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United Airlines (UAL) closed the latest trading day at $106.11, indicating a +1.1% change from the previous session's end. The stock exceeded the S&P 500, which registered a loss of 0.21% for the day. At the same time, the Dow lost 0.16%, and the tech-heavy Nasdaq lost 0.89%.
Prior to today's trading, shares of the airline had gained 14.75% over the past month. This has outpaced the Transportation sector's loss of 1.8% and the S&P 500's loss of 1.56% in that time.
Investors will be eagerly watching for the performance of United Airlines in its upcoming earnings disclosure. The company's earnings report is set to be unveiled on January 21, 2025. The company's earnings per share (EPS) are projected to be $3.01, reflecting a 50.5% increase from the same quarter last year. At the same time, our most recent consensus estimate is projecting a revenue of $14.39 billion, reflecting a 5.6% rise from the equivalent quarter last year.
It's also important for investors to be aware of any recent modifications to analyst estimates for United Airlines. These revisions help to show the ever-changing nature of near-term business trends. As a result, we can interpret positive estimate revisions as a good sign for the company's business outlook.
Our research shows that these estimate changes are directly correlated with near-term stock prices. To capitalize on this, we've crafted the Zacks Rank, a unique model that incorporates these estimate changes and offers a practical rating system.
The Zacks Rank system, spanning from #1 (Strong Buy) to #5 (Strong Sell), boasts an impressive track record of outperformance, audited externally, with #1 ranked stocks yielding an average annual return of +25% since 1988. Within the past 30 days, our consensus EPS projection has moved 7% higher. United Airlines presently features a Zacks Rank of #1 (Strong Buy).
Digging into valuation, United Airlines currently has a Forward P/E ratio of 8.36. Its industry sports an average Forward P/E of 9.16, so one might conclude that United Airlines is trading at a discount comparatively.
It is also worth noting that UAL currently has a PEG ratio of 0.76. The PEG ratio is similar to the widely-used P/E ratio, but this metric also takes the company's expected earnings growth rate into account. As the market closed yesterday, the Transportation - Airline industry was having an average PEG ratio of 0.72.
The Transportation - Airline industry is part of the Transportation sector. At present, this industry carries a Zacks Industry Rank of 29, placing it within the top 12% of over 250 industries.