Alaska Air Group Inc has recorded a loss in operating income at least once over the past 3 years.
Alaska Air Group (LTS:0HC3) Operating Margin % Explanation
Just like Gross Margin %, it is important to see a company maintains its operating margin over time. Among the same industry, a company with higher operating margin is more efficient in its operation. It is also more stable during industry slowdown or recessions. Peter Lynch prefers those with higher margins than those with lower margins.
Be Aware
Operating Margin % can be manipulated by adjusting the rate of depreciation, depletion and amortization (DDA).
If a company is facing competition, its Operating Margin % may decline. Often the Operating Margin % declines well before the company's Revenue or even profit decline. Therefore, Operating Margin % is a very important indicator of whether the company is facing problems.
For instance, by 2012, Nokia (NOK)'s problems were well known and its stock had lost more than 90% of its market value since 2007. But Nokias Operating Margin % had already been in decline since 2002, although its Earnings per Share (Diluted) were still rising. Investors who paid attention to Operating Margin % would have avoided this huge loss. The same can be said for Research-in-Motion (RIMM).
Therefore, Operating Margin % is a very important screening filter for GuruFocus. GuruFocus's Buffett-Munger screener requires that the profit margin is either consistent or expanding. The Model Portfolio of the Buffett-Munger screener has outperformed the market every year since inception in 2009.
Alaska Air Group Operating Margin % Related Terms
Alaska Air Group Operating Margin % Historical Data
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The historical data trend for Alaska Air Group's Operating Margin % can be seen below:
* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD. * For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.
LTS:0HC3 vs CPA, SKYW, ALGT: Operating Margin % Comparison
For the Airlines subindustry, Alaska Air Group's Operating Margin %, along with its competitors' market caps and Operating Margin % data, can be viewed below:
* Competitive companies are chosen from companies within the same industry, with headquarter located in same country, with closest market capitalization; x-axis shows the market cap, and y-axis shows the term value; the bigger the dot, the larger the market cap. Note that "N/A" values will not show up in the chart.
Alaska Air Group Operating Margin % vs Transportation Industry
For the Transportation industry and Industrials sector, Alaska Air Group's Operating Margin % distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where Alaska Air Group's Operating Margin % falls into.
Operating Margin % - also known as operating income margin, operating profit margin and return on sales (ROS) - is the ratio of Operating Income divided by net sales or Revenue, usually presented in percent.
Alaska Air Group's Operating Margin % for the fiscal year that ended in Dec. 2025 is calculated as
* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD. * For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.
Alaska Air Group (LTS:0HC3) has a Operating Margin % of -7.39% as of Mar. 2026. Operating margin is the ratio of total operating income to net sales. View historical data on Alaska Air Group and its competitors. According to the industry distribution chart, Alaska Air Group ranks #733 out of 1007 companies in the Transportation industry, placing it in the top 72.8%.
Is Alaska Air Group's Operating Margin % too high?
Alaska Air Group's current Operating Margin % is -7.39%. Based on the distribution chart, Alaska Air Group ranks #733 out of 1007 companies in the Transportation industry, which is below the industry midpoint. Overall, Alaska Air Group has a GF Score™ of 83/100 and is considered Modestly Undervalued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Alaska Air Group's Operating Margin % compare to CPA and SKYW?
According to the Transportation industry distribution chart, Alaska Air Group ranks #733 out of 1007 companies for Operating Margin %. This places Alaska Air Group in the lower half of its industry. The industry median Operating Margin % is 7.37. See the competitive comparison table and distribution chart on this page for a detailed peer-by-peer breakdown.
What is a good Operating Margin % for a Transportation company?
The median Operating Margin % among Transportation companies is 7.37, based on 1,007 companies in the industry. Companies in the top quartile (top 25%) have a Operating Margin % significantly above this median, while those in the bottom quartile fall well below. However, Operating Margin % should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. Use the industry distribution chart on this page to see where any company falls relative to its peers.
What does a high Operating Margin % mean?
A high Operating Margin % can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. Operating margin is the ratio of total operating income to net sales. View historical data on Alaska Air Group and its competitors. For the Transportation industry, the median Operating Margin % is 7.37 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. Alaska Air Group's current Operating Margin % is -7.39%. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is Alaska Air Group stock overvalued right now?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Alaska Air Group (LTS:0HC3) is currently considered Modestly Undervalued. The stock's GF Value™ is $63.37, compared to a current price of $51.66 — trading 18.5% below its estimated fair value. The current Operating Margin % is -7.39%. Alaska Air Group's overall GF Score™ is 83/100 with 7 warning signs to review. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is Operating Margin % calculated?
Operating Margin % is calculated from a company's financial statements. For Alaska Air Group (LTS:0HC3), the current Operating Margin % is -7.39% as of Mar. 2026. GuruFocus calculates this using data sourced from SEC filings and annual reports. See the calculation section and 30-year financial data on this page for the full breakdown.
Is Alaska Air Group (LTS:0HC3) Overvalued in 2026?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Alaska Air Group stock appears to be undervalued.
The current stock price of $51.66 is trading 18.5% below its estimated GF Value™ of $63.37.
GuruFocus considers Alaska Air Group to be Modestly Undervalued.
Key valuation signals for LTS:0HC3:
Operating Margin %: -7.39%
GF Value™: $63.37 vs. price of $51.66 (18.5% below fair value)
No single metric tells the full story. See the LTS:0HC3 stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.
Alaska Air Group Inc operates two airlines, Alaska and Horizon, in three operating segments. The Alaska Airlines segment includes scheduled air transportation on Alaska's Boeing and Airbus jet aircraft for passengers and cargo throughout the U.S., and in parts of Mexico and Costa Rica. The Regional segment includes Horizon's and other third-party carriers' scheduled air transportation for passengers across a shorter distance network within the U.S. and Canada under capacity purchase agreements. The Hawaiian Airlines segment includes scheduled air transportation on Hawaiian's Boeing and Airbus aircraft for passengers and cargo. It earns revenues from Passenger tickets, including ticket breakage and net of taxes and fees, Passenger ancillary, and Mileage Plan passenger revenue.
83GF Score
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Operating Margin % is just one metric. See GF Value™, 30-year financials, guru trades, warning signs, and more.
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