Is a Beat in the Cards for Delta Air Lines in Q3 Earnings?

Core Insights - Delta Air Lines, Inc. (DAL) is set to report its third-quarter 2025 results on October 9, with earnings expected at $1.60 per share, reflecting a 6.7% year-over-year increase, and revenues projected at $15.9 billion, indicating a 1.6% increase from the previous year [1][10] Financial Performance Expectations - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for DAL's earnings suggests a strong performance, with an impressive earnings surprise history, having surpassed estimates in three of the last four quarters with an average beat of 4.8% [2] - The anticipated increase in total revenues is driven by high passenger revenues, with a projected 3.4% increase in passenger revenues compared to the third quarter of 2024 [3] - Other revenues are estimated at $2.38 million, showing a slight growth of 0.2% from the prior year [3] Cost Management and Challenges - DAL expects to achieve its best non-fuel unit cost results of the year in the September-end quarter, with expenses anticipated to remain flat or decline compared to 2024 [4] - However, geopolitical uncertainty, tariff-related pressures, and persistent inflation are expected to negatively impact DAL's operations and weaken travel demand, particularly in international and business segments [5] Earnings Prediction Model - The company's earnings prediction model indicates a likelihood of an earnings beat, supported by a positive Earnings ESP of +1.42% and a Zacks Rank of 2 (Buy) [6] Recent Earnings Highlights - In the second quarter of 2025, DAL reported earnings of $2.10 per share, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.04, although this represented an 11% decrease year-over-year due to high labor costs [7] - Revenues for the June-end quarter were $16.65 billion, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $16.2 billion, with adjusted operating revenues increasing by 1% year-over-year to $15.5 billion [8]