TD Cowen Forecasts Strong Price Appreciation for United Airlines (NASDAQ:UAL) Stock

United Airlines (NASDAQ:UAL) had its price objective raised by research analysts at TD Cowen from $138.00 to $140.00 in a note issued to investors on Thursday,Benzinga reports. The brokerage presently has a “buy” rating on the transportation company’s stock. TD Cowen’s target price would indicate a potential upside of 29.94% from the company’s previous close.

Several other analysts also recently weighed in on the company. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their target price on United Airlines from $149.00 to $156.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Monday, October 20th. Argus dropped their price target on United Airlines from $140.00 to $135.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday. UBS Group increased their price objective on United Airlines from $145.00 to $147.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday. Barclays raised their price objective on shares of United Airlines from $135.00 to $150.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Monday, January 12th. Finally, Wall Street Zen lowered shares of United Airlines from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Saturday, November 8th. Fifteen analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have assigned a Hold rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, United Airlines has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $135.97.

United Airlines Stock Performance

NASDAQ:UAL opened at $107.74 on Thursday. The firm has a market capitalization of $34.88 billion, a PE ratio of 10.54, a PEG ratio of 0.66 and a beta of 1.31. United Airlines has a 1 year low of $52.00 and a 1 year high of $119.21. The company has a current ratio of 0.65, a quick ratio of 0.61 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.35. The firm’s fifty day simple moving average is $108.09 and its 200 day simple moving average is $101.02.

United Airlines (NASDAQ:UAL) last released its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, January 20th. The transportation company reported $3.10 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.97 by $0.13. The company had revenue of $15.40 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $15.35 billion. United Airlines had a net margin of 5.68% and a return on equity of 25.13%. The business’s quarterly revenue was up 4.8% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the company earned $3.26 earnings per share. United Airlines has set its Q1 2026 guidance at 1.000-1.500 EPS and its FY 2026 guidance at 12.000-14.000 EPS. On average, sell-side analysts anticipate that United Airlines will post 12.96 EPS for the current year.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other United Airlines news, CEO J Scott Kirby sold 120,000 shares of United Airlines stock in a transaction on Wednesday, December 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $107.86, for a total transaction of $12,943,200.00. Following the sale, the chief executive officer owned 666,535 shares in the company, valued at $71,892,465.10. The trade was a 15.26% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. 0.71% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On United Airlines

A number of hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in UAL. Bison Wealth LLC acquired a new stake in shares of United Airlines during the fourth quarter worth approximately $246,000. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. boosted its holdings in shares of United Airlines by 24.0% in the 1st quarter. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. now owns 39,872 shares of the transportation company’s stock worth $2,753,000 after acquiring an additional 7,713 shares in the last quarter. Focus Partners Wealth grew its position in United Airlines by 92.7% during the 1st quarter. Focus Partners Wealth now owns 12,349 shares of the transportation company’s stock worth $853,000 after acquiring an additional 5,939 shares during the last quarter. Sowell Financial Services LLC grew its position in United Airlines by 5.9% during the 2nd quarter. Sowell Financial Services LLC now owns 8,405 shares of the transportation company’s stock worth $669,000 after acquiring an additional 470 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Park Avenue Securities LLC increased its holdings in United Airlines by 118.7% during the 2nd quarter. Park Avenue Securities LLC now owns 17,469 shares of the transportation company’s stock valued at $1,391,000 after purchasing an additional 9,483 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 69.69% of the company’s stock.

Key Stories Impacting United Airlines

Here are the key news stories impacting United Airlines this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q4 results beat expectations: UAL reported $3.10 EPS and record revenue of $15.4B, plus guidance for FY‑2026 EPS of $12.00–$14.00 — data investors see as proof of resilient premium and corporate travel demand. UAL Stock Taking Flight After Earnings Confirm Strong Demand
• Positive Sentiment: Business travel rebound: Management and coverage highlight strong corporate/business travel returns, which support higher-yield revenue and margin recovery. Business Travel Is Back—United Airlines Says Demand Is ‘Amazing’
• Positive Sentiment: Loyalty revenue growth: Loyalty revenue rose ~10% in Q4 and ~9% for the year, a durable, high-margin stream that underpins forward EPS power. United Airlines Distinguishes Between Loyalty, Rewards Programs
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst support: Several analysts raised price targets (e.g., TD Cowen to $140; Goldman raised its UAL target earlier), which lends conviction to upside estimates and likely supported recent buying. Benzinga (analyst target coverage)
• Neutral Sentiment: Industry context — MarketBeat notes Delta and United earnings suggest the sector may be good value, but airlines still face elevated operating costs and staffing issues; this is constructive long-term but mixed near‑term. Delta and United Earnings Point to Less Turbulence Ahead
• Neutral Sentiment: Minor analyst downgrades/target trims: Some houses trimmed targets slightly (Argus $140→$135) but maintained Buy ratings — reduces near-term enthusiasm but still implies material upside. UAL price target lowered at Argus
• Negative Sentiment: Government‑shutdown drag: Analysts and filings cite a roughly $250M hit to Q4 results and broader FAA disruption that pressured operations — a clear headwind to near‑term profitability and guidance credibility. United Airlines: Still Waiting For A Rerating
• Negative Sentiment: Goldman cuts industry outlook: Broader industry outlook was trimmed as the shutdown effects linger, which can pressure sentiment for all major carriers including UAL. Goldman Sachs Cuts Industry Outlook as Government Shutdown Drags on United Airlines’ Q4 Earnings Expectations
• Negative Sentiment: Operational/PR noise: Viral footage of an angry passenger and an escalating competitive battle at Chicago O’Hare add short-term reputational/competitive risk that can trigger volatility or investor caution. This video of an angry United Airlines passenger shows how competitive boarding a plane is now

United Airlines Company Profile

United Airlines Holdings, Inc operates United Airlines, a major U.S. full-service passenger carrier providing scheduled air transportation for passengers and cargo. The company offers a comprehensive route network that covers domestic markets across the United States as well as extensive international service to Europe, Asia, Latin America, and the Pacific. United operates a mixed fleet of narrow- and wide-body aircraft on point-to-point and hub-and-spoke routes, and supports corporate and leisure travel through offerings such as premium cabins, basic economy, and ancillary services including baggage, seat selection and in-flight amenities.

In addition to passenger operations, United provides cargo services through United Cargo, handling freight, mail and specialized shipments.