United Airlines [UAL] vs Alaska Air [ALK] Detailed Stock Comparison
TLDR: Quick Comparison Summary
Based on 20 vital metrics comparison: United Airlines Holdings Inc. wins in 13 metrics, Alaska Air Group Inc. wins in 5 metrics, with 0 ties. United Airlines Holdings Inc. appears stronger overall.
View Metrics Details
Vital Metrics Comparison
| Metric | United Airlines Holdings Inc. | Alaska Air Group Inc. | Better |
|---|---|---|---|
| P/E Ratio (TTM) | 9.52 | 85.77 | United Airlines Holdings Inc. |
| Price-to-Book Ratio | 2.06 | 1.25 | Alaska Air Group Inc. |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio | 203.09 | 178.72 | Alaska Air Group Inc. |
| PEG Ratio | 1.28 | 3.41 | United Airlines Holdings Inc. |
| EV/EBITDA | 6.48 | 8.30 | United Airlines Holdings Inc. |
| Profit Margin (TTM) | 5.68% | 0.51% | United Airlines Holdings Inc. |
| Operating Margin (TTM) | 9.14% | -7.39% | United Airlines Holdings Inc. |
| EBITDA Margin (TTM) | 9.14% | N/A | N/A |
| Return on Equity | 23.99% | 1.86% | United Airlines Holdings Inc. |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | 4.23% | 1.30% | United Airlines Holdings Inc. |
| Free Cash Flow (TTM) | $2.56B | $-339.00M | United Airlines Holdings Inc. |
| 1-Year Return | 56.11% | -0.29% | United Airlines Holdings Inc. |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) | 0.53 | 0.33 | Alaska Air Group Inc. |
| Enterprise Value | $50.21B | $9.48B | United Airlines Holdings Inc. |
| EV/Revenue Ratio | 0.85 | 0.66 | Alaska Air Group Inc. |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 29.27% | N/A | N/A |
| Revenue per Share (TTM) | $182 | $124 | United Airlines Holdings Inc. |
| Earnings per Share (Diluted) | $10.20 | $0.49 | United Airlines Holdings Inc. |
| Beta (Stock Volatility) | 1.29 | 1.28 | Alaska Air Group Inc. |
| Short % of Float | 4.74% | 15.25% | United Airlines Holdings Inc. |
United Airlines Holdings Inc. vs Alaska Air Group Inc. Stock Performance Analysis
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Performance Comparison
Short-term Returns
| Stock | 1D | 1W | 1M | 3M | 6M | YTD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Airlines Holdings Inc. | 3.85% | 13.91% | 29.21% | 32.89% | 11.39% | 6.16% |
| Alaska Air Group Inc. | 3.72% | 16.19% | 32.86% | 27.68% | -5.42% | -4.74% |
Long-term Returns
| Stock | 1Y | 3Y | 5Y | 10Y | 15Y | 20Y |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Airlines Holdings Inc. | 56.11% | 115.93% | 110.34% | 171.05% | 380.53% | 266.96% |
| Alaska Air Group Inc. | -0.29% | -6.15% | -25.26% | -20.98% | 189.60% | 398.11% |
Performance & Financial Health Analysis: United Airlines Holdings Inc. vs Alaska Air Group Inc.
| Metric | UAL | ALK |
|---|---|---|
| Market Information | ||
| Market Cap | $31.53B | $4.71B |
| Market Cap Category | Large cap | Mid cap |
| 10 Day Avg. Volume | 8,672,843 | 4,977,662 |
| 90 Day Avg. Volume | 8,538,158 | 5,076,054 |
| Last Close | $119.97 | $49.08 |
| 52 Week Range | $71.55 - $124.79 | $33.03 - $65.88 |
| % from 52W High | -3.86% | -25.50% |
| All-Time High | $124.79 (Jun 15, 2026) | $101.43 (Feb 27, 2017) |
| % from All-Time High | -3.86% | -51.61% |
| Growth Metrics | ||
| Quarterly Revenue Growth | 0.05% | 0.05% |
| Quarterly Earnings Growth | 0.06% | N/A |
| Financial Health | ||
| Profit Margin (TTM) | 0.06% | 0.01% |
| Operating Margin (TTM) | 0.09% | -0.07% |
| Return on Equity (TTM) | 0.24% | 0.02% |
| Debt to Equity (MRQ) | 203.09 | 178.72 |
| Cash & Liquidity | ||
| Book Value per Share (MRQ) | $47.24 | $33.50 |
| Cash per Share (MRQ) | $37.84 | $15.88 |
| Operating Cash Flow (TTM) | $8.43B | $1.21B |
| Levered Free Cash Flow (TTM) | $1.10B | $-312,750,016 |
| Dividends | ||
| Last 12-Month Dividend Yield | N/A | N/A |
| Last 12-Month Dividend | $0.00 | $0.00 |
Valuation & Enterprise Metrics Analysis: United Airlines Holdings Inc. vs Alaska Air Group Inc.
| Metric | UAL (Apr 22, 2026) | ALK (Apr 26, 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Price Ratios | ||
| P/E Ratio (TTM) | 9.52 | 85.77 |
| Forward P/E | 6.78 | 6.47 |
| PEG Ratio | 1.28 | 3.41 |
| Price to Sales (TTM) | 0.53 | 0.33 |
| Price to Book (MRQ) | 2.06 | 1.25 |
| Market Capitalization | ||
| Market Capitalization | $31.53B | $4.71B |
| Enterprise Value | $50.21B | $9.48B |
| Enterprise Value Metrics | ||
| Enterprise to Revenue | 0.85 | 0.66 |
| Enterprise to EBITDA | 6.48 | 8.30 |
| Risk & Other Metrics | ||
| Beta | 1.29 | 1.28 |
| Book Value per Share (MRQ) | $47.24 | $33.50 |
Financial Statements Comparison: United Airlines Holdings Inc. vs Alaska Air Group Inc.
Financial Metrics
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Revenue
Operating Margin
Profit Margin
Long Term Debt
Income Flow Analysis
Financial Statements Comparison
Income Statement
| Metric | UAL (2025) | ALK (2025) |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue/Sales | 59.07B | 14.24B |
| Cost of Goods Sold | 42.07B | 12.22B |
| COGS % of Revenue | 71.2% | 85.8% |
| Gross Profit | 17.00B | 2.02B |
| Gross Margin | 28.8% | 14.2% |
| Research & Development | N/A | N/A |
| Operating Income (EBIT) | 4.97B | 553.00M |
| Operating Margin | 8.4% | 3.9% |
| EBITDA | 8.67B | 1.43B |
| EBITDA Margin | 14.7% | 10.0% |
| Pre-Tax Income | 4.31B | 146.00M |
| Pre-Tax Income % of Revenue | 7.3% | 1.0% |
| Income Tax | 953.00M | 46.00M |
| Income Tax % of Revenue | 1.6% | 0.3% |
| Net Income (Profit) | 3.35B | 100.00M |
| Profit Margin | 5.7% | 0.7% |
Balance Sheet & Liquidity Metrics
| Metric | UAL (2025) | ALK (2025) |
|---|---|---|
| Cash & Equivalents | 5.94B | 627.00M |
| Total Current Assets | 16.86B | 3.27B |
| Total Current Assets % of Revenue | 28.5% | 22.9% |
| Total Current Liabilities | 26.13B | 6.59B |
| Total Current Liabilities % of Revenue | 44.2% | 46.3% |
| Long-Term Debt | 25.98B | 5.98B |
| Long-Term Debt % of Revenue | 44.0% | 42.0% |
| Total Shareholders Equity | 15.28B | 4.12B |
| Retained Earnings | 10.09B | 5.03B |
| Retained Earnings % of Revenue | 17.1% | 35.3% |
| Property, Plant & Equipment | 18.16B | 3.69B |
Cash Flow Statement Comparison
| Metric | UAL (2025) | ALK (2025) |
|---|---|---|
| Operating Cash Flow | 8.70B | 1.25B |
| Operating Cash Flow % of Revenue | 14.7% | 8.8% |
| Capital Expenditures | 98.00M | -1.59B |
| Free Cash Flow | 2.56B | -339.00M |
| FCF Margin | 4.3% | -2.4% |
| Debt Repayment | -4.77B | -519.00M |
| Common Stock Repurchase | -637.00M | -570.00M |
Short Interest & Institutional Ownership Analysis
| Metric | UAL | ALK |
|---|---|---|
| Shares Short | 15.26M | 15.10M |
| Short Ratio | 1.83 | 2.83 |
| Short % of Float | 4.74% | 15.25% |
| Shares Outstanding | 323.47M | 111.36M |
| Float Shares | 320.60M | 110.62M |
| % Held by Insiders | 0.63% | 0.53% |
| % Held by Institutions | 90.48% | 94.72% |
| % Held by Public | 8.89% | 4.75% |
Dividend Analysis & Yield Comparison: United Airlines Holdings Inc. vs Alaska Air Group Inc.
| Metric | UAL | ALK |
|---|---|---|
| Last 12-Month Dividend | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Last 12-Month Dividend Yield | N/A | N/A |
| 3-Year Avg Annual Dividend | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| 3-Year Avg Dividend Yield | N/A | N/A |
| 3-Year Total Dividends | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Ex-Dividend Date | N/A | N/A |