United Airlines stock outperforms competitors on strong trading day, leads S&P 500 

The recent weeks have been challenging for the airline industry, but the earnings season may be showing signs of a potential turnaround. United Airlines stock (UAL) surged 17.5% to close at $48.74 on Wednesday, leading the S&P 500 index after the airline reported its quarterly earnings late Tuesday.  

The rally in United Airlines stock also boosted other shares across the sector, with American Airlines stock gaining 6.6%, Delta Air Lines closing up by 2.86%, and Southwest Airlines rising by 2.6%. 

However, these gains come against a backdrop of significant drops earlier in April; United's stock had fallen 15%, American's 13%, and Delta's 2.8% through Tuesday's close. 

United reports narrower-than-expected loss in Q1 despite Boeing setbacks 

Despite facing setbacks from Boeing, United Airlines reported a narrower loss than expected for the first quarter.  

The company posted an adjusted loss of 15 cents per share, significantly better than the predicted 54 cents per-share loss, as per FactSet. 

The carrier could have shown a profit for the quarter if not for a $200 million hit from the temporary grounding of the Boeing MAX 9 aircraft in January. 

United Airlines stock gain, earnings results offer hope for the industry 

The optimistic quarter results from United Airlines could be a beacon of hope for the broader sector. The airline noted a 6.6% increase in domestic passenger revenue and a 16% surge in international revenue compared to the first quarter of 2023.  

United's earnings reflect a broader recovery, particularly in corporate travel, with the airline reporting double-digit growth in business demand compared to pre-pandemic levels. Delta Airlines also reported a 14% increase in managed corporate sales, driven by sectors such as technology, consumer services, and financial services. 

On top of that, a recent Delta survey said that 90% of companies expect their travel volumes to either increase or remain steady in the upcoming June quarter and beyond. 

The gains of the “Big 3” U.S. network airlines — United, Delta, and American — in Wednesday trading were of no surprise, given the strong international and corporate travel demand. Domestic carriers like JetBlue Airways and Alaska Air also saw gains, up 4.6% and 4.7%, respectively. 

TD Cowen, Raymond James analysts optimistic on United Airlines stock citing “impressive” Q1 results 

Analysts are optimistic, with TD Cowen’s Helane Becker maintaining a Buy rating on United and setting a price target of $55. In a comment cited by Barron’s, she said: 

“This is the airline’s first time generating an adjusted operating profit in the March quarter since 2019. The fact that the MAX 9 grounding caused a $200 million headwind makes it even more impressive”. 

Raymond James analyst Savanthi Syth said United’s strong first-quarter results and promising second-quarter guidance “likely drives greater confidence” in the airline’s projected full-year earnings of between $9 and $11 per share. She maintained an Outperform rating on United Airlines stock with a price target of $66. 

As of April 18, United Airlines stock was up over 13.2% on the week and 18.1% year-to-date.  

The S&P 500 index closed down 0.58% despite UAL’s gains on Wednesday, dragged down by chipmaker stocks such as AMD and Micron, and was last on track for a 3.4% loss on the week. At the time of writing, the S&P 500 is up 5.3% year-to-date.