Alaska Air Group, Inc., through its subsidiaries, operates airlines. It operates through three segments: Mainline, Regional, and Horizon. The company offers scheduled air transportation services on Boeing jet aircraft for passengers and cargo in the United States, and in parts of Canada, Mexico, Costa Rica, Belize, Guatemala, and the Bahamas; and for passengers across a shorter distance network within the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Alaska Air Group, Inc. was founded in 1932 and is based in Seattle, Washington.

Alaska Air Group, Inc.

Alaska Air Group (ALK) closed the most recent trading day at $51.52, moving +2.43% from the previous trading session. The stock outperformed the S&P 500, which registered a daily gain of 0.19%. At the same time, the Dow added 0.66%, and the tech-heavy Nasdaq lost 0.03%.
Shares of the airline witnessed a gain of 6.3% over the previous month, beating the performance of the Transportation sector with its gain of 3.99%, and the S&P 500's gain of 0.54%.
The upcoming earnings release of Alaska Air Group will be of great interest to investors. The company is expected to report EPS of $0.14, down 85.57% from the prior-year quarter. Meanwhile, the latest consensus estimate predicts the revenue to be $3.64 billion, indicating a 3.07% increase compared to the same quarter of the previous year.
In terms of the entire fiscal year, the Zacks Consensus Estimates predict earnings of $2.17 per share and a revenue of $14.25 billion, indicating changes of -55.44% and 0%, respectively, from the former year.
Investors might also notice recent changes to analyst estimates for Alaska Air Group. These revisions help to show the ever-changing nature of near-term business trends. As such, positive estimate revisions reflect analyst optimism about the business and profitability.
Our research shows that these estimate changes are directly correlated with near-term stock prices. To capitalize on this, we've crafted the Zacks Rank, a unique model that incorporates these estimate changes and offers a practical 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. Over the last 30 days, the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate has witnessed a 1.66% increase. As of now, Alaska Air Group holds a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold).
In the context of valuation, Alaska Air Group is at present trading with a Forward P/E ratio of 10.28. This signifies a premium in comparison to the average Forward P/E of 9.3 for its industry.
It's also important to note that ALK currently trades at a PEG ratio of 0.51. The PEG ratio bears resemblance to the frequently used P/E ratio, but this parameter also includes the company's expected earnings growth trajectory. By the end of yesterday's trading, the Transportation - Airline industry had an average PEG ratio of 0.6.
The Transportation - Airline industry is part of the Transportation sector. At present, this industry carries a Zacks Industry Rank of 92, placing it within the top 38% of over 250 industries.
The Zacks Industry Rank gauges the strength of our individual 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.
Quantum Computing Stocks Set To Soar
Artificial intelligence has already reshaped the investment landscape, and its convergence with quantum computing could lead to the most significant wealth-building opportunities of our time.
Today, you have a chance to position your portfolio at the forefront of this technological revolution. In our urgent special report, Beyond AI: The Quantum Leap in Computing Power, you'll discover the little-known stocks we believe will win the quantum computing race and deliver massive gains to early investors.
Access the Report Free Now >>
Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Alaska Air Group (ALK) Surpasses Market Returns: Some Facts Worth Knowing

SkyWest, Inc. (SKYW) looks cheap from a valuation standpoint. Considering the trailing 12-month price-to-book (P/B)ratio, SkyWest is trading at a discount compared to the industry.
The stock has a trailing 12-month P/B-TTM of 1.50X compared with 3.16X for the industry over the past five years. These factors indicate that the stock’s valuation is attractive. SKYW has a Value Score of A.
SKYW P/B Ratio (Trailing 12 months) Vs. Industry
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Now, the question is whether it is worth buying, holding, or selling the SkyWest stock at current prices. Let us delve deeper to find out.
Tailwinds Working in Favor of SKYW Stock
SkyWest's top line benefits from flying contract rate increases. As of Sept. 30, 2025, SkyWest had cumulative deferred revenues of $269.40 million under its flying contracts. Revenues from flying agreements (contributing 96.1% to the top line) grew 16.5% year over year during the first nine months of 2025. The airline carried 12.3% more passengers during the first nine months of 2025 on a year-over-year basis. Departures increased 16.2% on a year-over-year basis.
SkyWest's fleet-modernization efforts to cater to the improvement in travel demand are commendable. In a bid to modernize its fleet, SKYW has fleet-related agreements with airline heavyweights like United Airlines UAL, Delta Air Lines DAL and Alaska Airlines ALK. SKYW had no E175 aircraft deliveries during the third quarter of 2025, consistent with prior expectations.
Concurrent with its third-quarter 2025 results, SkyWest also announced that it has inked a multi-year contract extension with United Airlines for up to 40 CRJ200 aircraft. Further, UAL is scheduled to deliver three E175 planes in the fourth quarter of 2025 and 10 in 2026. Alaska Airlines is expected to deliver one E175 in 2026. DAL is likely to deliver 10 E175 planes in 2027 and six in 2028. Apart from deals with UAL, DAL and ALK, SkyWest is scheduled to purchase 16 E175s from Embraer, with delivery dates in 2027 and 2028. By 2028-end, SkyWest is expected to have nearly 300 E175 aircraft.
SkyWest’s solid balance sheet increases financial flexibility. The company ended third-quarter 2025 with cash and marketable securities of $753.35 million, higher than the current debt level of $519.51 million. This implies that the company has sufficient cash to meet its current debt obligations. Meanwhile, long-term debt level has decreased to $1.86 billion (which translates into a debt-to-capitalization of 49%) at the end of third-quarter 2025 from $2.19 billion (which translates into a debt-to-capitalization of 53.8%) at third-quarter 2024-end.
A strong balance sheet enables the company to reward shareholders with share repurchases. As a reflection of its shareholder-friendly stance, in May 2025, SKYW's existing repurchase plan was increased by $250 million. SkyWest repurchased 244,000 shares for $26.6 million during the third quarter of 2025. As of Sept. 30, 2025, SKYW had $240 million available under its current share repurchase program. Buybacks not only reduce the total outstanding share count, thereby increasing earnings per share, but also signal management's belief in the intrinsic value of the stock.
Long-Term Debt to Capitalization
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
What Do Earnings Estimates Say for SkyWest?
The positive sentiment surrounding SKYW stock is evident from the fact that the Zacks Consensus Estimate for full-year 2025 and 2026 earnings has been revised upward in the past 90 days. The consensus mark for first-quarter 2026 earnings has also been projected northward in the past 90 days.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
The favorable estimate revisions indicate brokers’ confidence in the stock.
Time to Buy SKYW Stock
It is understood that SKYW stock is attractively valued, and an increase in flying contracts is contributing to SKYW’s top line. Fleet modernization techniquesand consistent shareholder-friendly initiatives act as other tailwinds. We believe that the positives surrounding the stock (as highlighted throughout the write-up) outweigh the concerns regarding macroeconomic uncertainty, escalating operating expenses and pilot shortages (bothering regional carriers like SkyWest). We, therefore, suggest investors to add SKYW stock to their portfolios for healthy returns. The company’s Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) further supports our thesis. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
Quantum Computing Stocks Set To Soar
Artificial intelligence has already reshaped the investment landscape, and its convergence with quantum computing could lead to the most significant wealth-building opportunities of our time.
Today, you have a chance to position your portfolio at the forefront of this technological revolution. In our urgent special report, Beyond AI: The Quantum Leap in Computing Power, you'll discover the little-known stocks we believe will win the quantum computing race and deliver massive gains to early investors.
Access the Report Free Now >>
Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Is SkyWest's Cheap Valuation Reason Enough to Buy the Stock?

Shares of European carrier, Ryanair Holdings RYAAY have had a good time on the bourses of late, improving in double digits so far this year. The encouraging price performance resulted in RYAAY outperforming the Zacks Airline industry in the said time frame. Additionally, RYAAY’s price performance is favorable to that of other airline operators like Alaska Air Group, Inc. (ALK), while unfavorable with that of Allegiant Travel Company (ALGT) in the same timeframe.
RYAAY Stock’s Three-Month Price Comparison
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Given the recent rally, the question that naturally arises is whether RYAAY stock can sustain its bullish price performance or should investors book profits now. Before that, let's delve deep to unearth the reasons behind this northward price movement.
Tailwinds Working in Favor of RYAAY Stock
With travel bookings rising across the industry, Ryanair’s passenger revenues are also increasing. Because of this air-travel demand strength, RYAAY's traffic grew 9% to 183.7 million passengers in fiscal 2024. Further, we would like to remind investors that Ryanair carried 200.2 million passengers (traffic up 9% year over year) in its fiscal year ending March 2025, positioning itself as the first European airline to reach 200 million passengers in a single year. As a result, RYAAY is now the world’s leading low-fare airline in terms of passenger traffic, with low fares and reduced costs acting as the main catalyst. During the first half of fiscal 2026, RYAAY’s traffic grew 3% year over year to 119 million passengers.
Given the aforesaid encouraging backdrops, Ryanair has unveiled its raised traffic outlook for fiscal 2026 (concurrent with its second-quarter fiscal 2026 earnings release on Nov. 3, 2025). Ryanair now expects its fiscal 2026 traffic to grow by more than 3% to 207 million passengers (prior view: 206 million), owing to earlier than expected Boeing deliveries and solid demand during the first half of fiscal 2026.
Ryanair’s fleet-modernization initiatives to cater to the improvement in travel demand are encouraging. The inclusion of modern planes in its fleet and the retirement of the old ones align with its environmentally-friendly approach. During fiscal 2025, Ryanair took delivery of 30 new Boeing 737-8200 aircraft. The latest inclusions, apart from having all basic amenities, result in improved fuel efficiency. By the end of October 2025, 204 of the 210 Boeing 737-8200 aircraft (to be purchased under the 2014 contract) had been delivered. The remaining six aircraft are expected to be delivered ahead of the summer season of fiscal 2026, which encourages the company to expect 4% traffic growth to 215 million passengers during fiscal 2027. In May 2023, 300 new Boeing 737-MAX-10 aircraft orders were placed for delivery between 2027 and 2033. Ryanair expects these fuel-efficient MAX jets to generate substantial growth.
RYAAY has a solid balance sheet. The low-cost carrier ended second-quarter fiscal 2026 with cash and cash equivalents of $3.58 billion, much higher than the current debt level of $1.40 billion. This implies that the company has sufficient cash to meet its current debt obligations. RYAAY's efforts to repay its debts are encouraging too. As of Sept. 30, 2025, RYAAY made €1.2 billion in debt repayments.
Long-Term Debt to Capitalization
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
RYAAY is also active on the share buyback front. During fiscal 2025, Ryanair purchased and canceled 7% of its issued share capital, comprising more than 77 million shares, and has now retired almost 36% of its issued share capital since 2008. In April 2025, RYAAY repurchased nearly 1 million shares, completing the €800 million share buyback program. In May 2025, RYAAY’s board approved a follow-on €750 million share buyback program. As of Sept. 30, 2025, RYAAY had purchased (and canceled) more than 7 million shares (almost 25% of the programme) for €188 million.
Headwinds Weighing on RYAAY Stock
Production delays at Boeing have been hurting the fleet-related plans of most airline companies, and it is no different for RYAAY. The company is actively in talks with Boeing leadership to speed up aircraft deliveries and has also visited Seattle at the beginning of January. Although B737 production is recovering from Boeing’s strike in late 2024, it is still slow to deliver sufficient aircraft ahead of the summer season of fiscal 2026. RYAAY anticipates the remaining six Gamechangers of the 210 orderbook are likely to be delivered before the summer of 2026. Additionally, Boeing expects the MAX-10 to be certified in mid-2026, followed by the delivery of the first 15 MAX-10s in Spring 2027 (with 300 of these fuel-efficient aircraft deliveries due by March 2034).
Escalating operating expenses due to high staff costs and higher air traffic control fees are hurting Ryanair’s bottom line. During the first half of fiscal 2026, staff costs increased 3% year over year due to higher salaries and agreed pay increases. Airport and handling charges rose 4% year over year owing to traffic growth, higher landing, ground air traffic control and handling rates. As a result, total operating expenses grew 4% year over year, owing to higher staff and other costs, which were in part due to Boeing delivery delays. This was partially offset by fuel hedge savings. High costs naturally put pressure on margins.
Given these headwinds surrounding the stock, earnings estimates have been southbound, as shown below.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Wrapping Up
It is understood that RYAAY's top line continues to benefit from the resurgent travel scenario. RYAAY’s raised traffic outlook for fiscal 2026 is an encouraging move that is likely to impress investors. RYAAY’s measures to expand its fleet, to cater to the rising travel demand, look encouraging. A solid balance sheet allows RYAAY to reward its shareholders in the form of share buybacks and dividend payments. Despite these positives, we advise investors not to buy RYAAY shares now due to headwinds like the production delays at Boeing, high staff costs and escalated air traffic control fees.
We advise investors to wait for a better entry point. For those who already own the stock, it will be prudent to stay invested. The company’s current Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) justifies our analysis. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
#1 Semiconductor Stock to Buy (Not NVDA)
The incredible demand for data is fueling the market's next digital gold rush. As data centers continue to be built and constantly upgraded, the companies that provide the hardware for these behemoths will become the NVIDIAs of tomorrow.
One under-the-radar chipmaker is uniquely positioned to take advantage of the next growth stage of this market. It specializes in semiconductor products that titans like NVIDIA don't build. It's just beginning to enter the spotlight, which is exactly where you want to be.
See This Stock Now for Free >>
Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Ryanair Stock Gains 23.2% in 3 Months: What Should Investors Do Now?

In the latest trading session, Alaska Air Group (ALK) closed at $52.60, marking a -0.15% move from the previous day. The stock's change was less than the S&P 500's daily gain of 0.56%. On the other hand, the Dow registered a gain of 0.42%, and the technology-centric Nasdaq increased by 0.83%.
Prior to today's trading, shares of the airline had gained 9.96% over the past month. This has outpaced the Transportation sector's gain of 4.93% and the S&P 500's gain of 3.11% in that time.
Investors will be eagerly watching for the performance of Alaska Air Group in its upcoming earnings disclosure. The company's earnings per share (EPS) are projected to be $0.36, reflecting a 20% increase from the same quarter last year. Our most recent consensus estimate is calling for quarterly revenue of $3.44 billion, up 34.57% from the year-ago period.
For the entire fiscal year, the Zacks Consensus Estimates are projecting earnings of $4.26 per share and a revenue of $11.64 billion, representing changes of -5.96% and +11.61%, respectively, from the prior year.
Furthermore, it would be beneficial for investors to monitor any recent shifts in analyst projections for Alaska Air Group. These revisions help to show the ever-changing nature of near-term business trends. Therefore, positive revisions in estimates convey analysts' confidence in the company's business performance and profit potential.
Empirical research indicates that these revisions in estimates have a direct correlation with impending stock price performance. 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, spanning from #1 (Strong Buy) to #5 (Strong Sell), boasts an impressive track record of outperformance, audited externally, with #1 ranked stocks yielding an average annual return of +25% since 1988. Within the past 30 days, our consensus EPS projection has moved 0.33% higher. Right now, Alaska Air Group possesses a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold).
Investors should also note Alaska Air Group's current valuation metrics, including its Forward P/E ratio of 12.38. Its industry sports an average Forward P/E of 10.04, so one might conclude that Alaska Air Group is trading at a premium comparatively.
We can additionally observe that ALK currently boasts a PEG ratio of 1.2. Comparable to the widely accepted P/E ratio, the PEG ratio also accounts for the company's projected earnings growth. As of the close of trade yesterday, the Transportation - Airline industry held an average PEG ratio of 1.17.
The Transportation - Airline industry is part of the Transportation sector. With its current Zacks Industry Rank of 26, this industry ranks in the top 11% of all industries, numbering over 250.
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.
Research Chief Names "Single Best Pick to Double"
From thousands of stocks, 5 Zacks experts each have chosen their favorite to skyrocket +100% or more in months to come. From those 5, Director of Research Sheraz Mian hand-picks one to have the most explosive upside of all.
This company targets millennial and Gen Z audiences, generating nearly $1 billion in revenue last quarter alone. A recent pullback makes now an ideal time to jump aboard. Of course, all our elite picks aren’t winners but this one could far surpass earlier Zacks’ Stocks Set to Double like Nano-X Imaging which shot up +129.6% in little more than 9 months.
Free: See Our Top Stock And 4 Runners Up
Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 5 Stocks Set to Double. Click to get this free report
To read this article on Zacks.com click here.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Alaska Air Group (ALK) Stock Drops Despite Market Gains: Important Facts to Note

In a bid to widen its popularity in terms of services, Alaska Airlines, a wholly owned subsidiary of Alaska Air Group (ALK), is gearing up to make a comeback between Seattle Paine Field International Airport (PAE) and Portland International Airport (PDX), effective June 2026.
The aforesaid route is one of the demanding routes for travelers across the greater Puget Sound region. The resumed service will be a nonstop service and will operate on a daily basis, connecting to Alaska's broader network of cities like Houston, Nashville, Orlando, Dallas, Bozeman, Spokane and Austin.Tickets to Portland are available at www.alaskaair.com.
Joshua Marcy, airport director at Paine Field, stated, "This is great news for our community and great news for the region. Restoring service to Portland not only reconnects Snohomish County with one of the Northwest's key cities, but it also gives residents seamless access to Alaska Airlines' vast network of destinations beyond PDX."
Considering the popularity of this route among travelers and that it connects two of the Pacific Northwest's significant economic and cultural hubs, the strategic move on Alaska Airlines’ part to resume services is expected to help strengthen this Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) stock’s competitive position in the airline industry globally.
Over the past month, shares of ALK have gained 29.1% compared with the 17.5% growth of the Zacks Airline industry it belongs to.
ALK Stock One-Month Price Comparison
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Stocks to Consider
Investors interested in the Transportation sector can consider Expeditors International of Washington, Inc. (EXPD) and LATAM Airlines GroupLTM.
EXPD currently sports a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
EXPD has an expected earnings growth rate of 3.50% for the current year. The company has an encouraging earnings surprise history. Its earnings outpaced the Zacks Consensus Estimate in each of the trailing four quarters, delivering an average beat of 13.94%.
LTM carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) at present. LTM has an expected earnings growth rate of 52.63% for the current year. The company has a solid earnings surprise history. Its earnings outpaced the Zacks Consensus Estimate in three of the trailing four quarters, and met in the remaining one, delivering an average beat of 29.84%. The consensus mark for LTM’s 2025 earnings has moved 5.34% north in the past 60 days.
5 Stocks Set to Double
Each was handpicked by a Zacks expert as the favorite stock to gain +100% or more in the months ahead. They include
Stock #1: A Disruptive Force with Notable Growth and Resilience
Stock #2: Bullish Signs Signaling to Buy the Dip
Stock #3: One of the Most Compelling Investments in the Market
Stock #4: Leader In a Red-Hot Industry Poised for Growth
Stock #5: Modern Omni-Channel Platform Coiled to Spring
Most of the stocks in this report are flying under Wall Street radar, which provides a great opportunity to get in on the ground floor. While not all picks can be winners, previous recommendations have soared +171%, +209% and +232%.
Download Atomic Opportunity: Nuclear Energy's Comeback free today.
Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Alaska Airlines to Restart Services Between Paine Field & Portland

Alaska Airlines, the wholly owned subsidiary of Alaska Air Group ALK, strengthens its network by expanding service from Anchorage and Portland to meet the likely strong summer travel demand next year. The airline adds seven new nonstop routes, lifting Anchorage’s summer offering to a record 17 nonstop destinations in the Lower 48 and Hawaii. By introducing new links to Boise, Boston and Spokane, and increasing frequencies to high-demand markets like San Diego and Sacramento, Alaska Airlines reinforces Anchorage’s role as a critical gateway while capturing peak-season leisure and long-haul traffic.
The airline also accelerates growth at Portland, using Portland International Airport as a key connection point across its West Coast network. New and resumed routes to Washington state cities and Jackson Hole improve regional access and support onward travel to more than 65 nonstop destinations. Year-round services to Bellingham, Pasco and Everett, combined with seasonal leisure routes, allow Alaska Airlines to balance steady demand with summer travel spikes while efficiently deploying its E175 and 737 fleets.
Overall, Alaska Airlines executes a disciplined expansion strategy focused on depth rather than scale. The carrier concentrates capacity in core hubs, improves connectivity and enhances schedule convenience without taking on outsized risk. Supported by its premium onboard experience and evolving loyalty program, the new routes strengthen customer loyalty and position the airline for solid performance in the 2026 peak travel season.
ALK’s Price Performance
Despite such robust expansion initiatives, the company’s share price has declined 3.9% over the past 90 days, as compared with the Transportation - Airline industry’s 17.4% rise.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
ALK’s Zacks Rank
ALK currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).
Stocks to Consider
Investors interested in the Zacks Transportation sector should consider Expeditors International of Washington EXPD and Global Ship Lease GSL.
EXPD currently sports a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
EXPD has an expected earnings growth rate of 3.50% for the current year. The company has an encouraging earnings surprise history. Its earnings outpaced the Zacks Consensus Estimate in each of the trailing four quarters, delivering an average beat of 13.9%.
Global Ship Lease currently carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).
GSL has an expected earnings growth rate of 2.60% for the current year. The company has an encouraging earnings surprise history. Its earnings topped the Zacks Consensus Estimate in each of the trailing four quarters, delivering an average beat of 16.8%.
5 Stocks Set to Double
Each was handpicked by a Zacks expert as the favorite stock to gain +100% or more in the months ahead. They include
Stock #1: A Disruptive Force with Notable Growth and Resilience
Stock #2: Bullish Signs Signaling to Buy the Dip
Stock #3: One of the Most Compelling Investments in the Market
Stock #4: Leader In a Red-Hot Industry Poised for Growth
Stock #5: Modern Omni-Channel Platform Coiled to Spring
Most of the stocks in this report are flying under Wall Street radar, which provides a great opportunity to get in on the ground floor. While not all picks can be winners, previous recommendations have soared +171%, +209% and +232%.
Download Atomic Opportunity: Nuclear Energy's Comeback free today.
Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Alaska Airlines Boosts Summer Routes From Anchorage and Portland

In the latest trading session, Alaska Air Group (ALK) closed at $51.24, marking a -2.25% move from the previous day. The stock fell short of the S&P 500, which registered a loss of 1.16% for the day. At the same time, the Dow lost 0.47%, and the tech-heavy Nasdaq lost 1.81%.
Heading into today, shares of the airline had gained 34.24% over the past month, outpacing the Transportation sector's gain of 7.7% and the S&P 500's gain of 1.03%.
The investment community will be closely monitoring the performance of Alaska Air Group in its forthcoming earnings report. On that day, Alaska Air Group is projected to report earnings of $0.19 per share, which would represent a year-over-year decline of 80.41%. Meanwhile, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for revenue is projecting net sales of $3.65 billion, up 3.34% from the year-ago period.
For the full year, the Zacks Consensus Estimates project earnings of $2.22 per share and a revenue of $14.26 billion, demonstrating changes of -54.41% and +21.51%, respectively, from the preceding year.
Investors should also take note of any recent adjustments to analyst estimates for Alaska Air Group. Such recent modifications usually signify the changing landscape of near-term business trends. As a result, we can interpret positive estimate revisions as a good sign for the business outlook.
Our research shows that these estimate changes are directly correlated with near-term stock prices. We developed the Zacks Rank to capitalize on this phenomenon. Our system takes these estimate changes into account and delivers a clear, actionable rating model.
The Zacks Rank system, stretching from #1 (Strong Buy) to #5 (Strong Sell), has a noteworthy track record of outperforming, validated by third-party audits, with stocks rated #1 producing an average annual return of +25% since the year 1988. Over the past month, the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate has moved 7.84% lower. Alaska Air Group is currently a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).
Investors should also note Alaska Air Group's current valuation metrics, including its Forward P/E ratio of 23.61. This denotes a premium relative to the industry average Forward P/E of 12.15.
One should further note that ALK currently holds a PEG ratio of 1.16. This popular metric is similar to the widely-known P/E ratio, with the difference being that the PEG ratio also takes into account the company's expected earnings growth rate. The Transportation - Airline industry currently had an average PEG ratio of 0.85 as of yesterday's close.
The Transportation - Airline industry is part of the Transportation sector. This industry, currently bearing a Zacks Industry Rank of 143, finds itself in the bottom 43% echelons of all 250+ industries.
The Zacks Industry Rank gauges the strength of our individual 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.
You can find more information on all of these metrics, and much more, on Zacks.com.
5 Stocks Set to Double
Each was handpicked by a Zacks expert as the #1 favorite stock to gain +100% or more in the coming year. While not all picks can be winners, previous recommendations have soared +112%, +171%, +209% and +232%.
Most of the stocks in this report are flying under Wall Street radar, which provides a great opportunity to get in on the ground floor.
Today, See These 5 Potential Home Runs >>
Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Alaska Air Group (ALK) Sees a More Significant Dip Than Broader Market: Some Facts to Know

Key Points
A pundit at one of the Big Four U.S. banks has flagged the airline industry as a potential recovery story for 2026.
Although he didn't select Frontier as one of his top picks, his bullish take on the industry helped improve sentiment in its stocks.
It was up, up, and away for Frontier Group Holdings (NASDAQ: ULCC) this week, and I'm not talking about the budget airline's planes. Thanks in no small part to a bullish note from an influential bank's analyst about its sector, investors snapped up shares of the company. Ultimately, according to data compiled by S&P Global Market Intelligence, Frontier's stock flew 11% higher over the period.
Increasingly clear skies
The pundit behind the note was Citigroup's John Godyn, who believes that 2026 will see the airline industry overcome several recent headwinds.
Where to invest $1,000 right now? Our analyst team just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks to buy right now. Continue »
According to reports, he wrote that airlines have struggled with challenges over the past year, including operational disruptions, tariffs imposed by the current presidential administration, and the lengthy government shutdown that hampered air traffic control.
Godyn wrote that these conditions will either ease or, in the best case, be non-factors, smoothing a flight path for a broad recovery in the sector.
In his view, however, some carriers will benefit more than others. He identified two in particular that he considers compelling buys at the moment, American Airlines Group and Alaska Air Group.
A beater in the budget bin
While Godyn didn't single Frontier out as an obvious stock buy, the analyst's general optimism on the airline sector as a whole provided reason enough to invest in almost any of its stocks.
Frontier is a compelling play because travelers are strongly motivated by price rather than brand loyalty these days. Since the recent tribulations of Spirit Airlines, Frontier is currently a top choice in the budget category.
Personally, I agree with Godyn's assessment, although I've always felt that the airline business is too volatile, too dependent on trends, and burdened with high costs to produce reliable investments. Still, for those determined to buy into it, Frontier isn'a a bad choice.
Should you invest $1,000 in Frontier Group right now?
Before you buy stock in Frontier Group, consider this:
The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Frontier Group wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.
Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $507,421!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,109,138!*
Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 972% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 195% for the S&P 500. Don’t miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join Stock Advisor.
*Stock Advisor returns as of December 8, 2025
Citigroup is an advertising partner of Motley Fool Money. Eric Volkman has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends Alaska Air Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Why Frontier Group Holdings Stock Cruised 11% Higher This Week

Alaska Air Group (ALK) closed at $52.55 in the latest trading session, marking a +1.55% move from the prior day. The stock's change was more than the S&P 500's daily gain of 0.21%. At the same time, the Dow added 1.35%, and the tech-heavy Nasdaq lost 0.26%.
Heading into today, shares of the airline had gained 19.18% over the past month, outpacing the Transportation sector's gain of 7.34% and the S&P 500's gain of 0.89%.
Investors will be eagerly watching for the performance of Alaska Air Group in its upcoming earnings disclosure. The company's upcoming EPS is projected at $0.18, signifying a 81.44% drop compared to the same quarter of the previous year. Our most recent consensus estimate is calling for quarterly revenue of $3.65 billion, up 3.19% from the year-ago period.
For the entire fiscal year, the Zacks Consensus Estimates are projecting earnings of $2.2 per share and a revenue of $14.25 billion, representing changes of -54.83% and +21.4%, respectively, from the prior year.
Investors might also notice recent changes to analyst estimates for Alaska Air Group. These revisions help to show the ever-changing nature of near-term business trends. As such, positive estimate revisions reflect analyst optimism about the business and profitability.
Our research demonstrates that these adjustments in estimates directly associate with imminent stock price performance. 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, which ranges from #1 (Strong Buy) to #5 (Strong Sell), has an impressive outside-audited track record of outperformance, with #1 stocks generating an average annual return of +25% since 1988. Over the past month, the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate has shifted 4.57% downward. Alaska Air Group currently has a Zacks Rank of #4 (Sell).
Digging into valuation, Alaska Air Group currently has a Forward P/E ratio of 23.5. This valuation marks a premium compared to its industry average Forward P/E of 11.86.
It is also worth noting that ALK currently has a PEG ratio of 1.1. Comparable to the widely accepted P/E ratio, the PEG ratio also accounts for the company's projected earnings growth. By the end of yesterday's trading, the Transportation - Airline industry had an average PEG ratio of 0.79.
The Transportation - Airline industry is part of the Transportation sector. At present, this industry carries a Zacks Industry Rank of 149, placing it within the bottom 40% of over 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.
Keep in mind to rely on Zacks.com to watch all these stock-impacting metrics, and more, in the succeeding trading sessions.
Free Report: Profiting from the 2nd Wave of AI Explosion
The next phase of the AI explosion is poised to create significant wealth for investors, especially those who get in early. It will add literally trillion of dollars to the economy and revolutionize nearly every part of our lives.
Investors who bought shares like Nvidia at the right time have had a shot at huge gains.
But the rocket ride in the "first wave" of AI stocks may soon come to an end. The sharp upward trajectory of these stocks will begin to level off, leaving exponential growth to a new wave of cutting-edge companies.
Zacks' AI Boom 2.0: The Second Wave report reveals 4 under-the-radar companies that may soon be shining stars of AI’s next leap forward.
Access AI Boom 2.0 now, absolutely free >>
Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Alaska Air Group (ALK) Outperforms Broader Market: What You Need to Know

On Dec. 3, 2025, Alaska Air Group, Inc. ALK unveiled disappointing fourth-quarter 2025 guidance, citing issues related to outages, shutdown-related losses, and higher fuel costs, which pressured results.
A downbeat guidance always acts as a negative indicator of the company’s prospects. Given this backdrop, the question that naturally arises is: Should investors buy, hold, or sell ALK stock now? A more in-depth analysis is needed to make that determination. Before diving into ALK’s investment prospects, let’s take a glance at its financial numbers.
Alaska Air’s Bearish Q4 Outlook
ALK cited several headwinds that led to an impact of nearly 55-60 cents per share, hurting its fourth quarter. This includes an internal IT and cloud service provider outage (25 cents), lost revenue owing to the government shutdown (15 cents), higher fuel costs (15 cents) and a higher book tax rate for the fourth quarter.
ALK now anticipates its fourth-quarter 2025 adjusted earnings per share to be around 10 cents per share, down from the prior view of 40 cents per share. The Zacks Consensus Estimate is currently pegged at 28 cents per share.
Fourth-quarter unit revenues or revenue per available seat miles are now expected to be up 1% compared with the prior expectation to be up low single digits on a year-over-year basis. Fourth-quarter capacity (measured in average seat miles) is now expected to be up 2% compared with the prior guided range of up 2%-3% on a year-over-year basis.
Consolidated operating costs per available seat mile (excluding fuel and special items) for the fourth quarter are now anticipated to be up 3% compared with the prior expectation to increase by low single-digits year over year.
ALK has been witnessing high West Coast refining margins due to continued supply disruptions. This has led to an increase in fuel cost expectation to $2.65 per gallon from the prior range of $2.50–$2.60 per gallon.
The government shutdown, which started in October, drove FAA-mandated flight reductions, which led to almost 600 cancelations across ALK, impacting nearly 40,000 guests. Although operations resumed immediately after the government reopening, the disruption and lost revenue are anticipated to hurt Alaska Air’s earnings by almost 15 cents for the fourth quarter.
What Do Earnings Estimates Say for Alaska Air?
The negative sentiment surrounding ALK stock is evident from the fact that the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the fourth quarter of 2025, as well as for full-year 2025 and 2026 earnings, has been revised downward in the past 60 days. The consensus mark for first-quarter 2026 earnings has also been projected downward in the past 60 days.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
What About Other Airline Companies’ Updated Guidance?
Apart from ALK, other airline companies such as Delta Air Lines DAL and Southwest Airlines Co. (LUV) have also updated their guidance.
Delta Air Lines
At the Morgan Stanley Global Consumer & Retail Conference held on Dec. 3, 2025, Delta unveiled that the government shutdown is anticipated to reduce the company’s December-quarter pre-tax profitability by almost $200 million, or about 25 cents per share. This is due to the softer travel demand witnessed in November due to the government shutdown.
On the greener side, demand remains healthy for the December quarter, with strong trends continuing into early 2026. Travel bookings have recovered to initial expectations.
Southwest Airlines
This Dallas, TX-based passenger airline company revealed its updated expectations for full-year 2025 earnings before interest and taxes, excluding special items (EBIT).
Citing issues related to lower revenues owing to the government shutdown and the impact of higher fuel prices, LUV now anticipates its full-year 2025 EBIT guidance to be around $500 million. This marks a downside from the previous guided range of $600-$800 million.
Alaska Air’s Price Performance Soars
Shares of ALK have had a good time on the bourses of late, improving in double digits over the past month. The encouraging price performance resulted in ALK stock outperforming the Zacks Airline industry in the said time frame.
ALk Stock One-Month Price Comparison
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Impressive Valuation Picture for ALK Stock
From a valuation perspective, ALK is trading at a discount compared to the industry, going by its forward 12-month price-to-sales ratio.
The stock has a forward 12-month P/S-F12M of 0.38X compared with 0.54X for the industry over the past five years. The company’s forward 12-month P/S-F12M ratio is also below the median level of 0.54X over the past five years. These factors indicate that the stock’s valuation is attractive. ALK has a Value Score of A.
ALK P/S Ratio (Forward 12 Months) Vs. Industry
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Final Thoughts
Alaska Air’s fourth-quarter 2025 earnings expectations have been weighed down by IT outages, government shutdown-related revenue losses, higher fuel costs and higher book tax rate. The unfavorable estimate revisions indicate brokers’ lack of confidence in the stock. We believe that the negatives surrounding Alaska Air stock outweigh its fleet modernization efforts, consistent shareholder-friendly moves, and its attractive valuation. So, the stock appears to be a risky bet for investors. The stock’s current Zacks Rank #4 (Sell) justifies our analysis.
You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
Zacks Naming Top 10 Stocks for 2026
Want to be tipped off early to our 10 top picks for the entirety of 2026? History suggests their performance could be sensational.
From 2012 (when our Director of Research Sheraz Mian assumed responsibility for the portfolio) through November, 2025, the Zacks Top 10 Stocks gained +2,530.8%, more than QUADRUPLING the S&P 500’s +570.3%.
Now Sheraz is combing through 4,400 companies to handpick the best 10 tickers to buy and hold in 2026. Don’t miss your chance to get in on these stocks when they’re released on January 5.
Be First to New Top 10 Stocks >>
Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.