United Airlines slides as rising oil and earnings jitters weigh on airline stocks

United Airlines Holdings (UAL) is down 3.0% today. Here is some analysis on what might have caused this price movement.

Analysis: The most likely driver is renewed pressure on airline shares from a fresh jump in oil prices, which can quickly raise jet fuel costs and squeeze margins. The move may also reflect caution ahead of United’s second-quarter earnings call this week, with investors reassessing whether strong travel demand can fully offset fuel and cost pressure.

Details:

Oil prices moved higher on July 13 after weekend escalation in the Middle East, reviving concerns about energy supply disruption and increasing the cost backdrop for airlines.

United’s investor materials still show second-quarter 2026 adjusted EPS guidance of $1.00 to $2.00, a wide range that leaves room for investor caution if fuel prices stay volatile.

United is scheduled to hold its second-quarter 2026 earnings call on July 16, which can lead to position trimming as traders wait for updated guidance.

A major peer posted solid June-quarter results and kept a constructive full-year outlook, but that also highlighted the gap between strong demand trends and the profit risk created by fuel-price swings.

Sources:

United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Reuters

Disclaimer: This price movement analysis was generated with the help of AI. Please double-check the information provided for mistakes.

$UAL Insider Trading Activity

$UAL insiders have traded $UAL stock on the open market 6 times in the past 6 months. Of those trades, 0 have been purchases and 6 have been sales.

Here’s a breakdown of recent trading of $UAL stock by insiders over the last 6 months:

J SCOTT KIRBY (Chief Executive Officer) has made 0 purchases and 2 sales selling 49,381 shares for an estimated $5,989,356.
KATE GEBO (EVP HR and Labor Relations) has made 0 purchases and 2 sales selling 40,000 shares for an estimated $4,217,071.
BRETT J HART (President) sold 19,000 shares for an estimated $2,022,568
ANDREW P NOCELLA (EVP & Chief Commercial Officer) sold 7,000 shares for an estimated $631,330

To track insider transactions, check out Quiver Quantitative's insider trading dashboard. You can access data on insider stock transactions through the Quiver Quantitative API insider transaction endpoint.

$UAL Hedge Fund Activity

We have seen 469 institutional investors add shares of $UAL stock to their portfolio, and 401 decrease their positions in their most recent quarter.

Here are some of the largest recent moves:

CAPITAL INTERNATIONAL INVESTORS removed 11,761,394 shares (-64.6%) from their portfolio in Q1 2026, for an estimated $1,034,002,953
CAPITAL WORLD INVESTORS added 3,847,081 shares (+52.9%) to their portfolio in Q1 2026, for an estimated $338,216,126
BALYASNY ASSET MANAGEMENT L.P. added 1,967,412 shares (+40607.1%) to their portfolio in Q1 2026, for an estimated $172,965,025
GOLDMAN SACHS GROUP INC added 1,800,103 shares (+60.7%) to their portfolio in Q1 2026, for an estimated $158,256,055
SENATOR INVESTMENT GROUP LP removed 1,699,000 shares (-54.3%) from their portfolio in Q1 2026, for an estimated $149,367,585
CAPITAL RESEARCH GLOBAL INVESTORS added 1,298,662 shares (+inf%) to their portfolio in Q1 2026, for an estimated $114,171,869
TWO SIGMA INVESTMENTS, LP removed 1,261,848 shares (-94.1%) from their portfolio in Q1 2026, for an estimated $110,935,366

To track hedge funds' stock portfolios, check out Quiver Quantitative's institutional holdings dashboard. You can access data on hedge funds moves and 13F filings through the Quiver Quantitative API 13F endpoint.

$UAL Government Contracts

We have seen $7,768,045 of award payments to $UAL over the last year.

Here are some of the awards which we have have seen pay out the most over the last year:

CIVIL RESERVE AIR FLEET - AIR TRANSPORTATION SERVICES: $4,030,679
CIVIL RESERVE AIR FLEET - AIR TRANSPORTATION SERVICES: $278,000
DOMESTIC CHARTER - AIR TRANSPORTATION SERVICES: $154,000

To track government contracts to publicy traded companies, check out Quiver Quantitative's government contracts dashboard. You can access data on government contracts through the Quiver Quantitative API government contracts endpoint.

$UAL Congressional Stock Trading

Members of Congress have traded $UAL stock 1 times in the past 6 months. Of those trades, 0 have been purchases and 1 have been sales.

Here’s a breakdown of recent trading of $UAL stock by members of Congress over the last 6 months:

REPRESENTATIVE GILBERT RAY CISNEROS, JR. sold up to $15,000 on 02/10.

To track congressional stock trading, check out Quiver Quantitative's congressional trading dashboard. You can access data on congressional stock trades through the Quiver Quantitative API Congress trades endpoint.

$UAL Analyst Ratings

Wall Street analysts have issued reports on $UAL in the last several months. We have seen 1 firms issue buy ratings on the stock, and 0 firms issue sell ratings.

Here are some recent analyst ratings:

TD Cowen issued a "Buy" rating on 01/22/2026

To track analyst ratings and price targets for $UAL, check out Quiver Quantitative's $UAL forecast page.

$UAL Price Targets

Multiple analysts have issued price targets for $UAL recently. We have seen 15 analysts offer price targets for $UAL in the last 6 months, with a median target of $160.0.

Here are some recent targets:

Christopher Stathoulopoulos from Susquehanna set a target price of $172.0 on 07/07/2026
Ravi Shanker from Morgan Stanley set a target price of $185.0 on 07/06/2026
Catherine O'Brien from Goldman Sachs set a target price of $162.0 on 07/02/2026
Tom Fitzgerald from TD Cowen set a target price of $176.0 on 07/02/2026
Michael Goldie from BMO Capital set a target price of $157.5 on 07/02/2026
David Vernon from Bernstein set a target price of $153.0 on 07/01/2026
Andrew Didora from B of A Securities set a target price of $150.0 on 07/01/2026

This article is not financial advice. See Quiver Quantitative's disclaimers for more information. Note that there may be inaccuracies due to mistakes in ticker-mapping, and other anomalies.