Alaska Air Group, Inc. (NYSE:ALK) Receives Average Recommendation of “Moderate Buy” from Brokerages

Alaska Air Group, Inc. (NYSE:ALK) has been given an average recommendation of “Moderate Buy” by the eleven research firms that are currently covering the company, Marketbeat Ratings reports. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eight have given a buy rating to the company. The average 12 month price target among brokers that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $57.85.

Several brokerages recently commented on ALK. StockNews.com raised Alaska Air Group from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Friday, April 19th. Susquehanna lifted their price objective on Alaska Air Group from $40.00 to $42.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a report on Friday, April 19th. TD Cowen increased their target price on Alaska Air Group from $49.00 to $58.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, April 19th. Bank of America lifted their price target on shares of Alaska Air Group from $50.00 to $56.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, April 19th. Finally, UBS Group initiated coverage on shares of Alaska Air Group in a research report on Wednesday, March 20th. They set a “buy” rating and a $54.00 price objective for the company.

Alaska Air Group Price Performance

Alaska Air Group stock opened at $42.69 on Friday. The company has a current ratio of 0.65, a quick ratio of 0.63 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.85. The firm has a market capitalization of $5.37 billion, a P/E ratio of 22.83, a PEG ratio of 0.56 and a beta of 1.60. The business has a 50-day moving average of $40.75 and a 200-day moving average of $37.79. Alaska Air Group has a 1 year low of $30.75 and a 1 year high of $57.18.

Alaska Air Group (NYSE:ALK) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, April 18th. The transportation company reported ($0.92) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of ($1.09) by $0.17. The firm had revenue of $2.23 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $2.18 billion. Alaska Air Group had a net margin of 2.34% and a return on equity of 13.54%. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 1.6% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company earned ($0.62) earnings per share. On average, equities analysts anticipate that Alaska Air Group will post 4.68 EPS for the current year.

Insider Transactions at Alaska Air Group

In related news, EVP Andrew R. Harrison sold 6,500 shares of Alaska Air Group stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, February 28th. The stock was sold at an average price of $38.36, for a total value of $249,340.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president now owns 26,048 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $999,201.28. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Company insiders own 0.68% of the company’s stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Alaska Air Group

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Janney Montgomery Scott LLC raised its position in Alaska Air Group by 3.2% during the first quarter. Janney Montgomery Scott LLC now owns 17,780 shares of the transportation company’s stock worth $764,000 after acquiring an additional 559 shares in the last quarter. Mirae Asset Global Investments Co. Ltd. bought a new stake in shares of Alaska Air Group in the 1st quarter valued at about $499,000. Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC bought a new stake in shares of Alaska Air Group in the 1st quarter valued at about $217,000. LifeSteps Financial Inc. acquired a new stake in Alaska Air Group in the 1st quarter valued at about $65,000. Finally, Deroy & Devereaux Private Investment Counsel Inc. grew its holdings in Alaska Air Group by 1.1% during the first quarter. Deroy & Devereaux Private Investment Counsel Inc. now owns 103,170 shares of the transportation company’s stock worth $4,435,000 after purchasing an additional 1,160 shares during the period. 81.90% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Alaska Air Group Company Profile

Alaska Air Group, Inc, through its subsidiaries, operates airlines. It operates through three segments: Mainline, Regional, and Horizon. The company offers scheduled air transportation services on Boeing jet aircraft for passengers and cargo in the United States, and in parts of Canada, Mexico, Costa Rica, Belize, Guatemala, and the Bahamas; and for passengers across a shorter distance network within the United States, Canada, and Mexico.