United Airlines Analysts Remain Bullish As Revenue Exceeds Estimates

Shivani Kumaresan

January 22, 2025

United Airlines Holdings Inc (NASDAQ:UAL) reported fourth-quarter earnings after the market closed on Tuesday. The following are the comments from different analysts regarding the company’s report.

Goldman Sachs analyst Catherine O'Brien maintained a $125 price forecast on the stock, based on a normalized EBITDAR
valuation methodology applying a 4.9x EV/EBITDAR multiple to a normalized EBITDAR estimate of $12.8 billion.

United reported an adjusted EPS of $3.26 for the December quarter, surpassing both FactSet consensus ($3.03) and its own guidance range ($2.50 to $3).

This outperformance was driven by stronger-than-expected revenue, with unit revenue (RASM) rising 1.6%, ahead of the expected 0.2%. The company also set its 2025 EPS guidance at $11.50 to $13.50, slightly below the consensus estimate of $12.78.

According to the analyst, investor focus was expected to be on the revenue assumptions behind the 2025 EPS guidance, as year-over-year comparisons would be easier later in the year than in the March quarter.

Raymond James analyst Savanthi Syth reiterated an Outperform rating on the air carrier’s shares.

Like Delta Air Lines Inc (NYSE:DAL), United’s fourth-quarter 2024 earnings and first-quarter 2025 guidance exceeded expectations, though the latter followed a significant rise in fuel prices, said the analyst.

Importantly, year-over-year RASM for international routes was positive in the fourth-quarter 2024 and United anticipated domestic year-over-year RASM to turn notably positive in first-quarter 2025, alongside continued growth in international RASM, noted the analyst.

The 2025 EPS forecast of $11.50-$13.50 compared to analyst’s and consensus projections of $12 and $12.80, respectively, aligning with buy-side expectations of $12-$14 before the recent fuel price hike.

Bank of America analyst Andrew Didora maintained a Buy rating on the shares and said United’s fourth-quarter FY24 EPS of $3.26, exceeded its guidance of $2.50-$3 and the consensus estimate of $3.04, though slightly under the analyst’s forecast of $3.34 due to higher fuel and unit costs.

Despite a nearly 8% increase in fuel prices, year-to-date concerns that United might guide below consensus were alleviated by strong revenue trends, noted the analyst.

The analyst considered United’s 2025 EPS guidance of $11.50-$13.50 to be quite reasonable, compared to the Street's estimate of $12.77.

The analyst believed the company’s current outlook reflected a balanced approach to both jet fuel costs and revenue trends and anticipated consensus estimates would rise following this outlook.

The growth in premium revenue, recovery in corporate travel and robust transatlantic sales contributed to a 7.8% increase in total fourth quarter 2024 revenue, said the analyst.

UAL Price Action: United shares are trading down by 1.03% at $109.38 at publication Wednesday.

Recommended

The Smart Money Copper Trade - Ad

$270,000 Drug. One Competitor. Billion-Dollar Market. - Ad

Popular

Velo3D Stock Soars After Q3 Earnings: Highlights From The Report

Shares of Velo3D, Inc. (NASDAQ:VELO) are rising Tuesday after the metal 3D printing company reported third-quarter earnings results.

December Social Security Payments Might Come Early — But There's a Catch

The Social Security Administration is altering its payment schedule for December.

The $43B Big Pharma Story is Starting Over-With a New Player

The $43B Big Pharma Story is Starting Over-With a New Player - Ad

Big Pharma once paid $43B for a small biotech with a similar platform. Now, a new company is following that same playbook, leveraging its patented delivery technology to attract partnerships and near-term revenue potential.

Trump attacks ABC News correspondent Mary Bruce in angry response to three sharp questions

NEW YORK (AP) — President Donald Trump denounced ABC News' Mary Bruce as a “terrible reporter” Tuesday and threatened the network's license to broadcast after she asked him three sharp questions at the White House.

US air travelers without REAL IDs will be charged a $45 fee

Air travelers in the U.S. without a will be charged a $45 fee beginning in February, the Transportation Security Administration announced Monday.

Weiss Gold Veteran Makes Shocking New Call

Weiss Gold Veteran Makes Shocking New Call - Ad

Weiss expert Sean Brodrick went out on a limb last year and declared a historic event would send the yellow metal to $3,150. People laughed at him at the time, but he was off by just two days. Now, Sean has a shocking new prediction for gold ... and reveals a little-known way to get ahead of this bull market.

Trump-Pardoned Ponzi Schemer Faces 37-Year Sentence For $44 Million COVID Scam

A previously convicted Ponzi schemer who had received a pardon from President Trump is heading back to prison due to involvement in a new fraudulent scheme.

Lawsuit challenges TSA's ban on transgender officers conducting pat-downs

A Virginia transportation security officer is accusing the U.S. Department of Homeland Security of sex discrimination over a policy that bars transgender officers from performing security screening pat-downs, according to a federal lawsuit.

Trump Signs Law to Launch Dollar 2.0

Trump Signs Law to Launch Dollar 2.0 - Ad

Trump just signed law S.1582, unleashing the biggest money shift in 100+ years. For the first time since 1913, private firms - not the Fed - can mint a "Dollar 2.0." Treasury says it could drain $6.6T from banks and pay 10X current savings rates. Early investors in minting firms could see 40X returns by 2032.

Silver Soars To Record Highs: It's Up 95% In 2025, The Best Year Since 1979

Silver prices surge over 5% as investors rush to secure metal amid tight supplies and global shortage concerns, driving up stocks and mining equities.

Donald Trump Administration's Unprecedented Investment In Private Firms Raises Eyebrows

President Trump administration has invested over $10 billion of taxpayer funds in private companies deemed crucial to national security.

The Next Biggest Bull Run In Over 50 Years

The Next Biggest Bull Run In Over 50 Years - Ad

Gold has hit all-time highs, breaking $4,000 an ounce - but history shows it could be on the verge of its biggest bull run in over half a century... triggered by a likely major event, eerily similar to what happened in the 1970s. (It's NOT inflation or anything you're likely expecting.) Now, a top analyst says you can capture ALL of the upside without touching a risky miner or a boring exchange-traded fund. He sees extraordinary potential gains long term with very little risk.

Trump Bars South Africa From 2026 G20 Summit In Florida, Freezes Aid Over 'White Genocide'

President Donald Trump directed that South Africa will not be invited to the 2026 G20 Summit in Miami, Florida. He also declared that all U.S. payments and subsidies to the country would be immediately suspended.

Iran confirms seizure of oil tanker in the Strait of Hormuz

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Iran on Saturday confirmed as it traveled through the narrow Strait of Hormuz over violations including carrying an illegal consignment, state media reported.

Copper Is Tight, Silver Is Rising - And This Early Nevada Play Hits the Timing Perfectly

Copper Is Tight, Silver Is Rising - And This Early Nevada Play Hits the Timing Perfectly - Ad

AI, electrification, battery storage, and data centers are pushing copper and silver demand sharply higher, even as supply stays tight. This region in Nevada offers rare multi-metal potential, and a new company has secured land in a district the surging district. It's one of the cleanest timing setups in the sector right now.

Nvidia, Dell, Coinbase, Gorilla Technology And Archer Aviation: Why These 5 Stocks Are On Investors' Radars Today

U.S. stocks closed lower on Monday, with the Dow slipping 1.2% to 46,590.24, the S&P 500 easing 0.92% to 6,672.41, and the Nasdaq dipping 0.84% to 22,708.07. These are the top stocks that gained the attention of retail traders and investors through the day:

Why Is Occidental Petroleum Stock Gaining Tuesday?

Analysts highlight OXY's robust earnings, production guidance, and expanded resource base as key growth drivers.

Is This Nvidia's Next Big Invention?

Is This Nvidia's Next Big Invention? - Ad

Nvidia helped trigger a historic AI boom that minted 600,000 millionaires in America. It's now working on a new tech that could be even bigger than AI. According to Bank of America, "this [technology] could be the biggest revolution for humanity since discovering fire."

Zohran Mamdani Says No More Thanking Veterans Today, Forgetting Tomorrow — Trump, Obama And Others Express Gratitude For Service

America's top political and tech leaders — including Donald Trump, Barack Obama, Tim Cook, and Sundar Pichai — marked Veterans Day 2025 with tributes honoring the courage and sacrifice of U.S. service members.

Air travelers face frustration as FAA's further drop in flights takes effect

Air travelers could face as busy U.S. airports need to meet a higher Federal Aviation Administration target for reducing flights Tuesday after already canceling thousands to scale back demands on the nation’s aviation system during the .

Legally "Skim" $6,361 Into Your Account?

Legally "Skim" $6,361 Into Your Account? - Ad

A former hedge fund manager is now sharing his "Skim Codes" with regular people. They're not stocks. They're not crypto. They're 18-character codes designed to profit from recent market conditions. All you have to do is punch them into an ordinary brokerage account. 84% of these codes have given people the chance to generate cash payouts so far... and his next code is going out any day now.

Trump's $2,000 Tariff Dividend Stumbles On Math: Cost Far Exceeds Revenue

Trump's $2,000 tariff rebate plan faces a major math gap, with estimated costs up to $606.8B—far exceeding tariff revenues in 2025 and 2026, says the Tax Foundation.

US Senate Discloses Landmark Crypto Market Structure Bill, Eyes Passage By Late 2025

Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) is holding steady near $105,000 as markets digest the Senate's long-awaited crypto market structure bill draft, a major milestone toward regulatory clarity

The Smart Money Copper Trade

The Smart Money Copper Trade - Ad

Quebec discovery. Strong grades. Roads and hydro in place. Funding secured for a busy drill calendar. Each assay can build scale and tighten the window for early entries as EVs and data centers pull harder on copper. Do not wait.

White House's 50-year mortgage proposal has one notable benefit but a number of drawbacks

NEW YORK (AP) — The White House says it is considering backing a 50-year mortgage to help alleviate the home affordability crisis in the country. But the announcement drew immediate criticism from policymakers, social media and economists, who said a 50-year mortgage would do little to resolve other core problems in the housing market, such as a lack of supply and high interest rates.

In Trump-dominated media world, editing video takes on new significance — as BBC uproar shows

In the space of a few months, one of the more straightforward journalistic tasks — editing tape for broadcast — has been behind a $16 million legal settlement, a network's change in how it offers interviews on a news show and, now, the resignation of two top leaders at the BBC.

The Smart Money Copper Trade

The Smart Money Copper Trade - Ad

Only one lines up grade, scale potential, and Quebec power like this. Insider alignment is real. Stepouts are opening new zones. With EVs and grid buildouts rising, this could be the timely copper idea you have been waiting for.

Swiss voters reject mandatory national service for women and new inheritance tax

GENEVA (AP) — Swiss voters on Sunday decisively rejected a call to require women to do national service in the military, civil protection teams or other forms, as all men must do already.

New York advances casinos at a Bronx golf course and near Mets stadium

NEW YORK (AP) — Casinos proposed for a golf course in the Bronx and next to the New York Mets’ ballpark are poised to cash in on a for the New York City area.

$270,000 Drug. One Competitor. Billion-Dollar Market.

$270,000 Drug. One Competitor. Billion-Dollar Market. - Ad

Phase 3 trial targets recurrent pericarditis with an oral therapy that could disrupt the only approved treatment. And their heart failure program launches in 2026.

The Polish 'magicians of glass' who create Christmas baubles for clients worldwide

CZĘSTOCHOWA, Poland (AP) — If you could design a bauble for your own Christmas tree, what would it be — a teddy bear dressed as a ballerina, a hummingbird, or a crimson phoenix?

Preliminary findings show a fatigue crack caused a Keystone Pipeline oil spill in North Dakota

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — A fatigue crack in the led to an that released thousands of barrels of oil onto farmland, according to the pipeline operator.

The $43B Big Pharma Story is Starting Over-With a New Player

The $43B Big Pharma Story is Starting Over-With a New Player - Ad

Peter Lynch on AI Stocks: 'I Literally Couldn't Pronounce Nvidia Until About Eight Months Ago'

Peter Lynch has stated that he does not hold any artificial intelligence (AI) stocks, despite the sector's recent surge.

Trump Asks Sanae Takaichi Not To Provoke China After Japan PM Hinted At Military Action Over Taiwan Invasion

Trump urges Japan's PM not to provoke China over Taiwan. Tensions rise as Japan refuses to retract remarks about possible military action.

Weiss Gold Veteran Makes Shocking New Call

Weiss Gold Veteran Makes Shocking New Call - Ad

Hours After Marjorie Taylor Greene's Public Rebuke, Trump Responds With Restraint: 'She's A Nice Person'

President Trump has changed his perspective on MTG after her unexpected resignation from Congress.

Meta Allegedly Concealed Evidence Of Social Media Harm, According To Court Filings: Report

Meta Platforms Inc. allegedly hid evidence of social media harm by shutting down a study on Facebook and Instagram's impact on mental health.

Trump Signs Law to Launch Dollar 2.0

Trump Signs Law to Launch Dollar 2.0 - Ad

Full blackout hits the Dominican Republic as crews scramble to restore power

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic (AP) — A rare blackout hit the entire on Tuesday, snarling traffic and paralyzing businesses in the country of nearly 11 million people.

Trending Now