Compared to Estimates, Delta (DAL) Q2 Earnings: A Look at Key Metrics

For the quarter ended June 2024, Delta Air Lines (DAL) reported revenue of $16.66 billion, up 6.9% over the same period last year. EPS came in at $2.36, compared to $2.68 in the year-ago quarter.

The reported revenue represents a surprise of +2.51% over the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $16.25 billion. With the consensus EPS estimate being $2.37, the EPS surprise was -0.42%.

While investors scrutinize revenue and earnings changes year-over-year and how they compare with Wall Street expectations to determine their next move, some key metrics always offer a more accurate picture of a company's financial health.

As these metrics influence top- and bottom-line performance, comparing them to the year-ago numbers and what analysts estimated helps investors project a stock's price performance more accurately.

Here is how Delta performed in the just reported quarter in terms of the metrics most widely monitored and projected by Wall Street analysts:

• Passenger Load Factor: 87% versus the five-analyst average estimate of 87.5%.

• Revenue passenger miles - Consolidated: 65,241 million versus the four-analyst average estimate of 64,180.62 million.

• Cost per Available Seat Mile (CASM) - Ex: 13.14 cents versus the four-analyst average estimate of 13.37 cents.

• Adjusted- Average fuel price per gallon: $2.64 compared to the $2.78 average estimate based on four analysts.

• Available seat miles - Consolidated: 74,656 million compared to the 73,583.22 million average estimate based on four analysts.

• Passenger Revenue by Geographic Region- Domestic: $9.40 billion versus $9.49 billion estimated by two analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a +5.1% change.

• Passenger Revenue by Geographic Region- Pacific: $654 million compared to the $650.91 million average estimate based on two analysts. The reported number represents a change of +22.9% year over year.

• Passenger Revenue by Geographic Region- Latin America: $964 million versus the two-analyst average estimate of $1.03 billion. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of +4.1%.

• Passenger Revenue by Geographic Region- Atlantic: $2.83 billion versus the two-analyst average estimate of $2.65 billion. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of +0.8%.

• Operating Revenues- Passenger: $13.84 billion compared to the $13.89 billion average estimate based on six analysts. The reported number represents a change of +4.8% year over year.

• Operating Revenues- Cargo: $199 million compared to the $168.76 million average estimate based on six analysts. The reported number represents a change of +15.7% year over year.

• Operating Revenues- Other net: $2.62 billion versus $2.36 billion estimated by four analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a +19% change.

View all Key Company Metrics for Delta here>>>

Shares of Delta have returned -7.4% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +5.1% change. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), indicating that it could perform in line with the broader market in the near term.

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