Benzinga analyst: Oil prices pull back, and travel-related stocks across five tiers remain bullish

The conflict between Iran and the Middle East appears to be easing, and U.S. stocks have surged to record highs. Among the biggest winners is the travel industry. High oil prices have driven up costs and sharply reduced demand, but as oil prices return to normal, travel-related sectors such as airlines, hotels, and cruise lines are expected to look bullish. Benzinga analysts have evaluated the earnings reports and performance of five benchmark travel and tourism-related stocks, analyzing their growth potential under their cost structures. Pure market observation, not investment advice.

Hyatt Hotels Corp (NYSE：H)

Hyatt Hotels Corp. (NYSE: H) shares closed up 5% on Friday, reflecting market confidence in luxury travel demand. Hyatt has previously been one of the most shorted stocks in the travel industry, with more than 22% of its float being shorted—showing investors’ concern about travel disruptions caused by the war. But now, as hopes of the war ending grow stronger, the stock looks quite attractive.

The analysis notes that Hyatt focuses on the luxury customer segment, giving it greater resilience amid market volatility. Truist Securities and Morgan Stanley have recently raised their price targets to $181 and $195, respectively. On the technical side, the stock price is currently holding above the 50-day and 200-day moving averages, and the MACD ( moving average convergence/divergence indicator) and the RSI ( Relative Strength Index) both indicate that buying momentum is continuing to strengthen.

Delta Air Lines (NYSE：DAL）

Delta Air Lines (NYSE: DAL), leveraging its leading industry position and vertical integration advantage, has become a focus of market attention. Delta Air Lines recorded a revenue record of $63.4 billion in fiscal year 2025, up 20%, prompting analysts to raise their target share prices, including a Street-high $86 price target from UBS.

Even if summer peak travel season may face fluctuations in fuel prices, Delta Air Lines has its own refineries, providing a better cost buffer. In its first-quarter earnings report, the company offered an optimistic outlook for fiscal year 2026, expecting revenue and profits to come in better than anticipated, with its earnings per share (EPS) ( earnings) guidance set at between $6.50 and $7.50.

United Airlines Holdings (NYSE：UAL)

United Airlines (NYSE：UAL) is slightly behind Delta Air Lines, but that does not mean its stock has no room to rise. In the early stages of the pandemic, when oil prices surged and analysts cut their target prices one after another, United Airlines’ share price plunged from $116 to $88 at one point, but management has not given up on its expectation of 20% EPS growth in 2026.

Booking Holdings（NASDAQ：BKNG）

Online travel leader Booking Holdings (NASDAQ: BKNG), after experiencing an earlier correction of about 20%, now appears attractively valued. The company’s price-to-earnings ratio is around 16x, below its historical average level, and its pre-collected commission business model still offers a competitive advantage versus peers. Recently, the company carried out a 1-for-25 stock split plan, effectively lowering the investment threshold and improving liquidity in the retail market. Last week, the stock rose more than 8%, and the RSI indicator broke above 50 to enter a bullish zone. Although the stock still has about 13% upside from its 2026 peak, supported by revenue performance coming in better than expected, its leading position in the online travel agency (OTA) space appears solid, and the rebound momentum as the travel peak season approaches is worth watching.

Royal Caribbean Group (NYSE: RCL)

Whenever geopolitical conditions tighten, the cruise industry is often hit first by selling pressure. However, data from Royal Caribbean Group (NYSE: RCL) shows that underlying demand remains strong. The company expects earnings per share in 2026 to land between $17.70 and $18.10, and more than two-thirds of its stateroom inventory has already been booked, indicating a healthy balance sheet. At present, the stock’s price-to-earnings ratio is only 19x. With energy costs trending toward stability, the market expects analysts to raise their target prices. From a technical standpoint, after a period of range-bound trading, the MACD indicator has flashed a bull signal, and the RSI has also broken above the bullish threshold. If this trend holds, the cruise industry could shake off geopolitical gloom as the broader travel and tourism recovery gathers pace and return to a growth track.

Benzinga analyst: Oil prices fall; five travel-related sectors look bullish—first appeared on Chain News ABMedia.