Delta Air Lines (NYSE:DAL) Releases Earnings Results, Beats Expectations By $0.02 EPS

Delta Air Lines (NYSE:DAL) issued its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday. The transportation company reported $1.55 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.53 by $0.02, FiscalAI reports. Delta Air Lines had a net margin of 7.36% and a return on equity of 23.83%. The company had revenue of $14.61 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $15.80 billion.

Delta Air Lines Price Performance

Shares of NYSE:DAL opened at $70.97 on Tuesday. Delta Air Lines has a twelve month low of $34.74 and a twelve month high of $73.16. The company has a current ratio of 0.40, a quick ratio of 0.34 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.68. The company has a market cap of $46.34 billion, a PE ratio of 10.00, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.17 and a beta of 1.38. The company’s 50 day moving average is $65.76 and its 200 day moving average is $60.34.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

DAL has been the topic of a number of research analyst reports. Raymond James Financial restated a “strong-buy” rating and set a $80.00 price objective on shares of Delta Air Lines in a research report on Friday, December 19th. Wolfe Research decreased their target price on shares of Delta Air Lines from $72.00 to $70.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research note on Monday, November 17th. Barclays raised their price target on Delta Air Lines from $65.00 to $85.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Monday. The Goldman Sachs Group lifted their price objective on Delta Air Lines from $68.00 to $77.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Tuesday, January 6th. Finally, Weiss Ratings reiterated a “buy (b-)” rating on shares of Delta Air Lines in a research report on Wednesday, October 8th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating and twenty-two have assigned a Buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of “Buy” and an average target price of $77.51.

Key Delta Air Lines News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Company guidance: Delta forecast adjusted 2026 EPS of $6.50–$7.50 (roughly a 20% increase year-over-year) and a March‑quarter revenue outlook of +5% to +7%; it also ordered Boeing Dreamliners, signaling fleet investment and capacity planning that supports long‑term revenue growth. Delta forecasts 20% jump in 2026 profits, orders first Boeing Dreamliners
• Positive Sentiment: Quarterly results and company release: Delta reported record revenue for the December quarter and full year, delivered double‑digit return on invested capital, and reiterated momentum into 2026 — reinforcing margin durability and cash generation. Those fundamentals help justify higher valuations for the airline group. Delta Air Lines Announces December Quarter and Full Year 2025 Financial Results
• Positive Sentiment: ESG recognition: Delta received CDP double “A” ratings for Climate Change and Water Security for the fifth time (fewer than 1% of companies achieve this), which can broaden investor interest from ESG‑focused funds. Delta Recognized by CDP with Double “A” Leadership Rating for Climate Change and Water Security for the Fifth Time
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst and preview commentary: Multiple previews (Barron’s, Benzinga, Zacks) highlighted potential upside from strong holiday travel, premium revenue growth, and Delta’s history of earnings beats — supporting positive market sentiment but not adding new company-specific data. Delta Reports Earnings Tuesday. Why It Can Boost Airline Stocks.

Insider Buying and Selling at Delta Air Lines

In other Delta Air Lines news, EVP John E. Laughter sold 23,323 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, October 21st. The stock was sold at an average price of $62.33, for a total value of $1,453,722.59. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 81,109 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $5,055,523.97. The trade was a 22.33% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Also, SVP William C. Carroll sold 14,010 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, October 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $61.25, for a total transaction of $858,112.50. Following the completion of the transaction, the senior vice president owned 15,816 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $968,730. This represents a 46.97% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. 0.96% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Institutional Trading of Delta Air Lines

Several large investors have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Wellington Management Group LLP boosted its holdings in Delta Air Lines by 54.8% in the third quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 5,817,783 shares of the transportation company’s stock valued at $330,159,000 after purchasing an additional 2,058,744 shares during the period. Alliancebernstein L.P. raised its position in Delta Air Lines by 1.3% in the 3rd quarter. Alliancebernstein L.P. now owns 1,553,451 shares of the transportation company’s stock valued at $88,158,000 after purchasing an additional 20,463 shares in the last quarter. Legal & General Group Plc boosted its stake in shares of Delta Air Lines by 2.2% in the 3rd quarter. Legal & General Group Plc now owns 1,379,612 shares of the transportation company’s stock valued at $78,293,000 after buying an additional 30,237 shares during the period. Marshall Wace LLP boosted its stake in shares of Delta Air Lines by 16,044.7% in the 3rd quarter. Marshall Wace LLP now owns 1,263,320 shares of the transportation company’s stock valued at $71,693,000 after buying an additional 1,255,495 shares during the period. Finally, Sei Investments Co. grew its position in shares of Delta Air Lines by 2.4% during the third quarter. Sei Investments Co. now owns 831,278 shares of the transportation company’s stock worth $47,174,000 after buying an additional 19,232 shares in the last quarter. 69.93% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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.