ALK vs DAL Stock Comparison
Compare ALK and DAL across AIQ Score, fundamentals, valuation, momentum, risk, analyst expectations and current market evidence.
What is the main difference between ALK and DAL?
DAL leads the current stock comparison as Delta Air Lines, Inc., with the clearest separation coming from quality and the broader AIQ evidence mix.
AlgovestIQ AIQ Comparison
Alaska Air Group, Inc. vs Delta Air Lines, Inc.
DAL leads
DAL leads by 9 AIQ points, primarily on Quality and Value, but the lead has narrowed from 17 points over 30 sessions. Wall Street currently favors ALK on target upside.
Competitive: 5 of 6 evidence groups support DAL, its lead is narrowing, and its current signal state is conflicted.
Alaska Air Group, Inc.
Delta Air Lines, Inc.
The Algovestiq AIQ Score currently favors DAL over ALK, 51 versus 42 as of Sep 6, 2026. DAL's advantage is driven primarily by stronger quality and value, while ALK holds the stronger momentum profile. DAL also shows the stronger technical structure relative to its 50-day moving average, though analyst target upside currently favors ALK. 5 of 6 covered evidence groups favor DAL today, and the comparison is rated Competitive on stability: the leader's advantage has been narrowing. DAL lead: Weakening — the AIQ differential moved from 17 to 9 points over 30 sessions.
Compare Alaska Air Group, Inc. and Delta Air Lines, Inc. across the Algovestiq AIQ Score, valuation, quality, momentum, risk, technicals and analyst expectations.
Performance over time
Price-return comparison using available daily close history.
Total return comparison
Growth of $10,000
Based on available close-price history. Distribution reinvestment is not added unless already reflected in the source series.
Compare ALK and DAL against another ticker
Open a multi-ticker workspace without changing this focused pair page.
AIQ Factor Divergence
Where the two separate, on the four dimensions behind the AIQ Score. Bars read outward from a shared zero: further from the centre is a wider gap.
- Quality30%30 vs 48DAL +18
- Value30%60 vs 71DAL +11
- Risk Resilience15%39 vs 50DAL +11
- Momentum25%35 vs 31ALK +4
5 of 6 evidence groups favor DAL. DAL’s edge is concentrated in quality and value; ALK keeps a meaningful momentum edge.
What changed since the last close
Latest scored session 2026-09-05, compared against the prior scored session 2026-09-04.
No factor moved materially.
No new signals fired.
No factor moved materially.
No new signals fired.
DAL's lead was unchanged in the latest snapshot.
Deeper signal detail for each name lives on its own signals page — ALK and DAL both carry a full feed there.
The central trade-off
DAL (Delta Air Lines, Inc.): the stronger current systematic profile, led by quality and value.
ALK (Alaska Air Group, Inc.): the counter-case, on momentum, analyst expectations — but at materially higher volatility, 41.2% against 28.8%.
The AIQ Score and Wall Street therefore point in different directions on this pair.
Which one fits your objective
The same two names rank differently depending on what you are optimizing for. All six reads are shown at once — none of them is hidden behind a toggle.
Balanced
DALDAL on the overall AIQ Score, which weights Quality and Value at 30% each.
Growth
ALKALK on combined revenue and EPS growth.
Value
DALDAL on the peer-relative Value factor, by 11 points.
Momentum
ALKALK on the Momentum factor, by 4 points.
Lower downside
DALDAL on Risk Resilience, by 11 points.
Analyst upside
ALKALK on implied upside to the consensus price target.
AIQ vs Wall Street
The model and the Street disagree here: AIQ favors DAL, analyst targets favor ALK. That disagreement is the most useful thing on this page.
| Measure | ALK | DAL | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Implied upside to target | +39.3% | +27.9% | ALK has more room |
| Target dispersion | +39.3% | +45.8% | Lower is tighter analyst agreement |
| Consensus | Buy | Buy | Context, not a primary driver |
| Analysts covering | 6 | 12 | Higher coverage generally improves confidence |
The two are measuring different things. The AIQ Score reads current fundamentals, valuation, trend and risk; analyst targets price forward expectations. A divergence of this kind is either a contrarian opportunity or a sign the model is missing something already priced in — it is worth resolving before acting on either.
Analyst targets are expectations, not predictions. Dispersion matters as much as the midpoint.
AIQ Agreement Matrix
5 of 6 covered evidence groups favor DAL. A wide gap backed by one group is a weaker case than a narrow gap backed by five.
| Evidence group | Favors | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| AIQ Score | DAL | 42 vs 51 |
| Fundamentals | DALon balance | revenue growth 23.2% vs 24.6%; EPS growth 58.6% vs 6.6%; TTM ROE -4.5% vs 19.3%; gross margin 94.6% vs 27.3%; operating margin -1.5% vs 8.1% — DAL takes 3 of 5 decided legs, not all of them |
| Valuation | DAL | Value 60 vs 71 |
| Technicals | DAL | Price vs 50-day -9.6% vs -7.4%; vs 200-day -8.4% vs 8.1% |
| Risk Resilience | DAL | Risk Resilience 39 vs 50 |
| Analyst expectations | ALK | Target upside 39.3% vs 27.9% |
✓ agrees with the overall verdict · ✕ points the other way. Groups marked “not covered” lack data on one or both of ALK and DAL and are excluded from the count.
AIQ Decision Stability
The two are close enough that your objective, not the score, should decide.
- The AIQ gap is moderate at 9 points.
- 5 of 6 covered evidence groups point the same way. (supports the conclusion holding)
- The leader's advantage has been narrowing. (argues the conclusion is provisional)
- The lead has been steady session to session. (supports the conclusion holding)
- The leader is throwing conflicting signals. (argues the conclusion is provisional)
Stability combines the score gap, how broadly the evidence agrees, how steady the lead has been across daily snapshots, the current signal state on both names, and analyst dispersion on DAL.
How the comparison changed
120 daily snapshots · Apr 24 – Sep 5DAL lead: Weakening — the AIQ differential moved from 17 to 9 points over 30 sessions.
- Today
- DAL +9
- 42 vs 51
- 7 sessions ago
- DAL +13
- 37 vs 50
- 30 sessions ago
- DAL +17
- 42 vs 59
- 90 sessions ago
- DAL +12
- 50 vs 62
The lead has not changed hands in this window.
AIQ Signal Divergence
Only the signals that bear on the head-to-head. A conflicted name is carrying bullish and bearish rules at the same time — the technical evidence is not pointing one way.
2 bullish / 1 bearish / 1 neutral, conflicted
- Golden Cross Active — bullish, trend, long horizon (1.33%)
- Beta Spike Warning — bearish, risk, long horizon
- ATR Expansion - Breakout Mode — neutral, volatility, short horizon (3.98%)
1 bullish / 1 bearish, conflicted
- Golden Cross Active — bullish, trend, long horizon (16.68%)
- MACD Bearish Crossover — bearish, momentum, short horizon
DAL leads the comparison while carrying a conflicted signal state, which is one reason the stability rating is not higher.
Price vs model alignment
Whether the latest session's price move confirms what the model did over the same session, or contradicts it.
Neither the price nor the AIQ Score moved enough in the latest session to confirm or contradict the other (price +1.55%, AIQ 0 points).
Neither the price nor the AIQ Score moved enough in the latest session to confirm or contradict the other (price +1.8%, AIQ 0 points).
What would flip this result
A state, not a forecast. These are the specific, observable changes that would reverse the verdict — not a price prediction.
- 1ALK closes the Quality gap — currently 18 points behind, the largest single contributor to DAL's edge.
- 2ALK's Beta Spike Warning resolves — a bearish risk rule currently active against it.
- 3DAL's conflicting signal state resolves bearish — it currently carries 1 bullish and 1 bearish rules at once.
- 4The narrowing continues — the lead has already given back 8 points over 30 sessions, and a further 9-point move would eliminate DAL's advantage entirely.
The full evidence
Every number behind the verdict. The leader is called above each group so you are not left to solve it from the table.
Fundamentals
DAL leads on balance| Metric | ALK | DAL |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue growth (YoY) | 23.2% | 24.6% |
| EPS growth (YoY) | 58.6% | 6.6% |
| Gross margin | 94.6% | 27.3% |
| Operating margin | -1.5% | 8.1% |
| Return on equity (TTM) | -4.5% | 19.3% |
| Debt to equity | 2.08 | 0.92 |
Performance
DAL leads 6 of 6 windows| Metric | ALK | DAL |
|---|---|---|
| 1 week (5 sessions) | -0.7% | 0.1% |
| 1 month (20 sessions) | -15.9% | -12.2% |
| 3 months (63 sessions) | -1.8% | 0.9% |
| 6 months (126 sessions) | -0.6% | 35.9% |
| Year to date | -16.4% | 15.5% |
| 1 year (252 sessions) | -32.7% | 30.8% |
Technicals
DAL has the stronger structure| Metric | ALK | DAL |
|---|---|---|
| RSI (14) | 41.4 | 31.6 |
| ADX (14) | 18.4 | 24.9 |
| Price vs 50-day | -9.6% | -7.4% |
| Price vs 200-day | -8.4% | 8.1% |
| Volatility (1M, annualized) | 41.2% | 28.8% |
Risk
DAL is the more resilient| Metric | ALK | DAL |
|---|---|---|
| Beta | 2.13 | 1.61 |
| Sharpe ratio | -0.6 | 0.81 |
| Sortino ratio | -1.1 | 1.55 |
| Max drawdown | -46.5% | -23.1% |
| Current drawdown | -34.2% | -14.4% |
| Annualized volatility | 51.7% | 39.2% |
| Value at risk (95%) | -5.1% | -3.5% |
Straight answers
Each answer is regenerated from the current snapshot, not written once and left to age.
Which is better, ALK or DAL?
On the Algovestiq AIQ Score, DAL is the stronger of the two as of Sep 6, 2026, scoring 51 against ALK's 42. The edge comes from quality and value. ALK is not without a case — it holds the better momentum profile, which matters more if that is the objective you are optimizing for. This is a systematic score, not a recommendation: it ranks the two on the same evidence, it does not know your holding period or tax position.
Is ALK or DAL the better buy right now?
DAL carries the stronger systematic profile as of Sep 6, 2026, and the comparison is rated Competitive — 5 of 6 covered evidence groups agree. A Competitive rating means the two are close enough that your objective, not the score, should decide.
Why does the AIQ Score favor DAL over ALK?
The composite weights Quality at 30%, Value at 30%, Momentum at 25% and Risk Resilience at 15%. DAL leads Quality by 18 points; DAL leads Value by 11 points; DAL leads Risk Resilience by 11 points. Where the two split, the factor with the larger weight carries the result.
Which has more analyst upside, ALK or DAL?
Analyst price targets imply +39.3% upside for ALK and +27.9% for DAL, so the Street currently favors ALK. That points the opposite way to the AIQ Score, which favors DAL. The two are measuring different things: the model reads current fundamentals, valuation, trend and risk; the Street is pricing forward expectations. A divergence of this kind is either a contrarian opportunity or a sign the model is missing something the analysts have already priced — it is the single most useful row on this page to investigate. Analyst targets are expectations, not predictions, and dispersion matters as much as the midpoint.
Which is better value, ALK or DAL?
DAL is the better-valued of the two on the peer-relative Value factor. DAL on the peer-relative Value factor, by 11 points. The Value factor reads valuation relative to sector peers and to the company's own fundamental quality, so it is not the same as simply having the lower multiple.
Which has stronger growth, ALK or DAL?
ALK on combined revenue and EPS growth. Growth here is measured on reported revenue and earnings, not on forward estimates — it describes what the businesses have delivered, not what the Street expects next.
Which has stronger momentum, ALK or DAL?
ALK on the Momentum factor, by 4 points. Momentum carries 25% of the AIQ composite. It has documented persistence over three- to twelve-month horizons, which makes it a timing input rather than a reason to hold something indefinitely.
Which is riskier, ALK or DAL?
DAL is the more resilient of the two, so the other name carries the higher downside risk. DAL on Risk Resilience, by 11 points. The Risk Resilience factor weights 15% of the composite; position sizing usually responds to it more usefully than the buy/avoid decision does.
Is ALK more profitable than DAL?
The profitability evidence is mixed: gross margin 94.6% vs 27.3%; operating margin -1.5% vs 8.1%; ttm roe -4.5% vs 19.3%. ALK leads on one measure and DAL on two measures, and there is no single profitability composite that resolves the split — which of the two reads as "more profitable" depends on whether you weight pricing power or operating leverage.
Is DAL's lead over ALK getting stronger or weaker?
DAL lead: Weakening — the AIQ differential moved from 17 to 9 points over 30 sessions. This is measured from 120 daily comparison snapshots between 2026-04-24 and 2026-09-05. The lead has not changed hands in that window.
What would change the ALK vs DAL verdict?
The result is a state, not a forecast, so it changes when the underlying evidence changes. Concretely: ALK closes the Quality gap — currently 18 points behind, the largest single contributor to DAL's edge; ALK's Beta Spike Warning resolves — a bearish risk rule currently active against it; DAL's conflicting signal state resolves bearish — it currently carries 1 bullish and 1 bearish rules at once; the narrowing continues — the lead has already given back 8 points over 30 sessions, and a further 9-point move would eliminate DAL's advantage entirely.
What do the current signals say about ALK and DAL?
ALK: 2 bullish / 1 bearish / 1 neutral, conflicted. DAL: 1 bullish / 1 bearish, conflicted. A conflicted state means bullish and bearish rules are active on the same name at once — the technical evidence is not pointing one way, and a decision taken on it carries more timing risk. The most decision-relevant rule on ALK is Golden Cross Active (bullish, long horizon). On DAL it is Golden Cross Active (bullish, long horizon).
Compare ALK and DAL with others
How this comparison is scored
The Algovestiq AIQ Score composites four factors — Quality (30%), Value (30%), Momentum (25%) and Risk (15%). Sentiment is reported separately as SentimentPulse and is not folded into the composite. Scores refresh every trading day, and this page regenerates from the latest snapshot rather than being written once.
The verdict names a leader, states how broadly six independent evidence groups agree, and rates how durable that conclusion is given the score gap, its recent trajectory and the current signal state on both names.
How to use side-by-side comparison →This comparison is informational and educational, not investment advice. AIQ scores update daily; re-check after earnings, guidance or macro data that materially changes either name’s factor profile.