50% off Premium Yearly
Delta Air Lines IncDALPAST TOP PICKNov 04, 2024Stock price when the opinion was issued
As of Oct 16, 2026. Market Open.
He has avoided the boom-and-bust airline stocks for years. But the top airlines, recently, have become more durable. Loyal customers pay for the best seats at the front of the plane. DAL today reported small earnings and revenue misses and slashed their full-year earnings forecast by 24%. But shares turned positive anyway, because Wall Street saw this coming. But DAL guided for a higher than expected revenue growth. They're punished on their profits from high fuel costs, but demand for flights remains strong. DAL has generated enough revenue from first class and business class sales to offset those fuel costs. Also, they outsource their maintenance business which DAL thinks they can more than double in coming years. DAL leads peers in on-time arrivals and departures which is why premium customers will pay up.
US airline passengers volumes have finally returned to pre-Covid levels (vs. 16 months after 9/11, and 19 months after the 2008 crisis). UAL just announced a beat and strong guidance; UAL said the price wars are over, so this has lifted the entire airline industry. DAL just announced 7 new destinations to Europe and increases flights on some routes, like Atlanta to Barcelona.