United Airlines (NASDAQ:UAL) Issues FY 2026 Earnings Guidance

United Airlines (NASDAQ:UAL) updated its FY 2026 earnings guidance on Tuesday. The company provided earnings per share guidance of 12.000-14.000 for the period, compared to the consensus earnings per share estimate of 13.130. The company issued revenue guidance of -. United Airlines also updated its Q1 2026 guidance to 1.000-1.500 EPS.

United Airlines Trading Down 4.3%

UAL stock traded down $4.92 during midday trading on Tuesday, hitting $108.57. The stock had a trading volume of 9,120,225 shares, compared to its average volume of 4,464,740. The company’s 50-day moving average price is $107.08 and its 200 day moving average price is $100.51. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.45, a current ratio of 0.67 and a quick ratio of 0.61. The firm has a market cap of $35.15 billion, a PE ratio of 10.88, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.80 and a beta of 1.31. United Airlines has a 12-month low of $52.00 and a 12-month high of $119.21.

United Airlines (NASDAQ:UAL) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, January 20th. The transportation company reported $3.10 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.97 by $0.13. The company had revenue of $15.40 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $15.35 billion. United Airlines had a return on equity of 26.94% and a net margin of 5.64%.United Airlines has set its Q1 2026 guidance at 1.000-1.500 EPS and its FY 2026 guidance at 12.000-14.000 EPS. On average, equities research analysts predict that United Airlines will post 12.96 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

UAL has been the subject of several recent analyst reports. Loop Capital set a $110.00 price target on United Airlines in a report on Tuesday, October 21st. UBS Group boosted their price objective on shares of United Airlines from $142.00 to $145.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 6th. TD Cowen upped their price objective on United Airlines from $125.00 to $138.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, January 7th. Evercore ISI lifted their target price on United Airlines from $105.00 to $135.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Monday, September 29th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group boosted their price target on United Airlines from $115.00 to $125.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday, October 1st. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, fourteen have assigned a Buy rating and two have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $134.94.

Insider Activity at United Airlines

In related news, CEO J Scott Kirby sold 120,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, December 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $107.86, for a total transaction of $12,943,200.00. Following the sale, the chief executive officer directly owned 666,535 shares in the company, valued at approximately $71,892,465.10. This trade represents a 15.26% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Insiders own 0.63% of the company’s stock.

Key Stories Impacting United Airlines

Here are the key news stories impacting United Airlines this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q4 earnings beat — United reported $3.10 EPS vs. $2.97 expected and posted record Q4 revenue and full‑year FY25 diluted EPS of $10.20 (adjusted $10.62), signaling strong profitability and margin improvement. View Press Release
• Positive Sentiment: Premium and loyalty strength — Management said premium cabin and loyalty revenue grew faster than overall sales, helping unit revenue and positioning United to capture higher-yield travel demand. Article Title
• Neutral Sentiment: Positive industry commentary — TV and market commentators (including Jim Cramer) are upbeat on the “big five” travel names, which can support sentiment but is not a direct driver of fundamentals. Article Title
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst activity ahead of/after the print — Several analysts revised forecasts ahead of the call and commentary on whether 2026 can sustain record earnings will drive near‑term moves. Article Title
• Negative Sentiment: Market and competitor caution — Delta’s earlier cautious tone lowered the bar for airlines and left investors focused on guidance and global volatility; broad U.S. futures weakness also pressured stocks today. UAL Earnings Seek to Reverse Airline Caution Signaled by DAL
• Negative Sentiment: Safety incident headline risk — A widely circulated report about a near crash‑landing after a mechanical issue creates reputational and short‑term headline risk despite no regulatory action reported so far. Article Title

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the company. JPL Wealth Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of United Airlines during the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $29,000. Wiser Advisor Group LLC acquired a new position in United Airlines in the third quarter worth $41,000. Triumph Capital Management bought a new stake in United Airlines during the third quarter valued at $68,000. MUFG Securities EMEA plc acquired a new stake in shares of United Airlines during the second quarter worth $77,000. Finally, Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. raised its holdings in shares of United Airlines by 522.1% during the third quarter. Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. now owns 958 shares of the transportation company’s stock worth $92,000 after purchasing an additional 804 shares during the period. 69.69% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

United Airlines Company Profile

United Airlines Holdings, Inc operates United Airlines, a major U.S. full-service passenger carrier providing scheduled air transportation for passengers and cargo. The company offers a comprehensive route network that covers domestic markets across the United States as well as extensive international service to Europe, Asia, Latin America, and the Pacific. United operates a mixed fleet of narrow- and wide-body aircraft on point-to-point and hub-and-spoke routes, and supports corporate and leisure travel through offerings such as premium cabins, basic economy, and ancillary services including baggage, seat selection and in-flight amenities.

In addition to passenger operations, United provides cargo services through United Cargo, handling freight, mail and specialized shipments.