Delta Air Lines, Inc.
DAL - NYSE - $85.96 ▲ +%0.53
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Earnings
Thu 8 Oct
Delta opens the
books on Thursday evening.
19 analysts' median target is $107[FMP target], stock is $86, +24.5% upside potential. After Q2 +64.4% EPS beat[FMP earnings], the stock moved -1.8%.
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summary below
Quick Take - in 40 seconds
B+
BUY
Council 3/6
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Moonshot 61
B+ = MoonshotScore 61[multi-pillar formula] + Council 3/6[6-lens rule]. Form 4: 0 transactions[FMP Form 4].
Q1 consensus: revenue $17.6B[FMP est], EPS $2.15[FMP est]. 7 consecutive quarters of beat[FMP earnings].
$2.15
EPS Estimate
Last year $0.64 - +26% YoY YoY
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Primary Segment Guidance
Previous quarter was 0%
7
Beat Streak
Expectations beaten consecutively for the last 7 quarters
Q2 EPS +64.4% beat[FMP] but the stock -1.8% D+1[FMP D+1]. Edward H. Bastian promised $1.2B CapEx + a sequential decline in Q1 during the Q2 earnings call[Edward H. Bastian capex transcript].
Stock Expert AI - Methodology
Do our scoring pillars, 7 perspectives, and Munger lens point in the same direction?
MoonshotScore
61 / 100
multi-pillar methodology. Revenue Growth and Cash Runway strong. Gross Margin weak.
How is it calculated? ->
Revenue Growth9.0
Q2 vs Q3: fast growth (+18.5%)
Gross Margin3.0
Q2: average margin (33.5%)
Operating Leverage1.0
op margin average (9.4%)
Cash Runway10.0
FCF very strong ($2.8B, 2.3x CapEx)
R&D Intensity3.0
low R&D investment (0.0%, weak innovation)
Price Momentum7.0
RSI 49.7 balanced, 50d above
News Sentiment10.0
strong buy consensus (96%)
Council Score
3 / 6 Bullish
6 investor frameworks. 3 bullish (Ray Dalio, Ken Griffin, Buffett), 0 bearish (none), 3 neutral (Jim Simons, Klarman, Munger).
How is it calculated? ->
Ray Dalio macro - target upside +24.5%
Ken Griffin flow - 50d MA above
Jim Simons quant - RSI 50
Klarman value - target upside +24.5%
Buffett quality - ROE score 5/5
Munger valuation - target upside +24.5%
Munger's Mindset character & balance sheet lens
Fairly Valued
Quality business, trading at fair value.
How is it calculated? ->
Interest CoverageAdequate
Technical Levels - Pre-earnings positioning
What levels is the stock being tested at?
RSI(14)
49.7
RSI 49.7 balanced, 50d above
MACD
+5.90
price above 50d - support positive
50d MA
$81
stock 5.9% above - short-term support
200d MA
$69
stock 24.2% above - long-term support
Volume (10d)
-29%
decrease - low participation
Resistance
$107
Analyst median target - upgrade trigger if broken
Current
$86
Pre-earnings position
Support
$59
Invalidation - close below this is a technical breakdown
Pattern
Range
$59-$107 band - earnings breakout/breakdown trigger
Past Performance
Delta's last 8 quarters: 7 consecutive beats.
BEAT
Q3 FY25
$1.71 vs $1.57 est - -3.5%
BEAT
Q4 FY25
$1.55 vs $1.53 est - -1.2%
BEAT
Q1 FY26
$0.64 vs $0.58 est - -0.4%
BEAT
Q2 FY26
$2.45 vs $1.49 est - -1.8%
Q2 (July 10, 2026): EPS $2.45 vs $1.49 est[FMP], +64.4% beat. D+1 movement: -1.8%[FMP D+1]. Decline despite beat - market reacted to guidance, not numbers.
Three scenarios: what could happen?
EPS < $2.09 (no guidance)
Q2: EPS $2.45 vs $1.49 beat[FMP], stock -1.8% D+1[FMP].
Backlog concentration
No RPO/backlog concentration disclosed in Q2 earnings call.
Insider trading signal
Form 4 data is marked in the table - this page does not generate assumptions for this stock.
Our FMP plan does not provide Form 4 insider feed for this stock. This page does not generate assumptions - SEC EDGAR Form 4 can be monitored directly.
CapEx shock
Q2 CapEx $1.2B[FMP cashflow]. Q2 op margin 9.4%[FMP op margin] - this level in Q1 is sensitive to CapEx revision risk.
Framework - Position discipline
After the data arrives: 3 scenarios, 3 windows
Not advice - a structural framework for earnings night. Decision discipline is yours.
Scenario A - Beat
Q1 EPS > $2.15 + CapEx discipline
Threshold: EPS > $2.15[FMP est].
Target: Break above median target $107[FMP target]; high target $125[FMP] upper bound.
Scenario B - In-Line
EPS approx $2.15 + CapEx < $1.2B
Threshold: EPS approx $2.15[FMP est], Q1 CapEx < $1.2B[FMP].
Target: Consolidation in the band between current $86[FMP] and median $107[FMP].
Scenario C - Miss
EPS < $2.09 or CapEx >= $1.2B
Threshold: EPS < $2.09[FMP estx0.97].
Target: Current $86 below SMA200 $69[FMP], if rejection continues, $59[derived] support activates.
Sizing
Earnings volatility -> max portfolio 1-2%. Waiting for earnings is not a gamble, it's a position entrustment.
Timing
IV crush within 24 hours post-earnings. Waiting for premium decay makes options preferable to spot.
Staging
Don't go all-in at once, divide into 3: initial reaction, 24 hours later, after Friday's close.
Market Outlook
What do 19 analysts say?
Wall Street Consensus
$107
12-month median target price (+24.5% upside potential)
Risk Management
$59
Invalidation level - critical support threshold
$81 - 50-day MA (above, +5.9%)
$69 - 200-day MA (above, +24.2%)
IV Crush risk (sudden drop in inflated option premiums before earnings): Option premiums are inflated before earnings.
Verdict - DAL Q1 FY27
B+
You read it in 5 minutes. When the numbers come out on Thursday evening - you know what you're looking at.
Data arrives at night. The framework is ready now.
Data arrives on Thursday evening. The framework is ready on this page: Q1 EPS threshold $2.15[FMP], CapEx threshold "below $1.2B. Two anchors, three scenarios.
Comparison
Stock Expert AI Pro $24/month ($240/year), 77% cheaper than the total of three earnings-tracking tools ($1,059/year -> $240/year).
3 subscriptions. 1 platform.
Seeking Alpha $299/yr - analyst opinions + earnings coverage
TipRanks $360/yr - Smart Score (1-10) + analyst consensus + insider trades
Trendspider $400/yr - AI pattern detection + automated TA + multi-timeframe alerts
Prices as of April 2026. Sources: seekingalpha.com/subscriptions - tipranks.com/pricing - trendspider.com/pricing
Stock Expert AI Pro: $24/month ($240/year). Council 7-lens analysis + MoonshotScore multi-pillar + Insider tracker + Technical levels - all in one platform, for every stock.
Educational tool, not investment advice. Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Calendar
Catalyst Calendar - 90-day forward look
Oct 8, 2026EARNINGSQ1 FY27 results (after market close) + earnings call
Oct 9, 2026PRICEFirst trading day after earnings - 200dMA test + IV crush
Nov 22, 2026FILING10-Q deadline - segment breakdown + RPO detail (SEC rule: quarter-end + 45 days)
~Jan 8, 2027EARNINGSQ2 FY27 (next quarter, date not yet scheduled in FMP)
DATA GAP: Events not in the FMP /stable/calendar feed - Investor day, analyst day, product launches, regulatory dates. These require company IR page scraping or manual calendar entry.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the DAL earnings preview cover?
This Delta Air Lines, Inc. (DAL) earnings preview covers the analyst consensus, key catalysts, and what to watch on the earnings call.
What should investors watch for in DAL earnings?
Consensus EPS, revenue guidance, segment growth rates, and the tone of management commentary — the full breakdown with sources is on this page.
Where do the numbers on this page come from?
Figures are sourced from Financial Modeling Prep (FMP) fundamentals and consensus data plus official earnings-call transcripts; derived metrics are labeled with their source next to each figure.
Is this a buy or sell recommendation?
No. This page is educational research, not investment advice. It summarizes analyst consensus and company data; consult a licensed financial advisor before making any investment decision.