Delta and United's Earnings Indicate a Smoother Path Forward
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Jan 23 2026
0mins
Source: Marketbeat
Airline Industry Challenges: Over the past year, airlines have faced elevated operating costs, economic uncertainty, and pilot labor shortages, leading to reduced demand for flights and significant furloughs within the industry.
Delta Airlines Financial Performance: Delta Airlines reported a record free cash flow of $4.6 billion for the full year 2025, exceeding analyst expectations and indicating strong financial health, with earnings per share surpassing forecasts.
United Airlines Growth Outlook: United Airlines shares rose over 4% following the announcement of strong earnings, with expectations for a 12.19% growth in earnings per share for the next year, reflecting confidence in future performance.
American Airlines Earnings Expectations: American Airlines is anticipated to report earnings soon, with analysts predicting a significant growth in earnings per share next year, despite recent financial challenges and a negative earnings forecast.
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Analyst Views on DAL
Wall Street analysts forecast DAL stock price to rise
18 Analyst Rating
18 Buy
0 Hold
0 Sell
Strong Buy
Current: 71.210
Low
77.00
Averages
83.50
High
90.00
Current: 71.210
Low
77.00
Averages
83.50
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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See More
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- Strong Market Demand: Despite robust demand in the U.S. airline industry, Alaska Air faces pressure from high fuel prices; data shows March 2026 air ticket sales reached $10.4 billion, a 12% increase from March 2025, reflecting overall market recovery.
- Lack of Full-Year Guidance: The airline has refrained from providing full-year revenue or profit guidance for 2026, citing limited visibility due to fuel price volatility, which underscores the uncertainty surrounding future earnings.
See More
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- Positive Bank Performance: Bank stocks kicked off earnings season last week, with the State Street SPDR S&P Bank ETF (KBE) gaining over 2% and marking its fifth consecutive winning week, indicating strong market leadership and potentially boosting investor confidence.
- Focus on Defense Stocks: Jay Woods highlighted that the three largest components of the iShares U.S. Aerospace & Defense ETF (ITA)—GE, RTX, and Boeing—are set to report earnings, with ITA climbing over 7% in 2026, on track for its sixth consecutive profitable year, showcasing the strength of the defense sector.
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See More
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- Stanley Black & Decker Surge: Stanley Black & Decker's stock rose over 4% after the company stated that recent changes to Section 232 tariffs would not materially impact its full-year forecast, indicating strong confidence in its financial outlook.
- Fermi Stock Plunge: Shares of energy infrastructure developer Fermi fell more than 22% following the resignation of CFO Miles Everson and the recent departure of CEO Toby Neugebauer, raising concerns about the company's leadership stability and future direction.
- Biogen's Strategic Move: Biogen's stock increased nearly 3% after agreeing to pay $850 million for exclusive rights to sell felzartamab in China, which underscores its strategic expansion in the immune-related disease treatment market.
- Fertilizer Stocks Fluctuate: Fertilizer stocks experienced volatility as CF Industries rose nearly 2% due to ongoing shipping disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, while Dow and LyondellBasell Industries also saw gains of about 4% and 2%, respectively, reflecting market reactions to supply chain challenges.
See More
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- Airlines Decline: Airlines such as American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and United Airlines saw their stocks drop over 2% as investors worry that renewed U.S.-Iran tensions will elevate energy prices, leading to reduced consumer travel.
- Tech Stocks Surge: Shares of Marvell Technology and Broadcom jumped more than 7% following reports of talks with Google to develop new AI chips, although Broadcom's stock fell nearly 1.5% on the news.
- TopBuild Acquisition: TopBuild's stock surged over 17% after QXO announced its acquisition for $17 billion, which is expected to create a higher-margin business and be immediately accretive to earnings.
- AST SpaceMobile Drop: AST SpaceMobile's shares fell 15% after a satellite was launched into the wrong orbit, although the company expects to recover costs through insurance and plans to conduct monthly orbital launches starting in 2026.
See More
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- Merger Talks Rejected: American Airlines issued a statement after market close last Friday, clearly stating it is not engaged in discussions with United Airlines regarding a merger, citing concerns that such a move would negatively impact competition and consumers, thus reflecting its commitment to antitrust principles.
- Stock Price Fluctuation: Following the merger speculation, American Airlines' stock fell nearly 3% in premarket trading, reversing gains made during Friday's market rally, indicating investor apprehension regarding the merger's implications.
- Market Share Impact: Should a merger occur, the combined entity would control approximately 40% of the domestic market share, raising significant concerns about potential monopolistic practices and likely triggering intense regulatory scrutiny.
- Industry Consolidation Outlook: While the Transportation Secretary noted there is room for mergers in the airline industry, he cautioned that any merger among major airlines would necessitate divesting certain assets to prevent adverse effects on pricing and competition in the long run.
See More
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- Dividend Growth Potential: Delta Air Lines has been recognized by Evercore ISI as one of the 10 fastest growing dividend stocks, indicating strong performance in dividend payments that is likely to attract more investor interest.
- Price Target Increase: Evercore ISI raised Delta's price target from $80 to $85 while reiterating an Outperform rating, reflecting optimistic expectations for the company's future performance.
- Sustainability Goal Adjustment: Delta removed its target of using 10% sustainable aviation fuel by 2030 from its sustainability page and rephrased its net-zero emissions goal for 2050 as an “aspiration,” indicating uncertainty in its climate objectives.
- Emission Data: Delta generated approximately 60 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions in 2024, nearly equivalent to the total emissions footprint of Ireland or Hungary, highlighting the challenges the airline industry faces in reducing emissions.
See More
