United Airlines (NASDAQ:UAL) Shares Gap Up – Still a Buy?

Shares of United Airlines Holdings Inc (NASDAQ:UAL) gapped up prior to trading on Monday . The stock had previously closed at $89.95, but opened at $95.84. United Airlines shares last traded at $94.29, with a volume of 2,385,832 shares trading hands.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of equities analysts have recently weighed in on UAL shares. Barclays boosted their price objective on shares of United Airlines from $135.00 to $150.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Monday, January 12th. BMO Capital Markets restated an “outperform” rating and issued a $132.50 price objective on shares of United Airlines in a report on Thursday, January 22nd. Argus cut their price target on shares of United Airlines from $140.00 to $135.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, January 22nd. Morgan Stanley set a $150.00 price target on shares of United Airlines and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Thursday, January 8th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group decreased their price objective on shares of United Airlines from $148.00 to $125.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, March 12th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, fifteen have given a Buy rating and two have issued a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $131.14.

United Airlines Price Performance

The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.35, a current ratio of 0.65 and a quick ratio of 0.59. The company has a market cap of $30.61 billion, a PE ratio of 9.27, a P/E/G ratio of 0.46 and a beta of 1.25. The company has a 50-day moving average price of $105.62 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $103.86.

United Airlines (NASDAQ:UAL) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, January 20th. The transportation company reported $3.10 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.97 by $0.13. The business had revenue of $15.40 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $15.35 billion. United Airlines had a return on equity of 25.13% and a net margin of 5.68%.The company’s revenue was up 4.8% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the business 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. Sell-side analysts expect that United Airlines Holdings Inc will post 12.96 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insider Activity at United Airlines

In other news, President Brett J. Hart sold 19,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Monday, February 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $106.45, for a total value of $2,022,550.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the president directly owned 264,638 shares in the company, valued at approximately $28,170,715.10. This represents a 6.70% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Insiders own 0.63% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On United Airlines

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Bison Wealth LLC acquired a new position in United Airlines in the 4th quarter worth $246,000. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. increased its position in shares of United Airlines by 24.0% during the first quarter. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. now owns 39,872 shares of the transportation company’s stock worth $2,753,000 after acquiring an additional 7,713 shares during the last quarter. Focus Partners Wealth lifted its stake in shares of United Airlines by 92.7% in the first quarter. Focus Partners Wealth now owns 12,349 shares of the transportation company’s stock worth $853,000 after acquiring an additional 5,939 shares in the last quarter. Cetera Investment Advisers lifted its stake in shares of United Airlines by 22.7% in the second quarter. Cetera Investment Advisers now owns 69,925 shares of the transportation company’s stock worth $5,568,000 after acquiring an additional 12,926 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Rockefeller Capital Management L.P. boosted its holdings in United Airlines by 65.1% in the second quarter. Rockefeller Capital Management L.P. now owns 39,919 shares of the transportation company’s stock valued at $3,179,000 after purchasing an additional 15,737 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 69.69% of the company’s stock.

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.