American Airlines Golden Cross Milestone: Bulls Take Control

Zinger Key Points
  • American Airlines’ Golden Cross and bullish technicals signal potential for sustained upward momentum in the stock.
  • Goldman Sachs highlights near-term cost challenges but sees long-term deleveraging as a positive catalyst.

American Airlines Group Inc. AAL is soaring in the technical landscape after achieving the coveted Golden Cross—a bullish signal that occurs when the 50-day moving average climbs above the 200-day moving average.

Chart created using Benzinga Pro

With the stock trading at $14.38, well above its short- and long-term moving averages, momentum indicators are pointing to a sustained bullish trend for American Airlines’ stock.

Read Also: American Airlines Targets ‘Gate Lice’ With New Boarding Tech At 100+ Airports This Holiday Season

AAL Stock: Strong Bullish Indicators At Play

AAL stock is not only above its five-day, 20-day and 50-day exponential moving averages but also its 200-day SMA of $12.58. This marks the stock’s trend as strongly bullish, as these averages traditionally serve as key technical support levels.

  • Simple Moving Averages (SMA):
    • eight-day SMA: $14.29 (bullish signal)
    • 20-day SMA: $13.91 (bullish signal)
    • 50-day SMA: $12.63 (bullish signal)
  • Momentum Metrics:
    • Relative Strength Index (RSI): 63.36, hovering near overbought territory but still signaling buying interest.
    • MACD: A positive reading of 0.5 underscores further upside potential.

Market Sentiment: A Double-Edged Sword

While the technicals point to clear skies, Goldman Sachs remains cautious. The firm recently reinstated coverage with a Neutral rating and a price target of $15, citing near-term cost headwinds from unionized labor agreements and slower recovery in corporate revenue.

However, long-term optimism surrounds the airline's aggressive deleveraging plan and targeted profitability improvements through 2027.

The Bigger Picture: A Bullish Takeoff?

American Airlines' robust third quarter performance, featuring $13.6 billion in revenue and a pretax profit of $271 million, showcases resilience in a challenging macroeconomic environment.

Despite looming labor costs, the company's commitment to increasing premium seating capacity by 2026 highlights a strategy aimed at long-term growth.

Technical charts suggest that AAL stock has the wind beneath its wings for a continued bullish ascent.

However, cautious optimism is warranted, as labor costs and macroeconomic challenges may create turbulence on the horizon. For now, the Golden Cross signals a green light for bulls eyeing higher altitudes.

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