Delta Air Lines (NYSE:DAL) Releases Q1 2026 Earnings Guidance

Delta Air Lines (NYSE:DAL) issued an update on its first quarter 2026 earnings guidance on Tuesday morning. The company provided earnings per share (EPS) guidance of 0.500-0.900 for the period. The company issued revenue guidance of $14.7 billion-$15.0 billion. Delta Air Lines also updated its FY 2026 guidance to 6.500-7.500 EPS.

Delta Air Lines Stock Performance

NYSE:DAL opened at $69.29 on Wednesday. Delta Air Lines has a 12-month low of $34.74 and a 12-month high of $73.16. The company has a quick ratio of 0.34, a current ratio of 0.40 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.68. The firm has a market capitalization of $45.24 billion, a PE ratio of 9.76, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.15 and a beta of 1.38. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of $66.03 and a 200 day moving average price of $60.48.

Delta Air Lines (NYSE:DAL) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, January 13th. The transportation company reported $1.55 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.53 by $0.02. Delta Air Lines had a return on equity of 23.83% and a net margin of 7.36%.The firm had revenue of $14.61 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $15.80 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $1.85 earnings per share. The business’s revenue was up 2.9% compared to the same quarter last year. Delta Air Lines has set its Q1 2026 guidance at 0.500-0.900 EPS and its FY 2026 guidance at 6.500-7.500 EPS. Research analysts anticipate that Delta Air Lines will post 7.63 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several analysts have commented on the stock. Bank of America upped their target price on shares of Delta Air Lines from $74.00 to $80.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Tuesday, January 6th. BNP Paribas Exane lifted their price objective on shares of Delta Air Lines from $70.00 to $85.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Monday, December 8th. Wells Fargo & Company set a $87.00 target price on shares of Delta Air Lines in a report on Thursday, December 18th. Jefferies Financial Group decreased their price target on shares of Delta Air Lines from $74.00 to $72.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, December 2nd. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group raised their price objective on Delta Air Lines from $68.00 to $77.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 6th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating and twenty-two have assigned a Buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Buy” and an average price target of $77.51.

Insider Buying and Selling at Delta Air Lines

In other Delta Air Lines news, EVP John E. Laughter sold 23,323 shares of the stock in a transaction on Tuesday, October 21st. The stock was sold at an average price of $62.33, for a total transaction of $1,453,722.59. Following the sale, the executive vice president owned 81,109 shares in the company, valued at $5,055,523.97. This represents a 22.33% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. Insiders own 0.96% of the company’s stock.

Trending Headlines about Delta Air Lines

Here are the key news stories impacting Delta Air Lines this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Delta reaffirmed a growth narrative: management set FY2026 adjusted EPS guidance of $6.50–$7.50 (roughly +20% at midpoint) and Q1 EPS of $0.50–$0.90, signaling confidence in premium demand and margin expansion. Press release: Q4 & full‑year results
• Positive Sentiment: Delta ordered 30 Boeing 787‑10 Dreamliners (options for more) and selected GE’s GEnx engines — a fleet modernization that supports long‑haul expansion, fuel efficiency and higher‑yield premium capacity. This is a multi‑year earnings/capex catalyst. Business Insider: Delta buys Boeing 787s
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst support remains strong: TD Cowen kept a Buy and set an $82 target, and several coverage notes framed the post‑earnings dip as a buying opportunity given cash flow, deleveraging and expected capital returns. Analyst conviction cushions downside. TipRanks: TD Cowen maintains Buy
• Neutral Sentiment: Operational snapshot was mixed: adjusted EPS of $1.55 modestly topped estimates but revenue of $14.61B missed consensus by a wide margin; company highlighted strong free cash flow and debt paydown even as some segments softened. MarketBeat: Q4 overview & cash flow
• Negative Sentiment: Investors punished the stock after the revenue miss and guidance tone — shares slipped in premarket/early trading as the market focused on near‑term top‑line weakness despite the EPS beat. TipRanks: Stock slumps on mixed Q4
• Negative Sentiment: Management said the recent government shutdown shaved revenue (roughly two points in December), highlighting macro sensitivity that can pressure near‑term demand and revenues. MarketWatch: Revenue hit from shutdown
• Negative Sentiment: Caution from some analysts about the guidance/pacing of earnings and the revenue miss added to short‑term selling pressure despite the long‑term thesis. Benzinga: Guidance disappoints

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Delta Air Lines

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Sivia Capital Partners LLC bought a new position in shares of Delta Air Lines during the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $555,000. Brighton Jones LLC boosted its position in shares of Delta Air Lines by 33.5% in the fourth quarter. Brighton Jones LLC now owns 9,174 shares of the transportation company’s stock worth $555,000 after purchasing an additional 2,302 shares during the period. BOKF NA increased its stake in shares of Delta Air Lines by 108.6% in the third quarter. BOKF NA now owns 3,021 shares of the transportation company’s stock worth $171,000 after purchasing an additional 1,573 shares in the last quarter. CreativeOne Wealth LLC bought a new stake in shares of Delta Air Lines during the 3rd quarter valued at $265,000. Finally, Geneos Wealth Management Inc. increased its stake in Delta Air Lines by 14.0% in the 2nd quarter. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. now owns 4,257 shares of the transportation company’s stock worth $209,000 after buying an additional 524 shares in the last quarter. 69.93% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

About Delta Air Lines

Delta Air Lines is a major U.S.-based global airline that provides scheduled passenger and cargo air transportation, aircraft maintenance and repair services, and related travel products. Its operations include mainline domestic and international passenger services, a branded regional network operating under the Delta Connection name, dedicated air cargo carriage, and in-house maintenance, repair and overhaul through Delta TechOps. Delta offers a range of cabin products for different customer segments, including premium business-class service on long-haul routes and tiered economy offerings on domestic and international flights, and it markets customer loyalty benefits through the SkyMiles frequent-flyer program.

The carrier operates a mixed fleet of narrow- and wide-body aircraft from multiple U.S.