How did UAL's Q4 earnings surprise impact investor sentiment?

United Airlines Holdings (UAL) experienced a mixed impact on investor sentiment due to its Q4 earnings surprise. Despite a positive earnings surprise of 7.59% with an EPS surprise of $0.59, as of December 31, 2024, the stock faced significant volatility.

1. **Volatility Amid Positive Surprise**: The stock saw a decrease of 1.13% on December 31, 2024, following the earnings release, which suggests some initial skepticism or a market correction after the positive surprise was absorbed.
2. **Subsequent Fluctuations**: UAL’s stock then experienced a slight increase of 0.5% by January 8, 2025, and a further rise of 2.43% by January 19, 2025. This indicates a potential shift in investor sentiment as the market digested the earnings report and possibly adjusted its expectations.
3. **Long-Term Outlook**: The long-term trend, with percentage changes ranging from -1.13% to 4.29% between October 1, 2024, and December 31, 2024, suggests that while the earnings surprise may have initially influenced the stock, broader market dynamics and investor sentiment towards the airline industry played a significant role.

|code|Ticker|Name|Date|Revenue Surprise|EPS Surprise|market_code|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|UAL|UAL.O|United Airlines Holdings|2024 Q1|8.9E7|0.41|185|
|UAL|UAL.O|United Airlines Holdings|2024 Q2|-1.14E8|0.19|185|
|UAL|UAL.O|United Airlines Holdings|2024 Q3|6.3E7|0.2|185|
|UAL|UAL.O|United Airlines Holdings|2024 Q4|3.45E8|0.23|185|

|code|Ticker|Name|Date|Closing Price|market_code|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|UAL|UAL.O|United Airlines Holdings|20241107|85.43|185|