Delta Air Lines (NYSE:DAL – Free Report) had its price objective upped by Argus from $80.00 to $85.00 in a report published on Thursday morning,MarketScreener reports. They currently have a buy rating on the transportation company’s stock.
DAL has been the subject of a number of other research reports. The Goldman Sachs Group upped their price objective on shares of Delta Air Lines from $77.00 to $80.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Wednesday, January 14th. Seaport Research Partners upped their price objective 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. Barclays upped their price objective on shares of Delta Air Lines from $65.00 to $85.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Monday, January 12th. Weiss Ratings cut shares of Delta Air Lines from a “buy (b-)” rating to a “hold (c+)” rating in a research note on Friday, March 6th. Finally, UBS Group upped their price objective on shares of Delta Air Lines from $83.00 to $84.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Monday, March 23rd. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-three have given a Buy rating, one has given a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $79.14.
View Our Latest Research Report on Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines Price Performance
Delta Air Lines (NYSE:DAL – Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, April 8th. The transportation company reported $0.64 EPS for the quarter, topping 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 business had revenue of $14.20 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $14.05 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company earned $0.46 EPS. The business’s quarterly revenue was up 9.4% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, analysts predict that Delta Air Lines will post 7.63 EPS for the current fiscal year.
Delta Air Lines Dividend Announcement
The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, March 19th. Investors of record on Thursday, February 26th were issued a dividend of $0.1875 per share. This represents a $0.75 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.1%. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, February 26th. Delta Air Lines’s dividend payout ratio is currently 10.93%.
Insider Activity at Delta Air Lines
In related news, EVP Alain Bellemare sold 35,212 shares of the company’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 completion of the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 138,176 shares in the company, valued at $10,390,835.20. This represents a 20.31% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. Also, CEO Edward H. Bastian sold 100,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, February 26th. The shares were sold at an average price of $70.26, for a total transaction of $7,026,000.00. Following the sale, the chief executive officer owned 1,363,448 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $95,795,856.48. This represents a 6.83% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders sold a total of 620,550 shares of company stock worth $44,127,667 over the last ninety days. Insiders own 0.88% of the company’s stock.
Institutional Investors Weigh In On Delta Air Lines
A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. IFM Investors Pty Ltd raised its holdings in Delta Air Lines by 0.5% during the 4th quarter. IFM Investors Pty Ltd now owns 28,167 shares of the transportation company’s stock valued at $1,955,000 after buying an additional 144 shares during the last quarter. Utah Retirement Systems raised its holdings in Delta Air Lines by 0.3% during the 4th quarter. Utah Retirement Systems now owns 52,620 shares of the transportation company’s stock valued at $3,652,000 after buying an additional 144 shares during the last quarter. First Financial Bank Trust Division raised its holdings in Delta Air Lines by 3.3% during the 4th quarter. First Financial Bank Trust Division now owns 4,721 shares of the transportation company’s stock valued at $328,000 after buying an additional 150 shares during the last quarter. HBK Sorce Advisory LLC raised its holdings in Delta Air Lines by 2.6% during the 4th quarter. HBK Sorce Advisory LLC now owns 6,022 shares of the transportation company’s stock valued at $454,000 after buying an additional 151 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Larson Financial Group LLC raised its holdings in Delta Air Lines by 2.4% during the 4th quarter. Larson Financial Group LLC now owns 6,472 shares of the transportation company’s stock valued at $449,000 after buying an additional 152 shares during the last quarter. 69.93% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.
More 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
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.
Further Reading
Receive News & Ratings for Delta Air Lines Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Delta Air Lines and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter.
