United Airlines (NASDAQ:UAL) Share Price Crosses Above 200-Day Moving Average – Should You Sell?

United Airlines Holdings Inc (NASDAQ:UAL) shares crossed above its 200-day moving average during trading on Monday. The stock has a 200-day moving average of $108.24 and traded as high as $112.01. United Airlines shares last traded at $109.24, with a volume of 6,618,314 shares changing hands.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

UAL has been the subject of several analyst reports. Evercore reaffirmed an “outperform” rating and set a $160.00 price objective on shares of United Airlines in a research report on Wednesday, October 21st. Rothschild & Co Redburn decreased their price target on United Airlines from $165.00 to $150.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research note on Friday, September 18th. Barclays reduced their price objective on United Airlines from $175.00 to $160.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research report on Friday, September 11th. Argus cut their target price on shares of United Airlines from $140.00 to $125.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, October 22nd. Finally, Sanford C. Bernstein set a $160.00 target price on United Airlines in a research note on Tuesday, October 20th. Sixteen research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, one has given a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $156.19.

United Airlines Stock Performance

The stock has a market capitalization of $37.61 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 12.15, a PEG ratio of 1.37 and a beta of 1.38. The company’s 50-day simple moving average is $107.41 and its 200-day simple moving average is $108.22. The company has a current ratio of 0.75, a quick ratio of 0.68 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.38.

United Airlines (NASDAQ:UAL) last released its earnings results on Tuesday, October 20th. The transportation company reported $2.54 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.57 by ($0.03). United Airlines had a net margin of 5.46% and a return on equity of 17.59%. The company had revenue of $17.88 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $17.89 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $2.78 EPS. The firm’s revenue was up 17.4% on a year-over-year basis. On average, analysts expect that United Airlines Holdings Inc will post 7.10 EPS for the current year.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, President Brett Hart sold 39,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Friday, October 30th. The stock was sold at an average price of $102.68, for a total value of $4,004,520.00. Following the completion of the sale, the president owned 325,122 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $33,383,526.96. This trade represents a 10.71% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. Also, EVP Andrew P. Nocella sold 5,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, August 25th. The shares were sold at an average price of $117.00, for a total value of $585,000.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 214,955 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $25,149,735. This represents a 2.27% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Company insiders own 0.86% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On United Airlines

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in UAL. Dunhill Financial LLC acquired a new position in shares of United Airlines in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $25,000. Elevation Wealth Partners LLC grew its position in United Airlines by 393.0% during the second quarter. Elevation Wealth Partners LLC now owns 212 shares of the transportation company’s stock worth $29,000 after buying an additional 169 shares in the last quarter. Trust Co. of Vermont acquired a new stake in United Airlines in the 2nd quarter valued at $29,000. Rakuten Securities Inc. acquired a new stake in United Airlines in the 2nd quarter valued at about $32,000. Finally, NBH Bank bought a new position in United Airlines during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $35,000. 69.69% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

About United Airlines

United Airlines Holdings, Inc is the parent company of United Airlines, a major U.S. commercial airline headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. The company provides scheduled passenger air transportation and air cargo services, connecting customers across the United States and to international destinations.

United operates a broad network serving North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia, Africa and Oceania. Its operations are supported by hubs in major U.S. cities, including Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Newark, San Francisco and Washington, DC, as well as an extensive network of regional carriers operating under the United Express brand.

The company offers several travel classes and related services, including premium-cabin seating, onboard amenities, airport lounges and the MileagePlus customer loyalty program.