16 Buy
0 Hold
0 Sell
Strong Buy
Current: 75.350
Low
69.00
Averages
81.36
High
90.00
Current: 75.350
Low
69.00
Averages
81.36
High
90.00
About DAL
Delta Air Lines, Inc. provides scheduled air transportation for passengers and cargo throughout the United States and around the world. The Company has hubs and markets in Amsterdam, Atlanta, Bogota, Boston, Detroit, Lima, London-Heathrow, Los Angeles, Mexico City, Minneapolis-St. Paul, New York-JFK and LaGuardia, Paris-Charles de Gaulle, Salt Lake City, Santiago (Chile), Sao Paulo, Seattle, Seoul-Incheon, and Tokyo. Its segments include Airline and Refinery. Its airline segment is managed as a single business unit that provides scheduled air transportation for passengers and cargo throughout the United States and around the world and includes its loyalty program, as well as other ancillary businesses. Its refinery segment operates for the benefit of the airline segment by providing jet fuel to the airline segment from its own production and through jet fuel obtained through agreements with third parties. The refinery's production consists of jet fuel as well as non-jet fuel products.
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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