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A United Airlines plane proceeds to a runway at Newark Liberty International Airport in front of the Lower Manhattan skyline and One World Trade Center in New York City on December 4, 2024, in Newark, New Jersey.
Gary Hershorn | Corbis News | Getty Images
United Airlines First-quarter forecasts beat analysts’ estimates as the carrier looks to grow earnings again in 2025 thanks to strong travel demand.
The airline said Tuesday it expects to earn an adjusted 75 cents to $1.25 in the first three months of the year, above the 54 cents analysts had expected, according to LSEG estimates.
United’s stock is up more than 180% in the past 12 months as of Tuesday’s close, more than any other US carrier. United shares rose more than 4% in extended trading after posting results.
Here’s what United reported for the fourth quarter compared to what Wall Street expected, based on estimates compiled by LSEG:
- Earnings per share: $3.26 adjusted versus $3.00 expected
- Revenue: $14.70 billion versus $14.47 billion expected
For the full year 2025, United expects to grow adjusted earnings to $11.50 to $13.50, in line with expectations of about $12.82, according to LSEG.
United and rivals Delta they benefited from strong demand for more expensive seats such as business class, international travel and their massive loyalty programs. Ed Bastian, CEO of Delta earlier this month said it expects 2025 to be the carrier’s “best financial year in our history.”
United reported a profit of $985 million for the fourth quarter, up 64% over last year, on $14.70 billion in revenue, which was about 8% from a year earlier. Adjusting for one-time items, United reported $3.26 a share for the fourth quarter, also ahead of expectations.
Loyalty program revenues, as well as international, domestic and basic economy revenues increased from a year earlier and unit revenues, which measure pricing power, turned positive over the same quarter of 2023 .
