United Airlines At Los Angeles International Airport

(Kevin Carter/Getty Images)

United Airlines lands a record profit to close out 2024

The company said it flew a record 174 million passengers last year.

1/21/25 5:00PM

United is cashing in on flyers who want premium experiences, capping a banner 2024 with a blowout fourth quarter.

In its report after the closing bell Tuesday, United Airlines reported a $985 million profit, a record for the fourth quarter and a 64% surge from a year earlier. Adjusted earnings of $3.26 a share came in far ahead of analysts’ estimates of $3.04.

Shares jumped 3.4% after-hours as the airline also forecast its first-quarter profit much higher than Wall Street was expecting.

For the year, United said its annual passenger revenue climbed about 6% from 2023 after flying a record 174 million customers. It spent about 7% less on fuel over the year.

Analysts see clear skies ahead for United and its largest rivals, Delta Air Lines and American Airlines. Keeping profits at cruising altitude: a continued rebound in business travel and customers’ appetite for premium seating. Delta, for its part, said it expects 2025 to be its best financial year in its history.

Like its rivals, United has been trying to win flyers over with loyalty-program benefits and premium experiences. The airline will install larger, 4K seatback screens this year, and Delta will join the trend next year. Earlier this month, United said it’s moving up its Starlink-powered in-flight Wi-Fi rollout. (It also changed its mind and said free Wi-Fi is only for loyalty members.) United reported solid loyalty-program revenue growth in Q4, up 12% year over year.

United shares have nearly tripled in value over the past 12 months, up more than 185% in the period as of market close today.

Max Knoblauch10h

Paramount reportedly offers concessions to resolve multistate antitrust investigation

Paramount has reportedly offered up some concessions in an effort to prevent an antitrust lawsuit by California and about 10 other states, according to Bloomberg reporting on Monday.

Reuters first reported on the potential suit from a group of unnamed states last week, which could throw a wrench in Paramount’s plans to buy rival Warner Bros. Discovery in a Hollywood megamerger.

The list of concessions is unknown, though Bloomberg previously reported that Paramount is open to divesting some of its kids TV assets to appease EU regulators.

Late last month, reports said US regulators appeared likely to approve the $110 billion merger, following a meeting between Paramount CEO David Ellison and DOJ antitrust staffers.

Paramount Offers Concessions to Head Off State Antitrust Lawsuit

The list of concessions is unknown, though Bloomberg previously reported that Paramount is open to divesting some of its kids TV assets to appease EU regulators.

Late last month, reports said US regulators appeared likely to approve the $110 billion merger, following a meeting between Paramount CEO David Ellison and DOJ antitrust staffers.

$98B ⛽

Max Knoblauch17h

The IATA released its latest financial outlook for the airline industry over the weekend, forecasting a $98 billion jump in the sector’s collective fuel bill. The world’s largest trade group representing airlines expects the oil spike to halve profits by 49% from last year to $23 billion.

The group also expects profit margins to halve year over year, falling from 2025’s 4.2% to 2%. Still, revenue is expected to climb to $1.17 trillion from $1.07 trillion.

A surge in the cost of jet fuel has rocked US and global airlines this year, leading Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, American Airlines, Southwest Airlines, JetBlue, and others to raise fares and ancillary charges like bag fees. Low-cost carriers, which operate on smaller margins, have been squeezed the hardest, resulting in Spirit’s shutdown.

“It’s a tough year for all airlines, especially those whose balance sheets had not yet recovered from COVID. And, of course, for those operating in the Gulf,” said IATA Director General Willie Walsh, who added that demand is holding up and about half of passengers expect to spend more on travel this year. “That bodes well for a strong northern summer peak season. The big unknown is how long travelers and shippers can tolerate the higher costs of connectivity.”

Hollywood Exteriors And Landmarks - 2025

1 year into the Switch 2, we might’ve seen the top of the console market

The Switch 2 launched on this day in 2025. Amid a rough year for consoles, Nintendo has logged a good one.

Max Knoblauch6/5/26

Max Knoblauch6/4/26

GM has reportedly rehired more than 100 former Cruise employees, 18 months after shuttering the robotaxi unit

GM has rehired more than 100 employees it let go early last year when it shuttered Cruise, its former robotaxi business, according to reporting by The Information.

The hiring spree, which also includes employees from Nvidia and Uber, is geared toward ramping up GM’s plans for personal-use self-driving vehicles and not robotaxis. The former had been the focus of Cruise, prior to GM shuttering it in 2024.

Reporting last fall revealed that GM was attempting to rehire some former Cruise employees, but the scope of that effort wasn’t clear. More than 1,000 employees were laid off when the automaker scrapped Cruise, which it invested $10 billion into.

Google’s Waymo, Cruise’s former chief rival, is now worth $126 billion after a $16 billion funding round earlier this year. The company says it’s serving 500,000 paid robotaxi rides per week in the US.

Exclusive: With Some 100 Rehired Cruise Employees, GM Pursues Eyes-Off Autonomous Cars

Claire Yubin Oh

vsxy

6/4/26

How Victoria’s Secret finally managed to get its sexy back

After years of struggle, Victoria’s Secret shares have been hitting new highs this week.

Victoria's Secret Fashion Show 2025 - Runway