United Airlines (UAL) stock fell 2.5% in pre-market trading on Thursday after the carrier’s Q2 2026 earnings report sparked a sell-the-news reaction. Despite beating on both earnings and revenue, investors locked onto weak forward guidance and soaring fuel costs.
United Airlines Holdings, Inc., UAL
UAL ended regular trading Wednesday up 0.5% before dropping 2.4% in after-hours trading following the report.
United posted adjusted EPS of $1.99 against an estimate of $1.88, and revenue of $17.67 billion versus the $17.61 billion expected. Sales were up 16% compared to Q2 2025.
The beat wasn’t enough. Wall Street had already bid the stock up ahead of the print, and the numbers didn’t clear the bar traders had set in their heads.
The immediate concern was Q3 guidance. United projected adjusted EPS of $2.50 to $3.50 for the current quarter — well below the analyst consensus of $3.60. That miss drove the early selling pressure.
Fuel costs were the other major drag. United’s jet fuel expenses rose 84% year-over-year to $2.3 billion in Q2. The airline said it recovered about half of that increase in the quarter.
United now expects nearly $6 billion in additional fuel costs for the full year, based on crude prices as of Tuesday. That figure dominated investor reaction more than the earnings beat itself.
For Q3, United expects to recover 80% to 90% of the fuel cost increase. It projects full recovery by Q4.
The full-year adjusted EPS guidance was raised to $9.00–$11.00, up from a prior range of $7.00–$11.00. The FactSet consensus for the year stands at $10.47.
Net income fell more than 17% year-over-year, and free cash flow contracted sharply — two additional pressure points that compounded the guidance miss.
The fuel cost story isn’t unique to United. Delta Air Lines reported its “highest quarterly fuel expense” in history last week and also saw its stock fall despite beating estimates. Delta had also warned that ticket prices would stay elevated regardless of oil price movements.
United also faces FAA-imposed growth caps at three key hubs — Newark, Chicago O’Hare, and San Francisco — which could limit its ability to deploy new aircraft as its delivery schedule picks up.
On the positive side, revenue across premium, economy, and cargo segments all grew. Premium airfare revenue was up 16%, basic economy rose 11%, loyalty revenue gained 11%, and cargo revenue increased 23%.
United said it has Starlink installed on 450 aircraft and is on track to equip its entire fleet by end of 2026 — ahead of U.S. competitors. Delta went with Amazon’s in-flight wifi service instead.
CEO Scott Kirby cited network expansion and Starlink availability as reasons customers continue to choose United.
The management earnings call was scheduled for Wednesday morning, with investors watching for updated commentary on fuel cost recovery and the trajectory of full-year earnings.
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