Jefferies Reaffirms Buy Rating for Delta Air Lines

Jefferies reiterates its buy rating on Delta Air Lines with a $100 price target, a 8.03% upside from the current price.

Editorial illustration for Delta Air Lines, Inc. (DAL)

Key Points

  • Jefferies reiterated its buy rating on Delta Air Lines, setting a $100 price target on June 24, 2026.
  • Jefferies's $100 price target implies 8.03% upside from Delta Air Lines, Inc.'s ($DAL) current $92.57 share price.
  • Delta shares traded at $86.72 on Wednesday with a market cap of $56.4 billion and a P/E ratio of 12.54.
  • Insiders bought 2,380 shares each on June 18, 2026, while analysts maintain strong buy consensus with a mean target price of $82.01.

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Jefferies has reiterated its buy rating on Delta Air Lines, Inc. (NYSE: DAL) with a price target of $100. Analyst Sheila Kahyaoglu reaffirmed the rating on June 24, 2026, indicating continued confidence in the airline's prospects.

Analyst rating track record

Jefferies vs. the S&P 500

YTD return +36.14% hypothetical
All-time return +108.87% S&P 500 +25.46%
vs. S&P 500 +83.41% ahead of the index

Hypothetical, simulated performance of disclosed positions vs. the S&P 500. Not realized profit and not investment advice. Past performance does not indicate future results. Details.

Other Institutional Activity in Delta Air Lines

BlackRock, Inc. reduced its stake in Delta by 600,312 shares, bringing its total to 44,124,774 shares valued at about $2.93 billion. Vanguard Capital Management LLC and Berkshire Hathaway Inc. both opened new positions, holding 41,944,003 and 39,809,456 shares, respectively. Sanders Capital, LLC, meanwhile, trimmed its holdings by 110,659 shares, leaving it with 29,467,155 shares worth approximately $1.96 billion. FMR LLC modestly increased its stake by 93,216 shares, totaling 27,504,033 shares valued at $1.83 billion.

Delta Air Lines, Inc. Stock Up 15.6%

Shares of NYSE:DAL traded near $86.72 on Wednesday. Delta Air Lines boasts a market cap of approximately $56.4 billion, with a P/E ratio of 12.54 and a forward P/E of 10.66. The stock has a 52-week range between $45.28 and $87.39. Its 50-day moving average stands at $74.22, while the 200-day moving average is $66.68. The current and quick ratios are 0.418 and 0.28, respectively, with a debt-to-equity ratio of 105.02.

12-month forecast

$DAL price target

Past daily closes and this analyst's 12-month price target. Not investment advice.

Recent Earnings

Delta Air Lines reported revenue of $65.18 billion, reflecting a 12.9% growth. The company achieved an EPS of $6.85 with a net margin of 6.87% and a return on equity of 24.99%. The next earnings report is scheduled for July 10, 2026.

Earnings drift grade

Outlook vs expectations on the last report — not price action.

B- 72/100

Reported Apr 8, 2026

  1. Forward outlook

    4 target raises vs 1 cuts.

  2. EPS & revenue

    EPS beat estimates by 10.7%. Revenue beat estimates by 12.0%.

  3. Profit surprise

    EBITDA missed by 57 percent. Operating income missed sharply.

  4. Pre-earnings setup

    Bar was high, analysts already very bullish.

  5. Analyst signal

    4 target raises, 1 target cut.

  6. Earnings quality

    Gross margin up 7.2 points. Operating margin down 0.9 points. Positive free cash flow.

Earnings Call Summary

Delta delivered strong March quarter results with 15.9 billion dollars in revenue and 64 cents in earnings per share, beating expectations. Demand remains strong across corporate and leisure travel. However, jet fuel prices nearly doubled from earlier in the year, adding more than two billion dollars in fuel costs for the second quarter. The airline is reducing capacity in unprofitable flying and working to recapture forty to fifty percent of fuel price increases through higher ticket prices and fees.

Guidance Delta expects second quarter revenue to grow in the low teens, flat capacity versus last year. They plan an operating margin of six to eight percent and earnings of one dollar to one dollar fifty per share. Jet fuel prices are expected to average four dollars thirty per gallon, double last year's cost.

Slightly positive report. The quarter was acceptable, but the forward setup is not strong.

Dividend

Delta Air Lines offers an annual dividend rate of $0.75, yielding 0.89%, with a payout ratio of 10.4%.

Insider Buying and Selling at Delta Air Lines, Inc.

On June 18, 2026, several insiders, including Greg Creed, Willie Chiang, and Sergio Rial, each bought 2,380 shares of Delta Air Lines. These transactions were not part of a pre-planned trading program.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

On June 24, 2026, Jefferies maintained its buy rating on Delta Air Lines with a $100 price target. UBS also reiterated a buy rating with a $107 target on June 23, 2026. B of A Securities maintained its buy rating with a $93 target on June 22, 2026. The consensus among 25 analysts is a strong buy, with an average target price of $82.01.

About Delta Air Lines

Delta Air Lines, Inc. provides passenger and cargo air transportation services in the United States and internationally. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, and led by CEO Edward H. Bastian, Delta operates a fleet of approximately 1,314 aircraft. The company has major hubs in cities like Atlanta, Detroit, and Minneapolis, and international hubs in locations such as Amsterdam and Tokyo. Delta also offers aircraft maintenance and vacation packages.

Bottom Line

Jefferies' reaffirmation of its buy rating on Delta Air Lines, along with a $100 price target, highlights continued optimism in the airline's future. While 13F filings and analyst ratings provide insight into institutional sentiment, they reflect past positions and should be considered as part of a broader investment strategy.

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