United Airlines (NASDAQ:UAL) Releases Q1 2026 Earnings Guidance

United Airlines (NASDAQ:UAL) issued an update on its first quarter 2026 earnings guidance on Tuesday morning. The company provided earnings per share (EPS) guidance of 1.000-1.500 for the period, compared to the consensus estimate of 1.070. The company issued revenue guidance of -. United Airlines also updated its FY 2026 guidance to 12.000-14.000 EPS.

United Airlines Stock Performance

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

United Airlines (NASDAQ:UAL) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, January 20th. The transportation company reported $3.10 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.97 by $0.13. United Airlines had a return on equity of 26.94% and a net margin of 5.64%.The business had revenue of $15.40 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $15.35 billion. 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 expect that United Airlines will post 12.96 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

UAL has been the topic of several research analyst reports. Susquehanna increased their price target on shares of United Airlines from $117.00 to $150.00 and gave the company a “positive” rating in a report on Friday, January 9th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their target price on United Airlines from $149.00 to $156.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Monday, October 20th. TD Cowen lifted their price target on United Airlines from $125.00 to $138.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, January 7th. Morgan Stanley set a $150.00 price objective on United Airlines and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Thursday, January 8th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group increased their price objective on United Airlines from $115.00 to $125.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday, October 1st. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, fourteen have given a Buy rating and two have assigned a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, United Airlines presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $134.94.

Insider Transactions at United Airlines

In related news, CEO J Scott Kirby sold 120,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, December 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $107.86, for a total value of $12,943,200.00. Following the sale, the chief executive officer directly owned 666,535 shares in the company, valued at $71,892,465.10. This represents a 15.26% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. 0.63% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

United Airlines News Summary

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 Trading of United Airlines

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. JPL Wealth Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of United Airlines in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $29,000. Wiser Advisor Group LLC purchased a new stake in shares of United Airlines during the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $41,000. Triumph Capital Management purchased a new stake in shares of United Airlines during the third quarter worth $68,000. Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. boosted its position in shares of United Airlines by 522.1% in the third quarter. Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. now owns 958 shares of the transportation company’s stock valued at $92,000 after acquiring an additional 804 shares during the period. Finally, MUFG Securities EMEA plc purchased a new position in shares of United Airlines during the 2nd quarter valued at $77,000. 69.69% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

About United Airlines

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.