Zacks Research upgraded shares of Delta Air Lines (NYSE:DAL – Free Report) from a strong sell rating to a hold rating in a research report sent to investors on Wednesday,Zacks.com reports.
Several other research firms have also issued reports on DAL. Weiss Ratings lowered shares of Delta Air Lines from a “buy (b-)” rating to a “hold (c+)” rating in a research report on Friday, March 6th. Bank of America decreased their price objective on shares of Delta Air Lines from $80.00 to $78.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, April 1st. Rothschild & Co Redburn lowered their price objective on shares of Delta Air Lines from $72.00 to $70.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, March 5th. Citigroup upped their target price on shares of Delta Air Lines from $77.00 to $79.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday, April 9th. Finally, UBS Group raised their target price on shares of Delta Air Lines from $84.00 to $86.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Thursday, April 9th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-three have issued a Buy rating and two have assigned a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $79.26.
View Our Latest Analysis on Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines Stock Up 2.6%
Delta Air Lines (NYSE:DAL – Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, April 8th. The transportation company reported $0.64 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.61 by $0.03. The company had revenue of $14.20 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $14.05 billion. Delta Air Lines had a return on equity of 20.28% and a net margin of 6.87%.The business’s revenue was up 9.4% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business posted $0.46 EPS. Analysts anticipate that Delta Air Lines will post 7.63 EPS for the current fiscal year.
Delta Air Lines Dividend Announcement
The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, March 19th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, February 26th were given a dividend of $0.1875 per share. This represents a $0.75 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.0%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, February 26th. Delta Air Lines’s payout ratio is 10.93%.
Insider Transactions at Delta Air Lines
In other news, CEO Edward H. Bastian sold 100,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Thursday, February 26th. The shares were sold at an average price of $70.26, for a total value of $7,026,000.00. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer directly 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 sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Also, EVP Rahul D. Samant sold 62,528 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, February 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $70.18, for a total transaction of $4,388,215.04. Following the sale, the executive vice president owned 20,939 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,469,499.02. This represents a 74.91% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Over the last 90 days, insiders sold 353,611 shares of company stock valued at $25,182,798. Corporate insiders own 0.88% of the company’s stock.
Institutional Investors Weigh In On Delta Air Lines
Several hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of DAL. Wellington Management Group LLP increased its stake in shares of Delta Air Lines by 137.4% during the fourth quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 13,811,787 shares of the transportation company’s stock worth $958,538,000 after purchasing an additional 7,994,004 shares during the period. Life Cycle Investment Partners Ltd acquired a new stake in Delta Air Lines during the 4th quarter worth approximately $471,532,000. Pacer Advisors Inc. boosted its stake in Delta Air Lines by 1,579.2% in the 4th quarter. Pacer Advisors Inc. now owns 2,673,400 shares of the transportation company’s stock valued at $185,534,000 after purchasing an additional 2,514,193 shares during the period. AQR Capital Management LLC boosted its stake in Delta Air Lines by 44.3% in the 4th quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 6,155,776 shares of the transportation company’s stock valued at $426,441,000 after purchasing an additional 1,890,521 shares during the period. Finally, Bank of New York Mellon Corp grew its holdings in Delta Air Lines by 23.9% in the 4th quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 9,496,296 shares of the transportation company’s stock valued at $659,043,000 after buying an additional 1,834,385 shares in the last quarter. 69.93% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.
Trending Headlines about Delta Air Lines
Here are the key news stories impacting Delta Air Lines this week:
- Positive Sentiment: Fuel relief from Strait of Hormuz comments — Iran said the Strait of Hormuz will remain open, triggering a steep drop in crude (WTI and Brent) and easing near‑term jet‑fuel cost pressure for airlines, which lifted Delta shares. Read More.
- Positive Sentiment: Analyst upgrades and higher targets after Q1 — Several brokers have raised price targets and maintained buy ratings following Delta’s better‑than‑expected Q1 results and favorable commentary on premium and loyalty revenue, supporting upside sentiment. Read More.
- Neutral Sentiment: Zacks moves rating to Hold — Zacks upgraded DAL from “strong sell” to “hold,” which is mild support but not a strong buy signal. Read More.
- Neutral Sentiment: Industry M&A chatter — Ongoing discussion about consolidation among U.S. carriers (United/American rumors) can rotate investor flows across names; Delta may benefit as a standalone leader but the direct impact is indirect. Read More.
- Negative Sentiment: Insider selling disclosed — EVP John Laughter sold ~15,000 shares (SEC filing), which can spook some investors even if sales are for diversification or liquidity. Read More.
- Negative Sentiment: Sector risk from Spirit distress — Reports of rising bankruptcy/liquidation risk at Spirit Airlines are weighing on sector sentiment and could create volatility for peers, including Delta. Read More.
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
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