Checking the dal stock price today per share is usually the first thing folks do when they hear "airline earnings," and honestly, the numbers right now tell a pretty wild story. As of the close on Friday, January 16, 2026, Delta Air Lines (DAL) wrapped up the week at $70.47. That is down about 1.22% for the day. If you’ve been watching the ticker, you saw it bounce between a low of $70.07 and a high of $71.67.
But here is the thing.
Looking at a single day's price is sorta like judging a long-haul flight by the initial taxi to the runway. You’ve got to look at the engines. Just this past Tuesday, January 13, Delta dropped its Q4 2025 earnings and its roadmap for 2026. The market had a mini-meltdown initially because Delta's 2026 guidance—predicting earnings per share (EPS) between $6.50 and $7.50—came in a bit lighter than the $7.26 Wall Street was banking on.
Investors can be fickle. One minute they’re cheering record profits, and the next they’re dumping shares because the future looks "cautious."
Why DAL Stock Price Today Per Share Doesn't Tell the Whole Story
If you just looked at the $70.47 price tag, you might miss that Delta just finished a monster year. In 2025, they cleared $5 billion in pre-tax profit. That’s record-breaking territory. CEO Ed Bastian is basically betting the house on premium travelers—the people who pay extra for extra legroom and fancy lounges. It’s working. Premium revenue jumped 9% in the last quarter of 2025 alone.
Despite the recent dip, the stock is still hovering near its 52-week high of $73.16. Compare that to the 52-week low of $34.74, and you realize DAL has basically doubled in a year.
Most people see the "cautious" guidance and panic.
But analysts like David Vernon at Bernstein aren't sweating it. He kept an Outperform rating and an $81 price target. Why? Because Delta tends to under-promise and over-deliver. They are projecting 20% earnings growth for 2026. In any other industry, 20% growth is a home run. In airlines, apparently, people wanted a grand slam.
The Boeing Dreamliner Factor and 2026 Realities
You can't talk about the dal stock price today per share without mentioning the massive hardware update they just announced. On January 13, Delta placed its first direct order for up to 60 Boeing 787-10 Dreamliners. These aren't cheap toys. We’re talking about ultra-efficient jets that cut fuel use by 25%.
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Fuel is the "big bad" for airline profits.
By swapping out older, thirstier planes for 787s, Delta is playing the long game. This isn't just about 2026; it’s about dominance in 2030 and beyond. It shows management is confident enough in their $4.6 billion free cash flow to go on a multi-billion dollar shopping spree.
Financial Health Check: By the Numbers
- P/E Ratio: 9.20. (This is incredibly low compared to the broader market, which is hanging out around 40).
- Dividend Yield: 1.06%. They’ve raised it for three years straight now.
- Market Cap: Roughly $46 billion.
- Debt-to-Equity: 0.60. They’ve been aggressively paying down debt, cutting it by $3.7 billion in 2025.
Is the stock undervalued?
BofA Securities thinks so. They reiterated a Buy rating with an $80 target just yesterday. When a stock trades at 9 times earnings but is growing profits at 20%, that’s usually what traders call a "valuation gap."
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What’s Actually Moving the Needle Right Now
There’s some internal movement worth noting too. Peter Carter, Delta’s Chief External Affairs Officer, sold about $1 million worth of stock on January 15. Usually, when an insider sells, people freak out. But he still holds over 170,000 shares. Sometimes people just need to diversify their own portfolios or buy a house. It hasn't stopped the "Strong Buy" consensus from 24 different brokerages.
Corporate travel is the real engine here.
Remember how everyone said Zoom would kill business travel?
Delta’s latest survey shows 90% of companies expect their travel to stay steady or increase in 2026. Banking and tech are leading the charge back into the skies. That’s high-margin business. When a consultant flies last minute from Atlanta to New York, Delta makes way more than they do on a family flying to Orlando on points.
Actionable Insights for Investors
If you're watching the dal stock price today per share, don't get blinded by the daily "noise" or the initial negative reaction to the 2026 guidance. The fundamentals are actually looking stronger than they have in a decade.
First, look at the P/E ratio. Trading at under 10x earnings while forecasting double-digit growth is a rare bird. If Delta hits even the middle of their $6.50–$7.50 EPS guidance, the stock has plenty of room to run toward that $80–$85 analyst consensus.
Second, watch the fuel prices and the "premium" trend. If consumer spending on luxury stays high, Delta wins. They are no longer just a "bus in the sky"—they are a premium brand that happens to have wings.
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Finally, keep an eye on the $73.16 resistance level. If DAL can break through its 52-week high with conviction, the technical momentum could carry it much higher. For now, the "cautious" guidance from management might actually be a gift to investors, keeping the entry price reasonable while the company continues to print billions in free cash flow.
Pay attention to the March quarter revenue guidance of 5% to 7% growth. If they beat that, the "cautious" narrative dies, and the stock likely takes off.