Alaska Air Group (ALK Quick QuoteALK - Free Report) reported $4.31 billion in revenue for the quarter ended September 2026, representing a year-over-year increase of 14.4%. EPS of $0.36 for the same period compares to $1.05 a year ago.

The reported revenue represents a surprise of -0.08% over the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $4.31 billion. With the consensus EPS estimate being $0.35, the EPS surprise was +2.86%.

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 Alaska Air performed in the just reported quarter in terms of the metrics most widely monitored and projected by Wall Street analysts:

• Load factor: 82.8% compared to the 84.5% average estimate based on five analysts.
• RASM (Total revenue per ASM): 17.21 cents versus 17.22 cents estimated by four analysts on average.
• ASMs (Available seat miles): 25.03 billion versus the four-analyst average estimate of 25.03 billion.
• RPMs (Revenue passenger miles): 20.73 billion compared to the 21.1 billion average estimate based on four analysts.
• Fuel cost per gallon: $3.94 versus $3.84 estimated by four analysts on average.
• Fuel gallons: 308.00 Mgal compared to the 306.58 Mgal average estimate based on three analysts.
• Yield: 18.73 cents versus 18.47 cents estimated by three analysts on average.
• CASMex (Operating expenses per ASM, excluding fuel and special items): 11.46 cents compared to the 11.39 cents average estimate based on three analysts.
• ASMs per gallon: 81.30 Gal versus the three-analyst average estimate of 81.58 Gal.
• Operating Revenue- Passenger revenue: $3.89 billion versus the five-analyst average estimate of $3.9 billion. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of +13.5%.
• Cargo and other revenue- Loyalty program other revenue: $263 million versus $234.52 million estimated by four analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a +31.5% change.
• Operating Revenue- Cargo and other revenue: $160 million compared to the $160.91 million average estimate based on three analysts. The reported number represents a change of +12.7% year over year.

View all Key Company Metrics for Alaska Air here>>>

Shares of Alaska Air have returned -18.9% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +0.7% change. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell), indicating that it could underperform the broader market in the near term.