Delta Air Lines (NYSE:DAL) Hits New 12-Month High on Analyst Upgrade

Shares of Delta Air Lines, Inc. (NYSE:DAL) reached a new 52-week high during mid-day trading on Wednesday after Evercore raised their price target on the stock from $85.00 to $105.00. Evercore currently has an outperform rating on the stock. Delta Air Lines traded as high as $89.32 and last traded at $88.6170, with a volume of 1019016 shares trading hands. The stock had previously closed at $86.72.

Several other brokerages also recently issued reports on DAL. Seaport Research Partners increased their price objective on shares of Delta Air Lines from $81.00 to $83.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, April 9th. Susquehanna decreased their target price on shares of Delta Air Lines from $81.00 to $78.00 and set a “positive” rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, April 9th. Weiss Ratings lowered shares of Delta Air Lines from a “buy (b-)” rating to a “hold (c+)” rating in a report on Friday, March 6th. Wells Fargo & Company dropped their price target on shares of Delta Air Lines from $87.00 to $75.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, March 16th. Finally, Zacks Research upgraded shares of Delta Air Lines from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Wednesday, April 15th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-three have assigned a Buy rating and two have assigned a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, Delta Air Lines has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $85.14.

Insider Transactions at Delta Air Lines

In related news, EVP Alain Bellemare sold 25,000 shares of Delta Air Lines stock in a transaction on Wednesday, May 27th. The shares were sold at an average price of $81.44, for a total value of $2,036,000.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president owned 95,025 shares in the company, valued at approximately $7,738,836. The trade was a 20.83% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. Also, EVP Allison C. Ausband sold 5,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, May 26th. The shares were sold at an average price of $79.00, for a total transaction of $395,000.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 133,854 shares in the company, valued at $10,574,466. This represents a 3.60% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Over the last quarter, insiders sold 149,635 shares of company stock valued at $10,833,855. 0.80% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Key Headlines Impacting Delta Air Lines

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

• Positive Sentiment: Evercore raised its price target on Delta Air Lines to $105 from $85 and reiterated an outperform rating, signaling confidence in further upside. Evercore raises price target on Delta Air Lines
• Positive Sentiment: Jefferies also lifted its target on Delta to $100 from $81 and kept a buy rating, reinforcing the view that the stock still has room to run. Jefferies raises price target on Delta Air Lines
• Positive Sentiment: Airline stocks are rallying as crude oil and jet fuel prices retreat, which should help lower operating costs and improve margins across the sector. Airline stocks rise as oil retreats
• Positive Sentiment: Wall Street remains broadly constructive ahead of Delta’s Q2 2026 earnings report, with the company seen entering the quarter with strong momentum. What to Expect From Delta Air Lines’ Q2 2026 Earnings Report
• Neutral Sentiment: Delta was mentioned as one of several transportation stocks making new highs, reflecting broader sector strength rather than company-specific news. 3 Hot Transportation Stocks for Your Short List
• Neutral Sentiment: Delta CEO Ed Bastian said airfares are being supported by tight industry supply, which could help pricing but also suggests fare relief for consumers may not come quickly. Delta CEO comments on ticket prices
• Negative Sentiment: A fire at Delta’s refinery in Pennsylvania is a potential operational concern, though the market impact is still unclear. Fire breaks out at Delta Air Lines refinery

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Delta Air Lines

A number of hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of DAL. IFM Investors Pty Ltd raised its stake in Delta Air Lines by 0.5% during the fourth quarter. IFM Investors Pty Ltd now owns 28,167 shares of the transportation company’s stock valued at $1,955,000 after buying an additional 144 shares in the last quarter. Utah Retirement Systems grew its position in shares of Delta Air Lines by 0.3% in the 4th quarter. Utah Retirement Systems now owns 52,620 shares of the transportation company’s stock worth $3,652,000 after acquiring an additional 144 shares in the last quarter. First Financial Bank Trust Division increased its holdings in shares of Delta Air Lines by 3.3% in the 4th quarter. First Financial Bank Trust Division now owns 4,721 shares of the transportation company’s stock valued at $328,000 after acquiring an additional 150 shares during the last quarter. HBK Sorce Advisory LLC increased its holdings in shares of Delta Air Lines by 2.6% in the 4th quarter. HBK Sorce Advisory LLC now owns 6,022 shares of the transportation company’s stock valued at $454,000 after acquiring an additional 151 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Larson Financial Group LLC raised its position in shares of Delta Air Lines by 2.4% during the 4th quarter. Larson Financial Group LLC now owns 6,472 shares of the transportation company’s stock valued at $449,000 after acquiring an additional 152 shares in the last quarter. 69.93% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Delta Air Lines Price Performance

The company has a 50 day moving average of $76.30 and a 200-day moving average of $70.91. The stock has a market capitalization of $60.42 billion, a P/E ratio of 13.41, a PEG ratio of 1.47 and a beta of 1.30. The company has a quick ratio of 0.36, a current ratio of 0.42 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.54.

Delta Air Lines (NYSE:DAL) last released its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, April 8th. The transportation company reported $0.64 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.61 by $0.03. The firm had revenue of $14.20 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $14.05 billion. Delta Air Lines had a net margin of 6.87% and a return on equity of 20.28%. The firm’s revenue was up 9.4% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $0.46 earnings per share. Sell-side analysts predict that Delta Air Lines, Inc. will post 5.36 EPS for the current year.

Delta Air Lines Increases Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, July 30th. Investors of record on Thursday, July 9th will be given a dividend of $0.215 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, July 9th. This represents a $0.86 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.9%. This is a boost from Delta Air Lines’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.19. Delta Air Lines’s payout ratio is currently 10.93%.

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.