American Airlines Group Inc., through its subsidiaries, operates as a network air carrier. The company provides scheduled air transportation services for passengers and cargo through its hubs in Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas/Fort Worth, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Philadelphia, Phoenix, and Washington, D.C., as well as through partner gateways in London, Doha, Madrid, Seattle/Tacoma, Sydney, and Tokyo. It operates a mainline fleet of 965 aircraft. The company was formerly known as AMR Corporation and changed its name to American Airlines Group Inc. in December 2013. American Airlines Group Inc. was founded in 1926 and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas.

American Airlines Group’s revenue remains large and relatively stable, but the quality of earnings and the balance sheet do not yet support an aggressive re-rating. The P/S ratio at 0.14 looks very cheap relative to the industry, which points to low market expectations; however, this is partly explained by weak profitability and the business’s high cyclicality. P/E and P/B on a TTM basis are effectively uninformative due to zero values, but the earnings trend itself shows that a durable normalization has not yet taken hold. P/FCF of 30.22 is above the industry median, meaning free cash flow is not valued as cheaply as revenue, which limits re-rating potential. Operating margin of 1.73% and net margin near zero are noticeably weaker than industry benchmarks, and their year-over-year decline indicates pressure on efficiency. ROA, ROE, ROI, and return on tangible capital remain weak or zero, confirming low returns on assets and capital. At the same time, gross margin of 21.11% and gross profit in absolute terms show that the core operating model does generate gross profit, but much of it is then absorbed by expenses and interest burden. Liquidity remains weak: a current ratio of 0.53 and quick ratio of 0.42 are below comfortable levels and below the sector median, increasing financial risk. Debt remains significant: long-term debt of $25.8 billion, combined with negative equity and total liabilities of $68.2 billion, underscores the heavy debt load and balance-sheet vulnerability. Negative shareholder equity and very weak net worth further limit room for valuation expansion. A positive factor is the $8.48 billion in cash on hand and the maintenance of revenue at a high level, as well as a small positive net income in TTM, but this is still not enough to justify a confident upward revision. Overall, the fundamentals rather support a cautious approach: the stock looks inexpensive on revenue, but weak profitability, low liquidity, and a heavy balance sheet outweigh that advantage. Therefore, the target forecast should logically be lowered slightly, while maintaining a conservative assessment for the cyclical airline business.

American Airlines Group, Inc.

Сильный индекс, значительно упал. Быки в растерянности.

Strong index, significantly down. The bulls are confused.

Сильный индекс, незначительно упал. Медведи в растерянности.

Strong index, slightly down. The bears are confused.

Средний индекс, значительно вырос. Рынок на стороне быков.

Medium index, significantly up. The market is on the bulls' side.

Средний индекс, значительно упал. Рынок не поддерживает медведей.

Medium index, significantly down. The market does not support the bears.

Слабый индекс, незначительно вырос. Приток средств в лонги остается на невысоком уровне.

Weak index, slightly up. The inflow of funds into longs remains at a low level.

Слабый индекс, незначительно упал. Приток средств в шорты снизился, но остается положительным.

Weak index, slightly down. The inflow of funds into shorts has decreased, but remains positive.

Cheap on revenue, but with low profitability, weak liquidity, and heavy debt; fundamentals do not yet support a higher target.

Key Points
Robert Isom disposed of ~335,000 shares at $12.96 per share, representing a transaction value of ~$4.3 million.
The transacted shares equal 9% of the equity stake held before the filing.
He retains about 3.5 million shares.
Robert D. Isom Jr, CEO and President of American Airlines Group Inc. (NASDAQ:AAL), disposed of over 335,000 shares on Sept. 20, accordig to SEC Form 4 filing
Transaction summary
Transaction value
$4.3 million
Shares sold
335,199
Post-transaction shares (directly held)
3,459,080
Post-transaction value
$44.8 million
Transaction value and post-transaction value based on SEC Form 4 weighted average sale price ($12.96).
Company Overview
Share Price (as of Sept. 21 market close)
$13.57
Market Capitalization
$8.7 billion
Revenue (TTM)
$58.3 billion
Net Loss (TTM)
$326.0 million
Company Snapshot
American Airlines Group operates one of the largest airline networks in North America
It operates as a major network air carrier providing scheduled air transportation services for passengers and freight across a comprehensive domestic and international route network.
The company generates revenue through passenger ticket sales, cargo services, and ancillary offerings, leveraging a hub-and-spoke operating model centered on nine primary domestic hubs, including Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas/Fort Worth, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Philadelphia, Phoenix, and Washington, D.C.
American Airlines serves both leisure and business travelers globally, with strategic international gateways in London, Madrid, Seattle/Tacoma, Sydney, and Tokyo.
What this transaction means for investors
A significant share sale by a major insider, like a CEO, gets investors’ attention. However, this transaction shouldn’t raise any red flags.
That’s because he conducted his share sale solely to meet his tax obligations relating to the vesting of his restricted stock units. That doesn’t reflect his confidence, or lack thereof, in American Airlines’ business prospects.
Similarly, Vice Chair Stephen Johnson also sold about 78,000 shares at the same time for that reason.
However, investors should note that the airline industry faces challenges, including higher fuel prices that could create cost pressures. Right now, carriers have been able to raise fares, but that might not last, and American Airlines and competitors could see demand falter. Naturally, that would hurt revenue and profitability.
Investors have been cautious about American Airlines’ prospects, based on the share price performance. This year, the stock lost 22.5% through Oct. 16. That compares to the S&P 500 index’s 12.9% total return.
Source: SEC Form 4 filing for AAL | Filed: Sept. 21
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American Airlines CEO Robert Isom Sells 335,000 Shares for $4.3 Million

American Airlines (AAL) ended the recent trading session at $11.79, demonstrating a -5.68% change from the preceding day's closing price. This change lagged the S&P 500's daily loss of 1.11%. Meanwhile, the Dow experienced a drop of 0.09%, and the technology-dominated Nasdaq saw a decrease of 1.88%.
Prior to today's trading, shares of the world's largest airline had lost 2.11% was narrower than the Transportation sector's loss of 2.59% and lagged the S&P 500's gain of 2.06%.
Market participants will be closely following the financial results of American Airlines in its upcoming release. The company plans to announce its earnings on October 22, 2026. The company is predicted to post an EPS of -$0.28, indicating a 64.71% decline compared to the equivalent quarter last year. Meanwhile, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for revenue is projecting net sales of $16.2 billion, up 18.35% from the year-ago period.
Regarding the entire year, the Zacks Consensus Estimates forecast earnings of -$0.94 per share and revenue of $63.18 billion, indicating changes of -361.11% and +15.65%, respectively, compared to the previous year.
Investors might also notice recent changes to analyst estimates for American Airlines. Such recent modifications usually signify the changing landscape of near-term business trends. As a result, upbeat changes in estimates indicate analysts' favorable outlook on the business health and profitability.
Research indicates that these estimate revisions are directly correlated with near-term share price momentum. To exploit this, we've formed the Zacks Rank, a quantitative model that includes these estimate changes and presents a viable rating system.
The Zacks Rank system ranges from #1 (Strong Buy) to #5 (Strong Sell). It has a remarkable, outside-audited track record of success, with #1 stocks delivering an average annual return of +25% since 1988. The Zacks Consensus EPS estimate has moved 493.78% lower within the past month. As of now, American Airlines holds a Zacks Rank of #4 (Sell).
The Transportation - Airline industry is part of the Transportation sector. This group has a Zacks Industry Rank of 235, putting it in the bottom 5% of all 250+ industries.
The Zacks Industry Rank gauges the strength of our industry groups by measuring the average Zacks Rank of the individual stocks within the groups. Our research shows that the top 50% rated industries outperform the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1.
Make sure to utilize Zacks.com to follow all of these stock-moving metrics, and more, in the coming trading sessions.
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American Airlines (AAL) Dips More Than Broader Market: What You Should Know

Key Points
Ark Invest estimates a $160 billion market opportunity in reusable rocket launchers.
The Starlink satellite business doubled its subscriber count in the second quarter.
Ark sold a small part of the Next Generation Technology ETF.
Famed growth investor Cathie Wood has been a longtime fan of Elon Musk and Space Exploration Technologies (NASDAQ: SPCX). She gained renown for spotlighting Tesla before it exploded into the trillion-dollar company it is today, and her firm, Ark Invest, sold private access to SpaceX before it went public.
For the first time since SpaceX went public in June, Wood cut her position by roughly 55,000 shares. What does that mean for retail investors?
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Why Cathie Wood loves SpaceX
Cathie Wood and her team have written many pages extolling SpaceX and its part in the "space economy," and they're bullish on the company's Starlink satellite broadband business. Starlink is the dominant industry player, and it's growing quickly. It's also the only SpaceX segment that's profitable.
The firm estimates that reusable rockets will create a $160 billion market opportunity, and it embraces the idea of putting data centers into space, which it says will be 25% less costly than on Earth. SpaceX's rocket-launching business is still unprofitable, but Ark envisions costs decreasing and revenue increasing over the next several years. SpaceX revenue increased 29% year over year in the second quarter.
In the second quarter, Starlink revenue increased 66% year over year, and operating income rose 79%. Subscriber count doubled to 12 million, and Starlink now has more than 11,000 satellites in space, about two-thirds of all satellites in space, and is powering broadband Internet across the world. It has signed deals with major airlines for in-flight web access, including American Airlines, Southwest Airlines, and Virgin Atlantic. It has contracts with the U.S. government for secure satellite services.
SpaceX's position in Ark Invest's ETFs
Ark Invest has positions in SpaceX in four of Wood's exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and its venture fund:
Ark Disruptive Innovation ETF, 6.9%
Ark Autonomous Tech & Robotics ETF, 9.1%
Ark Space & Defense Innovation ETF, 11.8%
Ark Venture Fund, 7.1%
On Oct. 6, Ark Invest sold 54,873 shares of SpaceX stock from the Next Generation Technology ETF, or 0.4% of its position. That's a tiny amount of what the ETF owns, and it doesn't indicate any decline in its confidence in SpaceX.
In general, when Ark Invest sells a stock like this, it's doing some reshuffling. It might need to rebalance the portfolio in response to stock movements, or it might need some cash for another opportunity.
SpaceX is one of Ark Invest's largest positions, and it's unlikely the fund manager will sell much of the stock, but I'd still keep an eye out for further sales.
A larger or repeated sale would be a different signal, particularly if it came alongside any slowdown at Starlink, which is still carrying the company’s profitability while rocket launches and the AI business lose money.
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Cathie Wood Just Cut Her SpaceX Position. Is It Time to Sell?

Delta Air Lines DAL) reported somewhat disappointing third-quarter results on Friday, missing both earnings and revenue expectations as surging fuel costs pressured profitability despite record revenue and resilient travel demand.
Despite strong pricing power and continued momentum in premium travel, Delta lowered its full-year earnings outlook, raising concerns about the airline industry's ability to offset elevated operating expenses.
Delta's Subpar Q3 Results
Delta posted adjusted Q3 earnings of $1.72 per share, missing the Zacks EPS Consensus of $1.80 by 4%. Earnings were essentially flat compared with $1.71 per share in the year-ago quarter.
Adjusted revenue increased 16% year over year to a record $17.59 billion but also fell short of expectations of $17.71 billion. Premium and loyalty revenue each climbed 18%, reflecting continued strength among higher-spending travelers.
However, adjusted fuel expenses surged 62% YoY to $4.14 billion, significantly limiting profitability despite stronger ticket pricing and disciplined capacity management.
Delta's Outlook Reflects Industry Challenges
Looking ahead, Delta expects Q4 revenue to increase 20% YoY, with adjusted earnings projected between $1.15 and $1.65 per share.
That said, management lowered its full-year adjusted EPS outlook to $5.10-$5.60 from $6.50-$7.50, while reducing expected free cash flow to $2.5 billion from $3-$4 billion.
CEO Ed Bastian emphasized that travel demand remains strong, particularly as consumers prioritize experiences. Delta also reported double-digit corporate sales growth during Q3, while more than 90% of surveyed corporate customers expect travel spending to remain steady or increase in 2027.
Nevertheless, Delta expects to absorb approximately $6 billion in additional fuel costs this year, underscoring the challenges facing the broader airline industry even as carriers raise fares and limit capacity to preserve margins.
DAL Performance & Valuation Comparison
Delta has been the clear outperformer among major U.S. airlines in 2026, with DAL shares still up more than 15% year to date. By comparison, United Airlines UAL) stock has slipped roughly 4%, while American Airlines AAL) has declined over 15%.
In the last two years, DAL’s gains of 60% have trailed UAL’s nearly 80% return, although both premium carriers have vastly outperformed AAL and the broader market.
At current levels near $80 a share, DAL trades at roughly 13X forward earnings, putting it on par with UAL and at a slight discount to the Zacks Transportation-Airline Industry.
AAL, meanwhile, is now expected to post an adjusted loss this year but, like DAL and UAL, trades at less than 1X forward sales.
Bottom Line
Delta's record revenue and resilient travel demand are encouraging, but rising fuel expenses and sharply reduced earnings guidance overshadow its operational strengths and reasonable valuation.
Keeping this in mind, DAL currently lands a Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell), reflecting unfavorable earnings estimate revisions. For now, investors may be better off avoiding the stock until profitability expectations stabilize.
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Senior Stock Strategist Kevin Cook reveals 7 carefully selected stocks poised to dominate the quantum computing landscape in his report, Beyond AI: The Quantum Leap in Computing Power.
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This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).

Buy, Sell, or Hold Delta Air Lines Stock After Q3 Earnings?

The S&P 500 Index ($SPX) (SPY) is up by +0.26% today, the Dow Jones Industrial Average ($DOWI) (DIA) is up by +0.21%, and the Nasdaq 100 Index ($IUXX) (QQQ) is up +0.31%. December E-mini S&P futures (ESZ26) are up +0.20%, and December E-mini Nasdaq futures (NQZ26) are up +0.16%.
Stock indexes are moving higher today, supported by lower crude oil prices. WTI crude oil is down nearly -1% today as Middle East tensions eased after President Trump said the US would not attack Iran before the midterm elections.
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Also, concerns about slowing demand for AI-infrastructure stocks eased today after people familiar with the matter said OpenAI is expecting to reach or exceed $70 billion in annualized revenue by the end of the year, refuting a report from the Financial Times on Thursday that said OpenAI is on track to generate annualized revenue of roughly $50 billion based on its current performance.
Earnings optimism is a bullish factor for stock prices. According to data compiled by Bloomberg Intelligence, Q3 S&P 500 profits are expected to climb by +25% from a year earlier, up from a July estimate of 22%. Q3 earnings season begins next week when US money center banks report.
Nov WTI crude oil prices (CLX26) are down nearly -1% today after President Trump said the US would not attack Iran ahead of next month’s midterm elections, citing “productive discussions” with Iran. Losses in crude may be limited today as signs point to lower US crude output and threats to refining capacity. Roughly 1.28 million bpd of crude output, or 63% of US Gulf crude production, has been shut in, and Hurricane Isaias is expected to make landfall along the Gulf Coast later today or tomorrow, threatening 500,000 bpd of refining capacity. Also, due to Iranian attacks on shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, the cost to ship oil out of the Middle East is soaring, with freight rates from the Middle East to China jumping to $1.4 million a day, the most on record.
Markets are discounting a 19% chance of a +25 bp Fed rate hike at the next FOMC meeting on October 27-28.
Overseas stock markets are mixed today. The Euro Stoxx 50 is up +1.18%. China's Shanghai Composite recovered from a 2.5-month low and closed up +0.05%. Japan's Nikkei-225 Stock Average closed down -0.02%.
Interest Rates
December 10-year T-notes (ZNZ6) are down by -7 ticks today. The 10-year T-note yield is up +3.0 bp to 5.257%. T-notes are under pressure today from stronger stocks, which curbs safe-haven demand for government debt. T-note losses are limited today, with WTI crude oil prices down nearly -1%, easing inflation expectations.
European government bond yields are moving lower today. The 10-year German bund yield is down -2.6 bp to 3.469%. The 10-year UK gilt yield is down -5.2 bp to 5.429%.
Italy's Aug industrial production fell -1.3% m/m, weaker than expectations of no change and the biggest decline in a year.
Markets are discounting a 11% chance of a +25 bp ECB rate hike at the ECB’s next meeting on October 29.
US Stock Movers
Optical-equipment makers are rallying today after Lumentum Holdings said its components are “completely sold out” through 2029 on high demand from tech companies clamoring for faster AI data centers. Applied Optoelectronics (AAOI) is up more than +9%, and Coherent (COHR) is up more than +8%. Also, Lumentum Holdings (LITE) is up more than +6% to lead gainers in the Nasdaq 100, and Fabrinet (FN) is up more than +3%.
Tower companies are gaining today after SpaceX said it had agreed to acquire a nationwide low-band spectrum license portfolio in a deal analysts say is a positive catalyst for the sector. Crown Castle (CCI) is up more than +11%, and American Tower (AMT) and SBA Communications (SBAC) are up more than -7%.
Humana (HUM) is up more than +14% to lead gainers in the S&P 500 and health insurance stocks higher after data from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services showed improved ratings for the company’s Medicare Advantage contract, allowing it to earn bonus payments. Also, UnitedHealth Group (UNH) is up more than +3% to lead gainers in the Dow Jones Industrials, and Elevance Health (ELV) and Centene (CNC) are up more than +2%. In addition, Molina Healthcare (MOH), and the Cigna Group (CI) are up more than +1%.
Telecom stocks are retreating today after SpaceX said it had agreed to acquire a nationwide low-band spectrum license portfolio, which will increase competition from satellite operators. T-Mobile US (TMUS) is down more than -9% to lead losers in the S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100. Also, AT&T (T) is down more than -7%, and Verizon Communications (VZ) is down more than -6%. In addition, Charter Communications (CHTR) is down more than -3%, and Comcast (CMCSA) is down more than -1%.
Delta Air Lines (DAL) is down more than -3% to lead airline stocks lower after cutting its full-year adjusted EPS forecast to $5.10 to $5.60 from a previous estimate of $6.50 to $7.50, the midpoint below the consensus of $5.44. Also, American Airlines Group (AAL), United Airlines Holdings (UAL), and Alaska Air Group (ALK) are down more than -2%, and Southwest Airlines (LUV) is down more than -1%.
Fastly (FSLY) is up more than +6% after Oppenheimer upgraded the stock to outperform from perform, with a price target of $35.
Cboe Global Markets (CBOE) is up more than +3% after Morgan Stanley double-upgraded the stock to overweight from underweight, with a price target of $358.
Apple (AAPL) is down more than -2% to lead losers in the Dow Jones Industrials after cutting component orders for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max following weaker-than-expected demand. Skyworks Solutions (SWKS), a supplier of Apple, also dropped -6% on the news.
Earnings Reports (10/9/2026)
Delta Air Lines Inc (DAL), Hingham Institution For Savings (HIFS), Nurix Therapeutics Inc (NRIX).
On the date of publication, Rich Asplund did not have (either directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. For more information please view the Barchart Disclosure Policy here.
More news from Barchart

Stocks Push Higher as Crude Oil Prices Ease

(RTTNews) - American Airlines Group Inc. (AAL) Thursday announced its plan to expand Starlink to all mainline aircraft, including Airbus narrowbodies and Boeing narrowbodies and widebodies. The premium global airline connecting more of the U.S. to the world plans to equip more than 1,000 mainline aircraft and the installations of the inflight customer experience will begin in early 2027.
American further said it aims to operate one of the world's largest Starlink-connected fleets equipped with Starlink's Performance Aero Terminal, which can deliver speeds of up to 1 Gbps per terminal.
The airline plans to provide dependable connectivity that could offer livestreaming a favorite show, gaming, collaborating in real time on an important work deal, scrolling social media or online shopping.
Starlink , making it easier to stay connected from gate to gate. Whether
Starlink will bring fast, reliable Wi-Fi to customers throughout their journey and passengers could respond to emails, catch up on messages, browse the web or can enjoy a seamless online experience in the air.

American Airlines To Expand Starlink Connectivity To More Than 1000 Mainline Aircraft

The S&P 500 Index ($SPX) (SPY) closed up by +0.58% on Tuesday, the Dow Jones Industrial Average ($DOWI) (DIA) closed up by +0.49%, and the Nasdaq 100 Index ($IUXX) (QQQ) closed up +0.48%. December E-mini S&P futures (ESZ26) rose +0.61%, and December E-mini Nasdaq futures (NQZ26) rose +0.52%.
Stock indexes settled higher on Tuesday, with the S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 posting new all-time highs and the Dow Jones Industrials posting a 1-week high. Lower bond yields on Tuesday supported stock gains as the 10-year T-note yield fell -4 bp to 5.27%.
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Strength in the Magnificent Seven technology stocks and a rally in cybersecurity stocks also supported the overall market on Tuesday. In addition, earnings optimism is bullish for stock prices. According to data compiled by Bloomberg Intelligence, Q3 S&P 500 profits are expected to climb by +25% from a year earlier, up from a July estimate of 22%. Q3 earnings season begins next week when US money center banks report.
Weakness in chipmakers and AI stocks on Tuesday limited broader market gains. Also, hawkish comments on Tuesday from San Francisco Fed President Mary Daly weighed on stocks when she said she's concerned that AI spending, tariffs, and energy costs could keep inflation elevated longer, requiring more Fed tightening.
Tuesday’s US economic news was bearish for stocks after the Aug trade deficit increased to a 17-month high of -$105.6 billion, wider than expectations of -$102.1 billion and a negative factor for Q3 GDP.
Nov WTI crude oil prices (CLX26) settled little changed on Tuesday. Prices initially tumbled to a 1-month low Tuesday, on signs that more oil supplies are coming out of the Middle East. Kuwait said it is pumping about 75% of the level seen before the Iran war, and Iraq is seeking to hire additional vessels to send its oil cargoes through the Strait of Hormuz. Crude prices were also pressured on Tuesday after Yemeni government forces backed by Saudi Arabia said they retook the port city of Mokha and other areas near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait from Houthi militants.
However, short covering emerged, and crude prices finished little changed Tuesday on signs that Iran is ramping up attacks on tankers attempting to transit the Strait of Hormuz. The UK’s Maritime Trade Operations reported on Tuesday that the pace of attacks by Iran has increased in recent days, with nine vessels targeted over the last several days.
Markets are discounting a 19% chance of a +25 bp Fed rate hike at the next FOMC meeting on October 27-28.
Overseas stock markets settled higher on Tuesday. The Euro Stoxx 50 closed up +0.48%. China's Shanghai Composite did not trade, with markets in China closed for the week-long Golden Week holidays. Japan's Nikkei-225 Stock Average soared to a 3-month high and closed up +1.05%.
Interest Rates
December 10-year T-notes (ZNZ6) closed up +9 ticks on Tuesday. The 10-year T-note yield fell down -3.8 bp to 5.267%. T-notes finished higher on Tuesday and found early support from the decline in WTI crude oil prices to a 1-month low. Also, decent demand for the Treasury’s $58 billion auction of 3-year T-notes was supportive for prices after the auction produced a bid-to-cover ratio of 2.62, close to the 10-auction average of 2.64.
However, Tuesday’s rally in the S&P 500 curbed safe haven demand for T-notes. Also, hawkish comments from San Francisco Fed President Mary Daly limited gains in T-notes when she said inflation may last longer than expected, requiring additional Fed rate hikes.
European government bond yields moved lower on Tuesday. The 10-year German bund yield fell -1.5 bp to 3.478%. The 10-year UK gilt yield fell -4.3 bp to 5.375%.
Eurozone Aug retail sales rose +0.1% m/m, weaker than expectations of +0.2% m/m.
German Aug factory orders fell -10.6% m/m, weaker than expectations of -1.0% m/m and the biggest decline in 7 months.
French Finance Minister Lescure said circumstances in France are very different from a decade earlier during the debt crisis and the country is far from needing help from the ECB.
Markets are discounting a 14% chance of a +25 bp ECB rate hike at the ECB’s next meeting on October 29.
US Stock Movers
Most Magnificent Seven technology stocks finished higher on Tuesday, a positive factor for the overall market. Amazon.com (AMZN) closed up more than +1%, and Microsoft (MSFT) closed up +0.85%. Also, Tesla (TSLA) closed up +0.47%, Alphabet (GOOGL) closed up +0.34%, Apple (AAPL) closed up +0.22%, and Nvidia (NVDA) closed up +0.15%. Conversely, Meta Platforms (META) closed down -0.34%.
Strength in cybersecurity stocks rallied on Tuesday. Zscaler (ZS) closed up more than +5%, and Palo Alto Networks (PANW) and Fortinet (FTNT) closed up more than +3%. Also, Crowdstrike Holdings (CRWD) and Gen Digital (GEN) closed up more than +2%, and SentinelOne (S) closed up more than +1%.
Airlines and cruise line operators found support on Tuesday from the decline in WTI crude oil to a 1-month low, which lowers fuel costs and boosts the profitability prospects of the companies. Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL) closed up more than +5% and Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings (NCLH) closed up more than +4%. Also, Carnival (CCL) closed up more than +3%, and United Airlines Holdings (UAL), American Airlines Group (AAL), Alaska Air Group (ALK) and Southwest Airlines (LUV) closed up more than +1%.
Weakness in chipmakers and AI stocks on Tuesday limited gains in the broader market. Seagate Technology Holdings Plc (STX) closed down more than -9% to lead losers in the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq 100. Also, Western Digital (WDC) closed down more than -6% and KLA Corp (KLAC) closed down more than -4%. In addition, Lam Research (LRCX) and Intel (INTC) closed down more than -3%, and Sandisk (SNDK) and Applied Materials (AMAT) closed down more than -2%.
Option Care Health (OPCH) closed up more than +32% after McKesson and Clayton Dubilier & Rice agreed to acquire the company for $5.8 billion, including debt.
Constellation Energy (CEG) closed up more than +12% to lead gainers in the Nasdaq 100 after announcing a long-term deal with Google to bring 890 MW of new nuclear capacity over 20 years onto the PJM grid in Illinois, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey.
Apogee Enterprises (APOG) closed up more than +11% after boosting its 2027 adjusted EPS estimate to $3.00 to $3.40 from a prior view of $2.70 to $3.25, well above the consensus of $2.92.
Lam Weston Holdings (LW) closed up more than +7% after boosting its 2027 adjusted EPS forecast to $3.05 to $3.35 from a previous estimate of $2.95 to $3.25, stronger than the consensus of $3.02.
Marvell Technology (MRVL) closed up more than +5% after saying at an investor day conference that it sees $20 billion in total revenue for fiscal 2028.
Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) closed up more than +2% after CEO Lisa Su predicted “very high” chip demand continuing for the next few years.
Vaxcyte (PCVX) closed down more than -9% after announcing that it will offer $500 million worth of shares and pre-funded warrants.
Gentex (GNTX) closed down more than -1% after Goldman Sachs downgraded the stock to sell from neutral with a price target of $20.
Earnings Reports (10/7/2026)
Applied Digital Corp (APLD), Richardson Electronics Ltd/Uni (RELL), ZenaTech Inc (ZENA).
On the date of publication, Rich Asplund did not have (either directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. For more information please view the Barchart Disclosure Policy here.

Stocks Finish Higher on Lower Bond Yields and Earnings Optimism

American Airlines (AAL) closed the most recent trading day at $13.38, moving -1.73% from the previous trading session. This change lagged the S&P 500's daily loss of 0.25%. Elsewhere, the Dow saw a downswing of 0.86%, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq appreciated by 0.24%.
Coming into today, shares of the world's largest airline had gained 5.1% in the past month. In that same time, the Transportation sector lost 6.09%, while the S&P 500 lost 0.42%.
The upcoming earnings release of American Airlines will be of great interest to investors. On that day, American Airlines is projected to report earnings of -$0.31 per share, which would represent a year-over-year decline of 82.35%. Meanwhile, our latest consensus estimate is calling for revenue of $16.12 billion, up 17.74% from the prior-year quarter.
Looking at the full year, the Zacks Consensus Estimates suggest analysts are expecting earnings of -$0.25 per share and revenue of $63.03 billion. These totals would mark changes of -169.44% and +15.36%, respectively, from last year.
Additionally, investors should keep an eye on any recent revisions to analyst forecasts for American Airlines. These revisions typically reflect the latest short-term business trends, which can change frequently. Therefore, positive revisions in estimates convey analysts' confidence in the business performance and profit potential.
Our research suggests that these changes in estimates have a direct relationship with upcoming stock price performance. To take advantage of this, we've established the Zacks Rank, an exclusive model that considers these estimated changes and delivers an operational rating system.
The Zacks Rank system, which varies between #1 (Strong Buy) and #5 (Strong Sell), carries an impressive track record of exceeding expectations, confirmed by external audits, with stocks at #1 delivering an average annual return of +25% since 1988. Over the past month, the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate has moved 60.4% lower. American Airlines currently has a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold).
The Transportation - Airline industry is part of the Transportation sector. This industry currently has a Zacks Industry Rank of 233, which puts it in the bottom 6% of all 250+ industries.
The Zacks Industry Rank is ordered from best to worst in terms of the average Zacks Rank of the individual companies within each of these sectors. Our research shows that the top 50% rated industries outperform the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1.
You can find more information on all of these metrics, and much more, on Zacks.com.
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This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).

American Airlines (AAL) Registers a Bigger Fall Than the Market: Important Facts to Note

The Invesco RAFI US 1500 Small-Mid ETF is seeing unusually high volume in afternoon trading Wednesday, with over 1.3 million shares traded versus three month average volume of about 102,000. Shares of PRFZ were up about 0.2% on the day.
Components of that ETF with the highest volume on Wednesday were Pacific Biosciences of California, trading up about 30.6% with over 57.3 million shares changing hands so far this session, and American Airlines Group, down about 2.6% on volume of over 29.8 million shares. Leslies is lagging other components of the Invesco RAFI US 1500 Small-Mid ETF Wednesday, trading lower by about 25.2%.

Wednesday's ETF with Unusual Volume: PRFZ

Investors in American Airlines Group Inc (Symbol: AAL) saw new options become available today, for the March 2028 expiration. One of the key data points that goes into the price an option buyer is willing to pay, is the time value, so with 536 days until expiration the newly available contracts represent a possible opportunity for sellers of puts or calls to achieve a higher premium than would be available for the contracts with a closer expiration. At Stock Options Channel, our YieldBoost formula has looked up and down the AAL options chain for the new March 2028 contracts and identified one put and one call contract of particular interest.
The put contract at the $8.00 strike price has a current bid of 58 cents. If an investor was to sell-to-open that put contract, they are committing to purchase the stock at $8.00, but will also collect the premium, putting the cost basis of the shares at $7.42 (before broker commissions). To an investor already interested in purchasing shares of AAL, that could represent an attractive alternative to paying $13.48/share today.
Because the $8.00 strike represents an approximate 41% discount to the current trading price of the stock (in other words it is out-of-the-money by that percentage), there is also the possibility that the put contract would expire worthless. The current analytical data (including greeks and implied greeks) suggest the current odds of that happening are 89%. Stock Options Channel will track those odds over time to see how they change, publishing a chart of those numbers on our website under the contract detail page for this contract. Should the contract expire worthless, the premium would represent a 7.25% return on the cash commitment, or 4.94% annualized — at Stock Options Channel we call this the YieldBoost.
Below is a chart showing the trailing twelve month trading history for American Airlines Group Inc, and highlighting in green where the $8.00 strike is located relative to that history:
Turning to the calls side of the option chain, the call contract at the $20.00 strike price has a current bid of 70 cents. If an investor was to purchase shares of AAL stock at the current price level of $13.48/share, and then sell-to-open that call contract as a "covered call," they are committing to sell the stock at $20.00. Considering the call seller will also collect the premium, that would drive a total return (excluding dividends, if any) of 53.56% if the stock gets called away at the March 2028 expiration (before broker commissions). Of course, a lot of upside could potentially be left on the table if AAL shares really soar, which is why looking at the trailing twelve month trading history for American Airlines Group Inc, as well as studying the business fundamentals becomes important. Below is a chart showing AAL's trailing twelve month trading history, with the $20.00 strike highlighted in red:
Considering the fact that the $20.00 strike represents an approximate 48% premium to the current trading price of the stock (in other words it is out-of-the-money by that percentage), there is also the possibility that the covered call contract would expire worthless, in which case the investor would keep both their shares of stock and the premium collected. The current analytical data (including greeks and implied greeks) suggest the current odds of that happening are 50%. On our website under the contract detail page for this contract, Stock Options Channel will track those odds over time to see how they change and publish a chart of those numbers (the trading history of the option contract will also be charted). Should the covered call contract expire worthless, the premium would represent a 5.19% boost of extra return to the investor, or 3.54% annualized, which we refer to as the YieldBoost.
The implied volatility in the put contract example is 54%, while the implied volatility in the call contract example is 67%.
Meanwhile, we calculate the actual trailing twelve month volatility (considering the last 250 trading day closing values as well as today's price of $13.48) to be 47%. For more put and call options contract ideas worth looking at, visit StockOptionsChannel.com.
Further AAL Research: