On Thursday, Redburn-Atlantic revised its stance on United Airlines (NASDAQ:UAL) shares, upgrading the airline from Neutral to Buy and setting a price target of $70.00.
The firm's decision is based on valuation metrics, highlighting that United Airlines currently has the lowest 12-month forward price-to-earnings (PE) multiple among major U.S. carriers, according to consensus estimates.
The analyst pointed out that United Airlines not only has a stronger balance sheet compared to some of its peers but also has the least exposure to the U.S. domestic leisure segment, which is of particular concern to the firm. With these factors in mind, Redburn-Atlantic sees the airline as an attractive investment.
Redburn-Atlantic's price target is derived from an enterprise value to invested capital (EV/IC) versus return on invested capital to weighted average cost of capital (ROIC/WACC) analysis. The firm's earnings forecasts for United Airlines are above the consensus estimates, which further supports the upgrade.
The new price target of $70 suggests that United Airlines' shares could trade at 5.8 times the fiscal year 2025 (FY25) PE and 4.6 times the FY25 enterprise value to earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, amortization, and restructuring or rent costs (EV/EBITDAR). This represents a significant potential upside from the current trading levels.
In other recent news, United Airlines has been spotlighted by Jefferies, which upgraded the airline's stock to 'Buy' based on a strong outlook.
This upgrade is influenced by the airline's success in offering a range of appealing products and an expected increase in corporate travel. The company's financial forecast predicts a generation of $5 billion in free cash flow from 2024 to 2026, a significant improvement from previous estimates.
Simultaneously, United Airlines has maintained its Q2 earnings outlook, projecting earnings to be between $3.75 and $4.25 per share.
This reaffirms the company's confidence in its operational strategies and market position. In addition, United Airlines was upgraded to 'Outperform' by Wolfe Research, indicating a positive outlook for the company's prospects.
On another note, United Airlines, along with other major U.S. airlines, has called for an increase in air traffic controllers to tackle the chronic shortage affecting airline operations.
The company is also preparing for a surge in passenger volume, expecting to serve three million passengers during the Memorial Day weekend, and is leveraging its mobile app to streamline the travel process for its customers.
These developments highlight recent advancements and initiatives undertaken by United Airlines to improve its operations and financial performance.
InvestingPro Insights
Building on the optimism expressed by Redburn-Atlantic, United Airlines (NASDAQ:UAL) displays several compelling metrics that could further interest investors. With a market capitalization of $17.4 billion, United Airlines is trading at a low P/E ratio of 6.46 and an even more attractive adjusted P/E ratio over the last twelve months as of Q1 2024, standing at 5.04. This positions the company favorably when considering near-term earnings growth.
The airline's revenue has shown a healthy increase, growing by 12.31% over the last twelve months as of Q1 2024, with a gross profit of $18.6 billion reflecting a robust margin of 33.92%. Additionally, the company has experienced a substantial 3-month price total return of 20.06%, and analysts have revised their earnings upwards for the upcoming period, indicating a positive outlook on profitability.
InvestingPro Tips highlight United Airlines as a prominent player in the Passenger Airlines industry with a strong return over the last three months. Moreover, the company is anticipated to be profitable this year, a sentiment echoed by the 12 analysts who have revised their earnings upwards. For those considering deeper analysis, there are 11 additional InvestingPro Tips available, which can be accessed through the dedicated page for United Airlines on the InvestingPro platform. Prospective subscribers can use the coupon code PRONEWS24 to get an additional 10% off a yearly or biyearly Pro and Pro+ subscription, which may provide further insights for informed investment decisions.
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