Today’s Change
Current Price
American Airlines Group (AAL 0.26%), the passenger and cargo airline, closed at $15.63, down 0.26%. Investors are waiting for July 23 earnings for clues on demand and guidance. Other domestic airlines began reporting results after the close today.
Trading volume reached 181.0 million shares, coming in about 83% above its three-month average of 99.2 million shares. American Airlines Group IPO’d in 2005 and has fallen 19% since going public.
How the markets moved today
The S&P 500 (^GSPC +0.38%) rose 0.38% to 7,572, and the Nasdaq Composite (^IXIC +0.62%) gained 0.62% to 26,269. Among passenger airlines and air freight transportation peers, Delta Air Lines (DAL +0.53%) closed at $85.96, up 0.53%, and United Airlines Holdings (UAL +0.52%) closed at $120.97, up 0.52%, as investors parsed airline-demand signals and upcoming earnings readouts.
What this means for investors
United Airlines kicked off this reporting cycle, and it topped estimates for both earnings and revenue. It also lifted the lower end of its full-year earnings range. The story for United will likely also be heard from other carriers, including American.
United said Q2 fuel costs soared 84% year over year. It added that higher jet fuel prices could raise its expenses by nearly $6 billion this year, compared with projections made at the beginning of 2026.
Airlines are trying to mitigate those costs by filling seats. American Airlines will report Q2 on July 23. Investors will compare its added fuel expenses with those of United and others. The demand picture will also help drive the stock’s direction.
Howard Smith has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends Delta Air Lines. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
