Jefferies Financial Group Lowers United Airlines (NASDAQ:UAL) Price Target to $125.00

United Airlines (NASDAQ:UAL) had its target price reduced by equities researchers at Jefferies Financial Group from $148.00 to $125.00 in a note issued to investors on Thursday,Benzinga reports. The brokerage currently has a “buy” rating on the transportation company’s stock. Jefferies Financial Group’s target price would indicate a potential upside of 43.34% from the stock’s current price.

A number of other analysts have also recently weighed in on the company. Rothschild & Co Redburn dropped their price target on United Airlines from $125.00 to $110.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, March 5th. Morgan Stanley set a $150.00 price target on shares of United Airlines and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Thursday, January 8th. Weiss Ratings reiterated a “hold (c+)” rating on shares of United Airlines in a research note on Wednesday, January 21st. Susquehanna upped their price target on United Airlines from $117.00 to $150.00 and gave the stock a “positive” rating in a research note on Friday, January 9th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group boosted their target price on shares of United Airlines from $115.00 to $129.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Tuesday, January 13th. Fifteen investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and three have given a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $133.86.

United Airlines Stock Down 3.8%

Shares of NASDAQ:UAL traded down $3.48 during trading on Thursday, hitting $87.20. 5,978,958 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 6,501,400. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.35, a current ratio of 0.65 and a quick ratio of 0.59. United Airlines has a 12-month low of $52.00 and a 12-month high of $119.21. The stock has a market capitalization of $28.20 billion, a P/E ratio of 8.54, a PEG ratio of 0.45 and a beta of 1.25. The firm’s 50 day moving average price is $109.09 and its 200-day moving average price is $104.56.

United Airlines (NASDAQ:UAL) last released its earnings results on Tuesday, January 20th. The transportation company reported $3.10 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.97 by $0.13. The company had revenue of $15.40 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $15.35 billion. United Airlines had a return on equity of 25.13% and a net margin of 5.68%.The firm’s quarterly revenue was up 4.8% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $3.26 EPS. 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, research analysts predict that United Airlines will post 12.96 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insider Activity

In other United Airlines news, President Brett J. Hart sold 19,000 shares of United Airlines stock in a transaction on Monday, February 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $106.45, for a total transaction of $2,022,550.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the president directly owned 264,638 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $28,170,715.10. The trade was a 6.70% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Insiders own 0.71% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Trading of United Airlines

Several large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Legacy Wealth Managment LLC ID acquired a new position in shares of United Airlines in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $25,000. JPL Wealth Management LLC acquired a new position in United Airlines in the third quarter valued at approximately $29,000. BOCHK Asset Management Ltd acquired a new stake in United Airlines in the fourth quarter worth $34,000. Financial Consulate Inc. acquired a new position in United Airlines during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $29,000. Finally, Motiv8 Investments LLC acquired a new stake in United Airlines in the 4th quarter valued at $35,000. 69.69% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

More United Airlines News

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

• Positive Sentiment: United reported a one-day record for bookings, signaling robust near-term demand and premium revenue strength that can support fares and margins if fuel stabilizes. United Airlines just set a daily record for bookings (MarketWatch)
• Positive Sentiment: Coverage highlighting United’s expanding global routes and Nasdaq index attention could increase passive/ETF flows and visibility, a potential technical bid for shares. United Airlines Global Routes Gain Nasdaq Index Attention (Kalkine)
• Neutral Sentiment: Unusual option activity has been noted on UAL, indicating elevated speculative positioning that can amplify short-term moves but is ambiguous for direction. Market Whales and Their Recent Bets on UAL Options (Benzinga)
• Neutral Sentiment: Several write-ups and valuation checks flag recent volatility as an entry opportunity for longer-term investors if fuel/geopolitics normalize — a mixed message depending on timing. United Airlines Holdings (UAL) Valuation Check (Yahoo Finance)
• Neutral Sentiment: Note: a BusinessWire item included in the feed is about DriveWealth powering Ualá’s U.S. stock investing product (unrelated to United Airlines). DriveWealth Powers Ualá’s Launch of U.S. Stock Investing (BusinessWire)
• Negative Sentiment: TD Cowen downgraded UAL from “strong-buy” to “hold,” reducing a portion of buy-side conviction and likely weighing on sentiment. Analyst Downgrade (Zacks)
• Negative Sentiment: Rising oil/jet-fuel prices driven by the Iran war are the dominant negative — analysts and commentators warn higher fuel costs will compress margins and likely keep airline equities under pressure. How the Iran War Could Affect Your Summer Airfare (Investopedia)
• Negative Sentiment: Market commentators predict a potential “world of hurt” for airline stocks if crude spikes persist; combined with broader sell-side downgrades, this is likely why UAL is trading lower despite strong bookings. Airline stocks headed for a ‘world of hurt’ on oil spike (MSN)
• Negative Sentiment: Industry-wide analysis suggests the selloff in airlines after the Iran attacks may be at least partially justified given higher fuel and potential demand headwinds. Is the Airline Stock Dip After the Iran Attacks Justified? (MarketBeat)

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.