Lufthansa warns of higher fuel costs and Lufthansa stock sits 26.92 percent below its high

Published on 10/06/2026 at 10:01 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS

Adjusted EBIT fell 56.00 percent to EUR 383.00 million in the second quarter of 2026. Lufthansa stock costs EUR 7.52 on October 6, 2026 versus EUR 7.55.

Nahaufnahme gebürsteter Aluminium-Rumpfhaut mit Nieten — Makroaufnahme einer Flugzeug-Aluminiumhaut zeigt Materialdetails im Kontext der Deutsche Lufthansa AG, ISIN DE0008232125, Flotte, Illustration mit AI erstellt.

Lufthansa stock (ISIN DE0008232125) was trading at EUR 7.52 at Lang & Schwarz on October 6, 2026 at 9:51 a.m. CEST, down 0.40 percent versus the prior close of EUR 7.55. The company warned on September 29, 2026 that its fuel bill will exceed the previously expected additional burden of EUR 1.5 billion, according to Reuters.

Fuel costs pressure earnings

Reuters reported that Lufthansa Chief Executive Carsten Spohr expects the additional fuel burden to exceed EUR 1.5 billion. The group had estimated total 2026 fuel expenses at EUR 8.66 billion after the first half of 2026, an increase of 20.00 percent from the prior year.

Despite that cost pressure, Spohr reaffirmed the 2026 operating profit outlook at EUR 1.7 billion to EUR 2.2 billion, compared with EUR 2.0 billion in 2025. The outlook therefore places the lower end of the current range below the prior-year result, while the upper end remains above it.

Revenue grows as margins contract

In the second quarter of 2026, Lufthansa Group revenue rose 8.00 percent to EUR 11.1 billion, while adjusted EBIT fell 56.00 percent to EUR 383 million, according to the company's Lufthansa Group release dated August 4, 2026. The adjusted EBIT margin declined from 8.40 percent to 3.40 percent, showing why fuel and labor costs matter more than passenger demand alone.

The same quarter produced EUR 123 million of net income and a passenger load factor of 81.60 percent. For investors, the contrast is clear: revenue growth and solid demand have not yet translated into comparable operating profit because the cost base has expanded faster.

Stock remains below its yearly high

At EUR 7.52, the Lang & Schwarz price stood 26.92 percent below the 52-week high of EUR 10.29 and EUR 0.80 above the 52-week low of EUR 6.72, with both range figures dated October 6, 2026. The finance calendar lists Lufthansa's next nine-month 2026 report for November 3, 2026, according to MarketScreener.

Fuel and margin decide the next move

The immediate issue is not revenue growth but the conversion of that revenue into operating profit. Lufthansa's 2026 range, the second-quarter margin decline and the higher fuel bill leave the stock tied to whether premium demand and hedging can offset cost inflation.

The further course of trading is shown by the continuously updated real-time quote of Lufthansa stock.