Airline Stocks to Monitor Following Conclusion of Government Shutdown
Airline Stock Resilience: Despite the recent government shutdown causing disruptions, airline stocks have shown resilience, with LATAM Airlines Group and International Consolidated Airlines Group being notable outperformers, achieving significant year-to-date gains.
Domestic Airline Prospects: SkyWest has received a buy rating due to positive earnings estimate revisions, while United Airlines and Delta Air Lines are also showing promising EPS growth, although they currently hold a hold rating.
Stocks to Avoid: Six airline stocks are rated as sell, with Alaska Air Group and Sun Country Airlines identified as strong sell candidates due to weaker earnings revision trends.
Emerging Market Opportunities: The demand for data is driving growth in the semiconductor market, with a specific under-the-radar chipmaker poised to benefit from this trend, focusing on products not offered by major players like NVIDIA.
Trade with 70% Backtested Accuracy
Analyst Views on LTM
About LTM
About the author

- Earnings Highlights: Delta Air Lines reported Q4 2025 earnings of $1.55 per share, surpassing the Zacks consensus estimate of $1.53, despite a 16.22% year-over-year decline primarily due to high labor costs.
- Revenue Growth: The company achieved revenues of $16 billion for the quarter, exceeding the Zacks consensus estimate of $15.63 billion, marking a 2.9% year-over-year increase, although revenue growth was impacted by approximately 2 percentage points due to the government shutdown.
- Fleet Modernization: Delta has reached an agreement with Boeing to acquire 30 787-10 widebody aircraft, with deliveries expected to commence in 2031, aimed at enhancing fuel efficiency and operating economics to support its international expansion strategy.
- Future Outlook: Delta anticipates Q1 2026 adjusted earnings per share in the range of $0.50 to $0.90, with full-year earnings expected between $6.5 and $7.5, reflecting a 20% year-over-year growth, indicating optimism about future air travel demand.
- Analyst Sentiment Boost: AerCap Holdings N.V. (AER) received an A+ EPS revision grade with a Quant rating of 4.71, indicating strong analyst confidence in its near-term performance, which could drive stock price increases and attract more investor interest.
- LATAM Airlines Standout: LATAM Airlines Group S.A. (LTM) also achieved an A+ EPS revision grade with a high Quant rating of 4.89, suggesting a strong performance in the upcoming earnings report, enhancing market confidence in its recovery capabilities.
- Industry Leaders: Sandvik AB (SDVKY) earned an A+ rating with a Quant score of 4.67, reflecting its robust growth potential in the industrial sector, likely drawing more institutional investor attention.
- Overall Market Trend: As earnings season approaches, the general increase in EPS revision grades for several large-cap industrial companies indicates a positive outlook from analysts, which may trigger a favorable response from investors.
- LATAM Airlines Performance: LATAM Airlines Group holds a Zacks Rank of #1, with the current year earnings consensus estimate rising by 4.2% over the past 60 days, indicating enhanced profitability that is likely to boost investor confidence.
- Kohl's Strong Growth: Kohl's Corporation also carries a Zacks Rank of #1, with the consensus estimate for next year's earnings increasing by 104.4% in the last 60 days, suggesting robust market demand that may attract more investor attention.
- Dollar General's Stability: Dollar General Corporation has a Zacks Rank of #1, with the current year earnings consensus estimate up by 5.4%, and a P/E ratio of 22.26, which is lower than the industry average of 28.60, highlighting its relative value appeal.
- Investment Opportunities: These companies have been handpicked by Zacks experts, expected to gain over 100% in the coming months, presenting excellent investment opportunities, especially given their lower visibility in the market.
- Sector Performance: The S&P 500 industrials sector achieved a 17.7% gain in 2025, marking its third consecutive year of double-digit growth, indicating strong performance in economic recovery and surpassing the broader S&P 500's 16.39% increase.
- Investor Confidence: Strength in aerospace, machinery, and transportation stocks has bolstered investor confidence in economically sensitive segments, supported by improving demand, easing supply-chain pressures, and increased infrastructure spending, which continue to drive earnings momentum across the industrial sector.
- Health Score Analysis: According to Seeking Alpha's Quant Ratings, the industrial sector has an average health score of 3.07 out of 5, with 65 out of 361 stocks with market capitalizations above $2 billion rated Buy or higher, reflecting positive market sentiment towards the sector.
- Quant Rating Distribution: Ahead of the upcoming earnings season, the quantitative breakdown shows that high-rated stocks are driven by growth, momentum, and earnings revisions, while low-rated stocks indicate sharp deterioration in revisions and momentum, particularly in construction-linked and clean energy segments.
- Earnings Estimate Increase: Dollar General Corporation (DG) has seen its current year earnings estimate raised by 5.4% over the last 60 days, indicating strong performance in the discount retail sector that may attract more investor interest.
- Dividend Yield Advantage: The company boasts a dividend yield of 1.7%, significantly higher than the industry average of 0.9%, providing a competitive edge in attracting income-seeking investors.
- LATAM Airlines Earnings Boost: LATAM Airlines Group S.A. (LTM) also experienced a 4.2% increase in its current year earnings estimate over the past 60 days, reflecting recovery potential in the air transportation sector that could enhance market confidence.
- Dividend Yield Comparison: LATAM Airlines offers a dividend yield of 1.6%, compared to the industry average of 0.0%, indicating strong performance in profitability and shareholder returns.
- Shift in Health Trends: In 2026, Americans are moving from temporary 'quick fixes' to sustainable long-term health, reflecting a strong demand for longevity-focused training and personalized health data.
- Mainstreaming VO2 Max Testing: Once exclusive to elite athletes, VO2 Max testing has become a vital health metric for the general public, enabling individuals to accurately establish heart rate training zones, thereby enhancing cardiovascular health and life expectancy.
- Importance of Strength Training: Strength training is increasingly recognized as a necessary supplement to cardiovascular exercise, with a growing awareness of its role in maintaining muscle mass and bone density, alongside rising interest in evidence-based supplements like creatine.
- Focus on Nutrition Quality: The emphasis on nutrition is shifting towards high-quality, transparent ingredients, with a leading strategy being the intake of 25-30 grams of protein at breakfast to stabilize energy levels and support muscle recovery.










