Delta Air Lines (NYSE:DAL – Free Report) had its target price hoisted by Citigroup from $77.00 to $79.00 in a research report report published on Thursday, Marketbeat.com reports. Citigroup currently has a buy rating on the transportation company’s stock.
A number of other research analysts have also weighed in on the stock. Zacks Research lowered shares of Delta Air Lines from a “hold” rating to a “strong sell” rating in a report on Tuesday, March 17th. Barclays lifted their price objective on shares of Delta Air Lines from $65.00 to $85.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Monday, January 12th. Seaport Research Partners increased their target price on shares of Delta Air Lines from $80.00 to $89.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, January 9th. Wolfe Research lowered their target price on shares of Delta Air Lines from $81.00 to $73.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, April 7th. Finally, TD Cowen lowered their target price on shares of Delta Air Lines to $76.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a report on Thursday, April 2nd. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-three have given a Buy rating, one has issued a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $79.14.
View Our Latest Stock Report on DAL
Delta Air Lines Trading Up 0.1%
Delta Air Lines (NYSE:DAL – Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, April 8th. The transportation company reported $0.64 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.61 by $0.03. Delta Air Lines had a net margin of 6.87% and a return on equity of 20.28%. The firm had revenue of $14.20 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $14.05 billion. During the same period last year, the firm posted $0.46 earnings per share. Delta Air Lines’s revenue for the quarter was up 9.4% compared to the same quarter last year. Sell-side analysts anticipate that Delta Air Lines will post 7.63 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.
Delta Air Lines Dividend Announcement
The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, March 19th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, February 26th were issued a $0.1875 dividend. This represents a $0.75 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.1%. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, February 26th. Delta Air Lines’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 10.93%.
Insider Transactions at Delta Air Lines
In other news, EVP Steven M. Sear sold 38,600 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Monday, February 9th. The shares were sold at an average price of $75.05, for a total transaction of $2,896,930.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 104,404 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $7,835,520.20. The trade was a 26.99% 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. Also, EVP Alain Bellemare sold 35,212 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Monday, February 9th. The shares were sold at an average price of $75.20, for a total transaction of $2,647,942.40. Following the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 138,176 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $10,390,835.20. This represents a 20.31% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. In the last ninety days, insiders have sold 620,550 shares of company stock worth $44,127,667. 0.88% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.
Institutional Trading of Delta Air Lines
Large investors have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. AlphaQuest LLC boosted its stake in shares of Delta Air Lines by 90.6% during the third quarter. AlphaQuest LLC now owns 444 shares of the transportation company’s stock valued at $25,000 after purchasing an additional 211 shares during the period. Accredited Wealth Management LLC boosted its stake in shares of Delta Air Lines by 1,983.3% during the third quarter. Accredited Wealth Management LLC now owns 500 shares of the transportation company’s stock valued at $28,000 after purchasing an additional 476 shares during the period. Lloyd Advisory Services LLC. purchased a new stake in shares of Delta Air Lines during the fourth quarter valued at $31,000. SWAN Capital LLC boosted its stake in shares of Delta Air Lines by 1,016.0% during the third quarter. SWAN Capital LLC now owns 558 shares of the transportation company’s stock valued at $32,000 after purchasing an additional 508 shares during the period. Finally, Camelot Portfolios LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Delta Air Lines during the fourth quarter valued at $34,000. 69.93% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.
Key Delta Air Lines News
Here are the key news stories impacting Delta Air Lines this week:
- Positive Sentiment: Q1 results beat expectations — revenue and EPS surprised to the upside, which was cited as the main trigger for the relief rally in DAL shares. Delta (NYSE:DAL) Exceeds Q1 CY2026 Expectations, Stock Jumps 11.8%
- Positive Sentiment: Broker upgrades and higher price targets are piling up (UBS raised its target to $86, TD Cowen/Argus/Raymond James raised theirs), supporting bullish sentiment and providing analyst cover for further gains. Delta Air Lines (NYSE:DAL) Given New $86.00 Price Target at UBS Group
- Positive Sentiment: Geopolitical news (a U.S.–Iran ceasefire) pushed oil down, lifting airline multiples and reversing some immediate pressure on margins — a market tailwind that amplified the stock’s move. Stock Market Rally Revs Higher On Iran Ceasefire; Amazon, AI Names In Focus: Weekly Review
- Neutral Sentiment: Short interest jumped ~45% between Mar. 15 and Mar. 31 to ~23.97M shares (3.7% short), raising trading volatility risk and signaling increased bearish positioning or hedging activity.
- Neutral Sentiment: Unusual options activity has been noted on DAL, which can amplify intraday moves and skew implied volatility. Delta Air Lines Target of Unusually High Options Trading (NYSE:DAL)
- Negative Sentiment: Q2 guidance and fuel outlook weigh on fundamentals — Delta warned of roughly $2B of incremental fuel costs for the quarter, gave EPS guidance (Q2) well below consensus ( $1.00–$1.50 vs ~ $2.09 ), and said it will cut capacity and raise certain fees to offset costs. That guidance cap and $2B headwind are key reasons for caution. Delta’s Double Miss Is a Warning for Airline Stocks
- Negative Sentiment: Operational adjustments: Delta announced reduced flights and new fees as part of its response to the fuel shock — actions that help margins but may slow growth/PR and could cap upside if demand softens. Delta Air Lines is reducing flights and raising fees as it combats fuel shock. Here’s why the stock is up anyway
Delta Air Lines Company Profile
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.
Further Reading
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