Delta Air Lines, Inc. (NYSE:DAL) Receives Consensus Recommendation of “Buy” from Analysts

Shares of Delta Air Lines, Inc. (NYSE:DAL) have been given a consensus rating of “Buy” by the twenty-four ratings firms that are covering the firm, Marketbeat Ratings reports. Twenty-three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a buy recommendation and one has assigned a strong buy recommendation to the company. The average 12 month price objective among brokers that have covered the stock in the last year is $77.7792.

DAL has been the topic of a number of recent research reports. Wall Street Zen lowered Delta Air Lines from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Friday, November 28th. Argus set a $80.00 price objective on shares of Delta Air Lines in a research note on Wednesday. Wells Fargo & Company set a $87.00 target price on shares of Delta Air Lines in a research note on Thursday, December 18th. Jefferies Financial Group dropped their price target on shares of Delta Air Lines from $74.00 to $72.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, December 2nd. Finally, HSBC raised their price objective on shares of Delta Air Lines from $69.20 to $73.70 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, October 10th.

Delta Air Lines Stock Down 1.2%

Shares of NYSE:DAL opened at $68.47 on Thursday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.60, a current ratio of 0.40 and a quick ratio of 0.34. The stock has a market cap of $44.71 billion, a P/E ratio of 8.93, a P/E/G ratio of 1.12 and a beta of 1.38. Delta Air Lines has a 1-year low of $34.74 and a 1-year high of $73.16. The firm has a fifty day moving average price of $66.23 and a 200 day moving average price of $60.54.

Delta Air Lines (NYSE:DAL) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, January 13th. The transportation company reported $1.55 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.53 by $0.02. The business had revenue of $14.61 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $15.80 billion. Delta Air Lines had a net margin of 7.90% and a return on equity of 20.99%. The business’s quarterly revenue was up 2.9% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $1.85 earnings per share. Delta Air Lines has set its Q1 2026 guidance at 0.500-0.900 EPS and its FY 2026 guidance at 6.500-7.500 EPS. Sell-side analysts predict that Delta Air Lines will post 7.63 EPS for the current year.

Key Headlines Impacting Delta Air Lines

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

• Positive Sentiment: Multiple analysts reaffirmed Buy ratings and raised upside targets, supporting longer-term upside despite the near-term selloff. Delta Air Lines: Diversified Growth, Margin Expansion, and Strong Free Cash Flow Support Buy Rating and Potential Valuation Re‑Rating
• Positive Sentiment: Delta ordered Boeing 787-10 Dreamliners (30 firm, options for more), a strategic fleet modernization that should lower unit costs and expand long-haul capacity over time. Delta is buying Boeing 787s for the first time. Here’s why United and American may feel the pressure.
• Positive Sentiment: Management highlighted record free cash flow and debt reduction, which underpin potential higher capital returns (dividend/ buybacks) over the next few quarters. Delta Hit Turbulence in Q4—Now Comes the Opportunity
• Positive Sentiment: Industry tailwinds could improve margins — Jefferies notes that popular new weight-loss drugs could lower average passenger weights and meaningfully cut fuel burn. Airlines to save big money on fuel as new weight-loss pills gain popularity, Wall Street says
• Positive Sentiment: CEO Ed Bastian says Delta is addressing lounge overcrowding and adding capacity to support premium customers, reinforcing the premiumization strategy management is pushing. Delta Airlines CEO: We’re working on adding more lounges
• Neutral Sentiment: Delta received ESG recognition (CDP double “A” for climate and water), which is positive for institutional sentiment but unlikely to move the stock materially in the near term. Delta Recognized by CDP with Double “A” Leadership Rating for Climate Change and Water Security for the Fifth Time
• Negative Sentiment: Revenue missed expectations (Q4 revenue below consensus), and that shortfall was the primary trigger for the selloff as investors focused on top-line softness. Delta’s stock takes a hit as revenue falls more than feared in wake of shutdown
• Negative Sentiment: Management’s near-term guidance was viewed as cautious by some investors (Q1 and FY2026 ranges), prompting profit-taking despite a constructive multi-year outlook. Delta forecasts 20% jump in 2026 profits, orders first Boeing Dreamliners
• Negative Sentiment: One-off factors (a government shutdown) dented December demand and contributed to investor concern about near-term revenue volatility. Delta reports mixed Q4 earnings, revenue miss weighs on shares

Insider Activity at Delta Air Lines

In related news, EVP John E. Laughter sold 23,323 shares of Delta Air Lines 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 sale, the executive vice president directly owned 81,109 shares in the company, valued at $5,055,523.97. The trade was a 22.33% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. 0.88% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Delta Air Lines

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the business. First Financial Bank Trust Division boosted its stake in shares of 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 worth $328,000 after purchasing an additional 150 shares during the last quarter. JFS Wealth Advisors LLC lifted its stake in shares of Delta Air Lines by 25.4% during the fourth quarter. JFS Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 794 shares of the transportation company’s stock valued at $55,000 after buying an additional 161 shares during the period. Private Trust Co. NA boosted its position in Delta Air Lines by 3.3% during the third quarter. Private Trust Co. NA now owns 5,493 shares of the transportation company’s stock worth $312,000 after acquiring an additional 174 shares during the last quarter. HBK Sorce Advisory LLC grew its stake in Delta Air Lines by 3.2% in the 3rd quarter. HBK Sorce Advisory LLC now owns 5,871 shares of the transportation company’s stock worth $362,000 after acquiring an additional 181 shares during the period. Finally, Kaufman Rossin Wealth LLC raised its holdings in Delta Air Lines by 2.2% in the 4th quarter. Kaufman Rossin Wealth LLC now owns 8,593 shares of the transportation company’s stock valued at $596,000 after acquiring an additional 182 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 69.93% of the company’s stock.

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.