Delta Air Lines (NYSE:DAL) Updates FY 2026 Earnings Guidance

Delta Air Lines (NYSE:DAL) updated its FY 2026 earnings guidance on Tuesday. The company provided EPS guidance of 6.500-7.500 for the period. The company issued revenue guidance of -. Delta Air Lines also updated its Q1 2026 guidance to 0.500-0.900 EPS.

Delta Air Lines Trading Down 1.2%

DAL opened at $68.47 on Thursday. The business has a fifty day moving average price of $66.23 and a 200 day moving average price of $60.54. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.60, a current ratio of 0.40 and a quick ratio of 0.34. Delta Air Lines has a 12 month low of $34.74 and a 12 month high of $73.16. The stock has a market capitalization of $44.71 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 8.93, a PEG ratio of 1.12 and a beta of 1.38.

Delta Air Lines (NYSE:DAL) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, January 13th. The transportation company reported $1.55 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.53 by $0.02. Delta Air Lines had a return on equity of 20.99% and a net margin of 7.90%.The company had revenue of $14.61 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $15.80 billion. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $1.85 EPS. Delta Air Lines’s revenue for the quarter 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. Sell-side analysts expect that Delta Air Lines will post 7.63 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

DAL has been the topic of a number of recent analyst reports. HSBC increased their price objective on shares of Delta Air Lines from $69.20 to $73.70 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, October 10th. Dbs Bank upgraded Delta Air Lines from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, October 3rd. BMO Capital Markets reaffirmed an “outperform” rating on shares of Delta Air Lines in a report on Wednesday. Citigroup reiterated a “buy” rating on shares of Delta Air Lines in a report on Wednesday, January 7th. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft boosted their target price on Delta Air Lines from $63.00 to $72.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, October 10th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating and twenty-three have assigned a Buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, Delta Air Lines currently has a consensus rating of “Buy” and an average price target of $77.78.

Insider Transactions at Delta Air Lines

In other Delta Air Lines news, EVP John E. Laughter sold 23,323 shares of Delta Air Lines stock in a transaction that occurred 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 transaction, the executive vice president owned 81,109 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $5,055,523.97. The trade was a 22.33% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. 0.88% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Delta Air Lines News Roundup

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

• Positive Sentiment: Multiple analysts reaffirmed Buy ratings and raised upside targets, supporting longer-term upside despite the near-term selloff. Delta Air Lines: Diversified Growth, Margin Expansion, and Strong Free Cash Flow Support Buy Rating and Potential Valuation Re‑Rating
• Positive Sentiment: Delta ordered Boeing 787-10 Dreamliners (30 firm, options for more), a strategic fleet modernization that should lower unit costs and expand long-haul capacity over time. Delta is buying Boeing 787s for the first time. Here’s why United and American may feel the pressure.
• Positive Sentiment: Management highlighted record free cash flow and debt reduction, which underpin potential higher capital returns (dividend/ buybacks) over the next few quarters. Delta Hit Turbulence in Q4—Now Comes the Opportunity
• Positive Sentiment: Industry tailwinds could improve margins — Jefferies notes that popular new weight-loss drugs could lower average passenger weights and meaningfully cut fuel burn. Airlines to save big money on fuel as new weight-loss pills gain popularity, Wall Street says
• Positive Sentiment: CEO Ed Bastian says Delta is addressing lounge overcrowding and adding capacity to support premium customers, reinforcing the premiumization strategy management is pushing. Delta Airlines CEO: We’re working on adding more lounges
• Neutral Sentiment: Delta received ESG recognition (CDP double “A” for climate and water), which is positive for institutional sentiment but unlikely to move the stock materially in the near term. Delta Recognized by CDP with Double “A” Leadership Rating for Climate Change and Water Security for the Fifth Time
• Negative Sentiment: Revenue missed expectations (Q4 revenue below consensus), and that shortfall was the primary trigger for the selloff as investors focused on top-line softness. Delta’s stock takes a hit as revenue falls more than feared in wake of shutdown
• Negative Sentiment: Management’s near-term guidance was viewed as cautious by some investors (Q1 and FY2026 ranges), prompting profit-taking despite a constructive multi-year outlook. Delta forecasts 20% jump in 2026 profits, orders first Boeing Dreamliners
• Negative Sentiment: One-off factors (a government shutdown) dented December demand and contributed to investor concern about near-term revenue volatility. Delta reports mixed Q4 earnings, revenue miss weighs on shares

Institutional Trading of Delta Air Lines

Large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the business. CIBC Bancorp USA Inc. acquired a new position in Delta Air Lines in the third quarter valued at $4,091,000. Sunbelt Securities Inc. boosted its stake in shares of Delta Air Lines by 19.2% during the third quarter. Sunbelt Securities Inc. now owns 2,726 shares of the transportation company’s stock worth $155,000 after buying an additional 439 shares during the period. Captrust Financial Advisors grew its holdings in shares of Delta Air Lines by 16.5% during the third quarter. Captrust Financial Advisors now owns 94,146 shares of the transportation company’s stock worth $5,343,000 after buying an additional 13,336 shares during the last quarter. Coldstream Capital Management Inc. grew its holdings in shares of Delta Air Lines by 16.8% during the third quarter. Coldstream Capital Management Inc. now owns 16,951 shares of the transportation company’s stock worth $962,000 after buying an additional 2,444 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Danske Bank A S acquired a new position in Delta Air Lines in the 3rd quarter valued at about $10,033,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 69.93% of the company’s stock.

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.