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Alaska Air (ALK)
NYSE:ALK

Alaska Air (ALK) AI Stock Analysis

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ALK

Alaska Air

(NYSE:ALK)

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Neutral 55 (OpenAI - 5.2)
Rating:55Neutral
Price Target:
$52.00
▲(2.22% Upside)
The score is held back primarily by weakening profitability, negative free cash flow, and rising leverage despite strong revenue and operating cash flow. Technicals are moderately supportive with a mild uptrend and neutral momentum, but valuation is a key headwind due to the high P/E and no dividend support.
Positive Factors
Revenue growth and operating cash flow
Sustained top-line expansion and roughly $1.25B in operating cash flow create durable capacity to fund operations, integration and fleet investment. Reliable OCF underpins strategic initiatives and provides a cushion versus cyclical demand swings over the next several years.
Strategic integration and network expansion
Combining Alaska and Hawaiian under one FAA certificate materially lowers operating complexity and supports network optimization. New long-haul routes and integration synergies can lift higher-yield corporate and international demand, improving structural revenue mix and unit economics.
Long-term fleet modernization and capacity planning
A sizeable multi-year Boeing order signals disciplined, long-horizon capacity planning and fleet renewal. Modern, fuel-efficient aircraft can reduce per-seat fuel and maintenance costs, enabling better margins and competitive positioning as international and domestic demand grows over the coming decade.
Negative Factors
Rising leverage and debt load
Material increase in debt relative to equity reduces financial flexibility and elevates interest and refinancing risk. Higher leverage limits ability to absorb demand shocks, constrains capital allocation choices, and could pressure liquidity if margins or cash flow weaken over a 2–6 month horizon and beyond.
Inconsistent free cash flow conversion
Volatile FCF amid heavy reinvestment and capex means less predictable cash available for debt paydown or strategic returns. Negative FCF recurrence undermines capacity to delever or fund large fleet commitments without additional financing, raising structural funding risk.
Weakened profitability and margin pressure
Earnings compression despite revenue growth indicates margin stress from costs, fuel, or integration expenses. Persistent margin deterioration would impair ability to convert revenue into sustainable profits, limiting reinvestment and increasing vulnerability to economic or fuel-price shocks over the medium term.

Alaska Air (ALK) vs. SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY)

Alaska Air Business Overview & Revenue Model

Company DescriptionAlaska Air Group, Inc., through its subsidiaries, provides passenger and cargo air transportation services. The company operates through three segments: Mainline, Regional, and Horizon. It flies to approximately 120 destinations throughout North America. Alaska Air Group, Inc. was founded in 1932 and is based in Seattle, Washington.
How the Company Makes MoneyAlaska Air generates revenue primarily through the sale of passenger tickets, which includes both domestic and international flights. Ticket sales account for the majority of its revenue. Additionally, the company earns income from ancillary services, such as baggage fees, seat selection, and in-flight services. The frequent flyer program, Mileage Plan, also contributes to revenue by promoting customer loyalty and generating additional sales from partners. Furthermore, Alaska Air benefits from cargo services, providing freight transportation for various goods. Partnerships with other airlines for codeshare agreements and interline services expand its network and customer base, further enhancing revenue opportunities.

Alaska Air Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

Any
Any
Available Seat Miles Capacity
Available Seat Miles Capacity
Measures the total seating capacity available across all flights, reflecting the airline's ability to meet demand and expand its network.
Chart InsightsAlaska Air's Available Seat Miles Capacity has shown a robust recovery from the pandemic lows, with a significant upward trend since 2022. The recent surge in capacity, particularly in 2024 and 2025, indicates strategic expansion and increased operational activity. This growth trajectory suggests confidence in demand recovery and potential market share gains. However, the dip in Q3 2025 could signal seasonal adjustments or operational constraints. Investors should watch for management's strategies to sustain this growth amid potential economic headwinds.
Data provided by:The Fly

Alaska Air Earnings Call Summary

Earnings Call Date:Jan 22, 2026
(Q4-2025)
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% Change Since: |
Next Earnings Date:Apr 16, 2026
Earnings Call Sentiment Neutral
The call presented a balanced picture: strong operational and strategic progress (integration milestones, large aircraft order, Atmos loyalty and card momentum, premium revenue growth, share repurchases and delivered synergies) that position the company for medium-term improvement, but significant near-term headwinds remain (IT outages, macro-driven revenue shortfalls >$500M in 2025, fuel price volatility, Q1 earnings weakness and a wide 2026 guidance range). Management emphasized that many negatives are transient and remediation/harvesting of 2025 investments should drive margin expansion, but execution risk and external volatility keep outcomes uncertain in the near term.
Q4-2025 Updates
Positive Updates
Adjusted Earnings Ahead of Revised Guidance
Adjusted net income of $50M in Q4 and $293M for the full year; adjusted EPS of $0.43 in Q4 and $2.44 for FY2025, both ahead of the company's revised guidance in December.
Revenue and Unit Revenue Growth
Q4 total revenue $3.6B, up 2.8% year-over-year on 2.2% capacity growth (unit revenues +0.6%). Full year revenue $14.2B, up 3.3% on 1.9% capacity growth (unit revenues +1.4%).
Premium Cabin Outperformance
Premium (First and Premium Class) revenue up 7.1% in Q4 and 6.7% for the full year; premium represented 36% of total revenue in Q4 and outperformed Main Cabin by ~9.5 points in the quarter and 7 points for the year.
Loyalty and Credit Card Momentum
Unified loyalty program Atmos launched August; bank cash remuneration $2.1B for the year (+10% YoY). Loyalty revenues up 12% in Q4. New premium Atmos Summit card had 75,000 sign-ups in 4 months (3x expectations); full-year card acquisitions +17% YoY; premium cardholders spend ~2x base-cardholders. Atmos business card accounts up >185% YoY.
Integration Milestones and Synergies Delivered
Single operating certificate achieved in October (13 months post-merger). Synergies finished ahead of plan (notably network synergies), Hawaii region was the strongest year-over-year performer within the combined network.
Fleet and Order Book Strength
Secured largest aircraft order in company history with Boeing; order book of 261 aircraft if options exercised, including firm orders to grow 787 fleet to 17. MAX 10 expected to add ~5.5% more seats and increase first-class seats by ~25% vs MAX 9.
Share Repurchases and Liquidity
Executed $570M of share repurchases in 2025 (more than halfway of the $1B authorization), lowering diluted share count to 117M from 129M. Operating cash flow $1.2B for the year and total liquidity of $3B at year-end.
International Network Expansion
Launched Tokyo and Seoul service; scheduled to begin London, Rome and Reykjavik service in spring. Selling in six foreign currencies and launched local language websites (Japanese, Korean, Italian); pursuing ~17 codeshare destinations beyond London to reach ~55 total European destinations.
Product and Technology Upgrades
Completed 86% of seat retrofits on 218 Boeing 737s (enables 1.3M incremental premium seats and supports $100M incremental profit target). Starlink Wi-Fi installed on 66 aircraft (~16% of fleet); plan for 50% of fleet by end-2026 and 100% by end-2027.
Cost Discipline and Capital Allocation
Q4 unit costs up 1.3% YoY and came in below guidance; full-year unit costs up ~4.7% YoY amid limited capacity growth. Planned 2026 CapEx $1.5B with expectation to generate positive free cash flow and continued execution of synergies.
Negative Updates
IT Outages and Operational Disruption
Two significant IT outages in 2025 (hardware/configuration failures and backup redundancies that did not engage) caused guest disruption, employee strain and financial impact. Management is investing in resiliency/remediation and engaging third-party experts; remediation costs are contemplated in the 2026 plan.
Macroeconomic Headwinds and Revenue Shortfall
Management said macroeconomic shocks reduced revenues by more than $500M in 2025. Full-year adjusted pretax margin was 2.8%, down ~1 point vs pro forma 2024. The company also cited approximately $100M of transient items that negatively impacted 2025 earnings.
Government Shutdown Impacted Q4 Results
The U.S. government shutdown reduced Q4 earnings by roughly $30M (about $0.15 of EPS) and temporarily depressed bookings, creating a short period of negative year-over-year bookings before recovery.
Fuel Cost Volatility and West Coast Refining Premiums
Elevated fuel costs and volatile West Coast refining margins pressured results; ~50% of fuel exposure tied to the West Coast. Company notes fuel sensitivity of ~$0.75 EPS per $0.10/gal change, making fuel volatility a material near-term risk.
Main Cabin Weakness and Capacity Execution
Main Cabin revenues declined 2.4% in Q4 (though improved vs Q3). Full-year capacity was ~0.75% below original plan, and full-year unit costs rose ~4.7% YoY, reflecting integration and inflationary pressures.
Near-Term Earnings Uncertainty and Wide Guidance Range
2026 guidance is wide ($3.50 to $6.50 EPS) and Q1 is guided to an adjusted loss of $1.50 to $0.50, reflecting industry volatility and exposure to macro/fuel outcomes. Net debt/EBITDA at ~3x remains above the 1.5x long-term target; share repurchases slowed debt reduction.
Company Guidance
Alaska Air Group guided 2026 adjusted EPS of $3.50–$6.50 (Q1 EPS loss of $1.50 to $0.50), with Q1 capacity up ~1–2% and full‑year capacity up ~2–3% (six 737 deliveries, one 787 and four E175s), planned CapEx of $1.5 billion and an expectation of positive free cash flow; management reiterated at‑least‑offsetting share repurchases (after $570M repurchased in 2025, >half of a $1B authorization), ~$240M of debt repayments expected in Q1, year‑end liquidity of ~$3.0B, debt‑to‑capital ~61% and net debt/EBITDA ~3x (long‑term target ~1.5x), and noted every $0.10/gal change in fuel moves full‑year EPS by ~$0.75 (about 50% of fuel exposure to West Coast markets, 25% Hawaii, 25% rest of U.S.); near‑term operating assumptions include delivery of synergies/initiatives, lapping transitory 2025 impacts, “solidly positive” Q1 unit revenue, and Starlink Wi‑Fi on ~50% of the fleet by end‑2026 (100% by end‑2027).

Alaska Air Financial Statement Overview

Summary
Strong revenue growth and healthy operating cash flow are positives, but profitability weakened sharply in 2025 and free cash flow turned negative again. Leverage is elevated and rising (debt ~$6.9B vs equity ~$4.1B), limiting flexibility until margins and FCF stabilize.
Income Statement
62
Positive
Revenue has expanded strongly since 2020, with solid growth through 2024 and a sharp step-up in 2025 (annual). However, profitability has weakened recently: net income fell from $395M (2024) to $100M (2025) and operating profit also compressed, signaling margin pressure despite higher sales. Overall, the top-line trajectory is a clear positive, but earnings consistency and margin durability are the main drawbacks.
Balance Sheet
54
Neutral
Leverage is meaningful for the business: total debt rose to ~$6.9B (2025) versus equity of ~$4.1B, and 2024 debt-to-equity was ~1.46x. Equity has been relatively stable since 2022, but debt has increased notably from 2023 levels, reducing flexibility if operating conditions soften. The balance sheet is serviceable, but the higher debt load is a key risk factor.
Cash Flow
50
Neutral
Operating cash flow remains healthy (about $1.25B in 2025), but free cash flow has been volatile and turned negative again in 2025 (-$339M) after a positive 2024 (+$183M). This suggests heavy reinvestment/capex demands and less consistent cash generation available to de-lever or return to shareholders. Strength is solid operating cash production; weakness is inconsistent free cash flow conversion.
BreakdownDec 2025Dec 2024Dec 2023Dec 2022Dec 2021
Income Statement
Total Revenue14.24B11.73B10.43B9.65B6.18B
Gross Profit8.49B2.86B2.46B2.13B817.00M
EBITDA1.29B1.43B1.24B1.10B137.00M
Net Income100.00M395.00M235.00M58.00M478.00M
Balance Sheet
Total Assets20.36B19.77B15.83B15.35B14.96B
Cash, Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments2.12B2.48B1.79B2.42B3.12B
Total Debt6.89B6.39B3.82B3.78B4.09B
Total Liabilities16.24B15.40B11.72B11.53B11.16B
Stockholders Equity4.12B4.37B4.11B3.82B3.80B
Cash Flow
Free Cash Flow-339.00M183.00M-444.00M-253.00M738.00M
Operating Cash Flow1.25B1.46B1.05B1.42B1.03B
Investing Cash Flow-1.62B-634.00M-964.00M-1.22B-1.01B
Financing Cash Flow-199.00M119.00M-147.00M-325.00M-914.00M

Alaska Air Technical Analysis

Technical Analysis Sentiment
Positive
Last Price50.87
Price Trends
50DMA
47.62
Positive
100DMA
49.10
Positive
200DMA
50.24
Negative
Market Momentum
MACD
0.14
Positive
RSI
51.78
Neutral
STOCH
65.59
Neutral
Evaluating momentum and price trends is crucial in stock analysis to make informed investment decisions. For ALK, the sentiment is Positive. The current price of 50.87 is above the 20-day moving average (MA) of 49.74, above the 50-day MA of 47.62, and above the 200-day MA of 50.24, indicating a neutral trend. The MACD of 0.14 indicates Positive momentum. The RSI at 51.78 is Neutral, neither overbought nor oversold. The STOCH value of 65.59 is Neutral, not indicating any strong overbought or oversold conditions. Overall, these indicators collectively point to a Positive sentiment for ALK.

Alaska Air Risk Analysis

Alaska Air disclosed 28 risk factors in its most recent earnings report. Alaska Air reported the most risks in the "Finance & Corporate" category.
Finance & Corporate - Financial and accounting risks. Risks related to the execution of corporate activity and strategy
Latest Risks Added 0 New Risks

Alaska Air Peers Comparison

Overall Rating
UnderperformOutperform
Sector (63)
Financial Indicators
Name
Overall Rating
Market Cap
P/E Ratio
ROE
Dividend Yield
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
73
Outperform
$44.07B8.8727.78%0.96%4.33%-1.58%
68
Neutral
$34.89B10.5323.99%4.24%20.29%
66
Neutral
$21.74B63.934.22%1.73%0.65%
64
Neutral
$9.62B17.521.27%118.64%
63
Neutral
$10.79B15.437.44%2.01%2.89%-14.66%
55
Neutral
$5.78B56.892.36%31.50%-49.15%
51
Neutral
$1.85B-3.87-19.09%-2.49%47.88%
* Industrials Sector Average
Performance Comparison
Ticker
Company Name
Price
Change
% Change
ALK
Alaska Air
49.81
-20.65
-29.31%
DAL
Delta Air Lines
67.50
0.53
0.79%
JBLU
JetBlue Airways
5.08
-3.01
-37.21%
LUV
Southwest Airlines
42.03
10.15
31.83%
UAL
United Airlines Holdings
107.76
1.02
0.96%
AAL
American Airlines
14.57
-2.63
-15.29%

Alaska Air Corporate Events

Business Operations and StrategyStock BuybackFinancial Disclosures
Alaska Air posts solid Q4 2025 results, upbeat outlook
Positive
Jan 22, 2026

On January 22, 2026, Alaska Air Group reported fourth-quarter and full-year 2025 results, posting GAAP net income of $21 million, or $0.18 per share, and adjusted earnings of $50 million, or $0.43 per share, for the quarter, ahead of prior guidance, though full-year profitability declined from 2024. The company generated $1.2 billion in operating cash flow for the year, achieved a single FAA operating certificate for Alaska and Hawaiian Airlines, and saw diversified revenue growth with higher premium, cargo and loyalty revenues despite macro headwinds and a temporary demand hit from the November government shutdown, while also repurchasing $570 million of stock in 2025 and announcing its largest fleet order in history as part of its Alaska Accelerate strategy. Management highlighted improving demand trends early in 2026, integration synergies from Hawaiian Airlines and new international routes from Seattle to London and Rome, positioning the group to capitalize on strengthening corporate and international travel and to support its longer-term profitability ambitions, albeit within a wide 2026 earnings guidance range that reflects ongoing economic uncertainty and fuel-price risk.

The most recent analyst rating on (ALK) stock is a Buy with a $77.00 price target. To see the full list of analyst forecasts on Alaska Air stock, see the ALK Stock Forecast page.

Business Operations and Strategy
Alaska Air Expands Future Fleet with Major Boeing Order
Positive
Jan 7, 2026

On December 31, 2025, Alaska Airlines finalized a significant fleet expansion with Boeing, ordering 53 additional 737-10 aircraft for delivery between 2032 and 2035, exercising options for 52 more 737-10s scheduled between 2028 and 2032, and adding 35 further 737-10 options to its long-term purchase pipeline. On the same date, the airline also exercised options for five 787 aircraft slated for delivery between 2031 and 2032, moves that collectively underscore a long-range fleet and capacity growth strategy that will shape Alaska’s network and service capabilities well into the next decade; Alaska Air Group subsequently announced the aircraft order in a press release on January 7, 2026.

The most recent analyst rating on (ALK) stock is a Buy with a $70.00 price target. To see the full list of analyst forecasts on Alaska Air stock, see the ALK Stock Forecast page.

Business Operations and StrategyFinancial Disclosures
Alaska Air Revises Q4 2025 Earnings Expectations
Negative
Dec 3, 2025

Alaska Air Group has revised its Q4 2025 adjusted earnings per share expectations from at least $0.40 to approximately $0.10 due to several transitory challenges. These include an IT outage, government shutdown, and increased fuel costs, which collectively impacted earnings by $0.55-0.60 per share. Despite these setbacks, the company has made significant progress in integration and cost alignment, positioning itself for strategic advancements and long-term value delivery.

The most recent analyst rating on (ALK) stock is a Buy with a $60.00 price target. To see the full list of analyst forecasts on Alaska Air stock, see the ALK Stock Forecast page.

Financial DisclosuresRegulatory Filings and Compliance
Alaska Air to Update Q4 Guidance After IT Issues
Neutral
Oct 31, 2025

Alaska Air Group announced that it will provide updated guidance for the fourth quarter in early December, following a comprehensive assessment of the financial impact from recent IT disruptions. The company has decided not to reschedule or host an earnings call for the third quarter, with results disclosed via an SEC filing on October 24.

The most recent analyst rating on (ALK) stock is a Buy with a $80.00 price target. To see the full list of analyst forecasts on Alaska Air stock, see the ALK Stock Forecast page.

Glossary
BuyA stock rated as a "Buy" is expected to perform better than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the stock is likely to deliver higher returns compared to other stocks in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
HoldA stock rated as a "Hold" is expected to perform in line with the overall market or a specific benchmark. This rating indicates that the stock is neither particularly compelling nor unfavorable for investment. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
SellA stock rated as a "Sell" is expected to perform worse than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the stock may deliver lower returns compared to other stocks in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.

Disclaimer

This AI Analyst Stock Report is automatically generated by our AI systems using advanced algorithms and publicly available financial, technical, and market data. While the information provided aims to be accurate and insightful, it is intended for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. Any content created by an AI (Artificial Intelligence) system may contain inaccuracies and/or contain errors. Investing in stocks carries inherent risks, and past performance is not indicative of future results. This report does not account for your personal financial circumstances, objectives, or risk tolerance. Always conduct your own research or consult with a qualified financial advisor before making investment decisions. The analysis and recommendations provided are based on historical and current data and may not fully reflect future market conditions or unexpected developments. Neither the creators of this report nor its affiliated entities guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the information presented. Use this report at your own discretion and risk.Date of analysis: Jan 26, 2026