Delta Air Lines, Inc. (NYSE:DAL) Given Average Recommendation of “Moderate Buy” by Brokerages

Delta Air Lines, Inc. (NYSE:DAL) has been given an average rating of “Moderate Buy” by the twenty-five research firms that are covering the firm, MarketBeat Ratings reports. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, one has assigned a hold rating, twenty-two have given a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating on the company. The average 12-month target price among brokerages that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $78.8417.

A number of research analysts have recently weighed in on the company. Bank of America cut their price objective on Delta Air Lines from $80.00 to $78.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday. Seaport Research Partners increased their price target on Delta Air Lines from $80.00 to $89.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, January 9th. Argus set a $80.00 price target on Delta Air Lines in a report on Wednesday, January 14th. The Goldman Sachs Group lifted their price objective on Delta Air Lines from $77.00 to $80.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Wednesday, January 14th. Finally, HSBC upped their price objective on Delta Air Lines from $73.70 to $80.20 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, January 14th.

Delta Air Lines Price Performance

DAL stock opened at $66.77 on Tuesday. Delta Air Lines has a one year low of $34.74 and a one year high of $76.39. The company’s fifty day moving average price is $66.50 and its 200-day moving average price is $64.57. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.60, a quick ratio of 0.34 and a current ratio of 0.40. The company has a market capitalization of $43.61 billion, a PE ratio of 8.71, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.72 and a beta of 1.31.

Delta Air Lines (NYSE:DAL) last posted its earnings results on Tuesday, January 13th. The transportation company reported $1.55 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.53 by $0.02. The company had revenue of $14.61 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $15.80 billion. Delta Air Lines had a net margin of 7.90% and a return on equity of 20.96%. Delta Air Lines’s quarterly revenue was up 2.9% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the company posted $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. On average, equities analysts anticipate that Delta Air Lines will post 7.63 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Delta Air Lines Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, March 19th. Investors of record on Thursday, February 26th were paid a dividend of $0.1875 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, February 26th. This represents a $0.75 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.1%. Delta Air Lines’s dividend payout ratio is presently 9.78%.

Delta Air Lines News Roundup

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

• Positive Sentiment: Goldman Sachs remains bullish and keeps a buy rating on DAL, providing support from a major sell‑side name. Goldman Sachs Sticks to Their Buy Rating for Delta Air Lines (DAL)
• Positive Sentiment: Delta struck a long-term deal with Amazon’s Project Leo to bring high-speed, free LEO satellite Wi‑Fi to 500 aircraft starting in 2028 — a revenue/loyalty and customer‑experience positive that differentiates Delta’s product. Delta Picks Bezos Over Musk For Satellite Wi‑Fi
• Positive Sentiment: Several firms still see upside despite trims — Susquehanna maintains a “positive” rating with a lowered $81 PT and TD Cowen keeps a buy rating at $76 — providing some analyst conviction under the shares. Susquehanna Adjusts Price Target on Delta
• Neutral Sentiment: Q1 preview/estimates: multiple previews highlight April 8 earnings as the key near‑term event (Zacks/Yahoo). Analysts expect revenue in the ~$15.0–15.3B range and mixed views on EPS; results and commentary on fares, capacity and fuel pass‑through will drive short‑term moves. Unlocking Q1 Potential of Delta (DAL)
• Neutral Sentiment: Delta has outperformed some peers recently (notably amid Middle East tensions), which supports relative strength but doesn’t remove macro and fuel risk. Delta Air Lines stock price analysis and earnings preview
• Negative Sentiment: Rising jet fuel: UBS and other analysts warn that nearly doubled jet fuel in March will pressure margins unless Delta can recapture costs via fares/fees — a clear near‑term earnings headwind. Airlines brace for fuel shock as UBS sees revenue recovery as key earnings driver
• Negative Sentiment: Operational disruption risk: CEO Ed Bastian publicly criticized Congress over TSA staffing shortages tied to the partial shutdown — longer security lines and delays could dent near‑term revenue and raise costs. Delta CEO Ed Bastian blasts Congress
• Negative Sentiment: Mixed/softer analyst outlooks and target trims: several shops (Raymond James, TD Cowen moves, a Bank of America pessimistic note) have trimmed targets or flagged downside, and there are reports of insider selling — putting pressure on sentiment ahead of earnings. Delta Air Lines Price Target Actions

Insider Buying and Selling at Delta Air Lines

In other news, EVP Rahul D. Samant sold 62,528 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, February 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $70.18, for a total transaction of $4,388,215.04. Following the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 20,939 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,469,499.02. This represents a 74.91% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, CEO Edward H. Bastian sold 173,230 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Thursday, January 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $71.00, for a total transaction of $12,299,330.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer directly owned 632,823 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $44,930,433. The trade was a 21.49% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Insiders have sold 620,550 shares of company stock valued at $44,127,667 over the last ninety days. Corporate insiders own 0.88% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Delta Air Lines

Several large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Brighton Jones LLC raised its holdings in Delta Air Lines by 33.5% during the 4th quarter. Brighton Jones LLC now owns 9,174 shares of the transportation company’s stock valued at $555,000 after buying an additional 2,302 shares during the period. Acadian Asset Management LLC purchased a new position in Delta Air Lines during the first quarter worth $178,000. Sivia Capital Partners LLC purchased a new position in Delta Air Lines during the second quarter worth $555,000. Advisors Asset Management Inc. increased its position in Delta Air Lines by 9.5% during the second quarter. Advisors Asset Management Inc. now owns 16,040 shares of the transportation company’s stock valued at $789,000 after acquiring an additional 1,396 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Quadrant Capital Group LLC increased its position in Delta Air Lines by 12.8% during the second quarter. Quadrant Capital Group LLC now owns 16,028 shares of the transportation company’s stock valued at $788,000 after acquiring an additional 1,821 shares during the last quarter. 69.93% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

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.