S&P 500   5,149.42
DOW   38,790.43
QQQ   437.48
3 Large-Cap Stocks Buying Back Shares Aggressively
Semis, Nvidia Set for Big Moves as GTC Conference Kicks Off
Here’s Why Bitcoin Miners Stopped Rising With Bitcoin Prices
2 Deep Value, High Yield Stocks With a Double-Digit Upside
3 Stocks About to Boom on Unusual Call Option Volume
How major US stock indexes fared Monday, 3/18/2024
Oil Prices Up Again, Should You Buy This Time?
S&P 500   5,149.42
DOW   38,790.43
QQQ   437.48
3 Large-Cap Stocks Buying Back Shares Aggressively
Semis, Nvidia Set for Big Moves as GTC Conference Kicks Off
Here’s Why Bitcoin Miners Stopped Rising With Bitcoin Prices
2 Deep Value, High Yield Stocks With a Double-Digit Upside
3 Stocks About to Boom on Unusual Call Option Volume
How major US stock indexes fared Monday, 3/18/2024
Oil Prices Up Again, Should You Buy This Time?
S&P 500   5,149.42
DOW   38,790.43
QQQ   437.48
3 Large-Cap Stocks Buying Back Shares Aggressively
Semis, Nvidia Set for Big Moves as GTC Conference Kicks Off
Here’s Why Bitcoin Miners Stopped Rising With Bitcoin Prices
2 Deep Value, High Yield Stocks With a Double-Digit Upside
3 Stocks About to Boom on Unusual Call Option Volume
How major US stock indexes fared Monday, 3/18/2024
Oil Prices Up Again, Should You Buy This Time?
S&P 500   5,149.42
DOW   38,790.43
QQQ   437.48
3 Large-Cap Stocks Buying Back Shares Aggressively
Semis, Nvidia Set for Big Moves as GTC Conference Kicks Off
Here’s Why Bitcoin Miners Stopped Rising With Bitcoin Prices
2 Deep Value, High Yield Stocks With a Double-Digit Upside
3 Stocks About to Boom on Unusual Call Option Volume
How major US stock indexes fared Monday, 3/18/2024
Oil Prices Up Again, Should You Buy This Time?
NYSE:LUV

Southwest Airlines (LUV) Stock Price, News & Analysis

$28.01
-0.34 (-1.20%)
(As of 03/18/2024 ET)
Today's Range
$27.89
$28.32
50-Day Range
$28.01
$34.83
52-Week Range
$21.91
$39.53
Volume
6.88 million shs
Average Volume
8.58 million shs
Market Capitalization
$16.71 billion
P/E Ratio
37.35
Dividend Yield
2.57%
Price Target
$32.00

Southwest Airlines MarketRank™ Stock Analysis

Analyst Rating
Hold
2.06 Rating Score
Upside/​Downside
14.2% Upside
$32.00 Price Target
Short Interest
Healthy
2.94% of Shares Sold Short
Dividend Strength
Weak
Based on Four Factors
Sustainability
-7.11
Upright™ Environmental Score
News Sentiment
0.11mentions of Southwest Airlines in the last 14 days
Based on 56 Articles This Week
Insider Trading
N/A
Proj. Earnings Growth
40.66%
From $1.82 to $2.56 Per Share

Overall MarketRank

New Rank-Based ScoringMarketRank is calculated by averaging available category scores (with extra weight given to analysis and valuation), then ranking the company's weighted average against that of other companies.

4.78 out of 5 stars

Transportation Sector

8th out of 120 stocks

Air Transportation, Scheduled Industry

4th out of 17 stocks

LUV stock logo

About Southwest Airlines Stock (NYSE:LUV)

Founded in 1971, Southwest Airlines Co. is one of the world's most respected and awarded airlines. The company is known for offering customers great value and excellent service. Currently, Southwest Airlines Co. services 121 airports in 11 countries. The year 2021 marked the company's 51st anniversary, and it continues to work toward democratizing the sky by providing a reliable, low-cost air travel experience. More air travelers flying nonstop in the U.S. fly Southwest Airlines Co. than any other major airline. 

Southwest Airlines operates a large fleet of 771 Boeing 737 aircraft, making it the largest owner and operator of 737s in the world. It has traditionally only flown Boeing 737s, though it has leased other Boeing models for profitability and route testing. Southwest Airlines Co.'s fleet serves 121 destinations in 42 states, the District of Columbia and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, as well as in 10 other countries, including Mexico, the Caribbean and Central America.

Southwest Airlines Co. is based in Dallas and is famous for its employee-first corporate culture. The company has maintained an unprecedented record of no involuntary furloughs or layoffs in its 51-year history, providing employees stability and pride in their employer. Southwest Airlines Co. has led the industry with 47 consecutive years of profitability and growth.

Southwest Airlines Co. uses humor in its marketing, with slogans like "Love Is Still Our Field," "The Somebody Else Up There Who Loves You," "Just Plane Smart" and "You're Now Free to Move About the Country." To increase customer loyalty, the company launched a rewards program in 2011 that awards points for flights, hotel stays, car rentals and purchases at partner retailers, which consumers can redeem for free flights.

Southwest Airlines Co. has significantly influenced other low-cost carriers and the aviation industry as a whole. Its competitive strategy is to increase aircraft and employee productivity to reduce turnaround time at the gate. Ryanair and EasyJet have mirrored this rolling hub or point-to-point network strategy. 

Southwest has also had a lot of industry influence through its lobbying efforts, primarily to lobby against the development of high-speed rail systems in favor of providing more point-to-point flights between major cities. However, in recent years, Southwest Airlines Co. has been affected by customer lawsuits, flight delays and cancelations and system disruptions due to not investing in newer technologies.

Southwest Airlines Co. has provided value to its shareholders for many years, having returned more than $12.9 billion through stock repurchases and dividends as of March 2020. However, in the first quarter of 2020, the company had to suspend its dividend payments due to the uncertain market and COVID-19. On December 6, 2022, the board of directors decided to reinstate its quarterly cash dividend at 18 cents per share. This reinstated dividend equaled the expected dividend when it disappeared in 2020.

Southwest Airlines Co. is a leader in the aviation industry, providing great customer service, hospitality, employee stability and value to its shareholders.

LUV Stock Price History

LUV Stock News Headlines

MarketBeat Week in Review – 3/11 – 3/15 (LUV)
Stocks are trending lower to end the week as inflation concerns dampen hopes for a June rate cut, which may cause analysts to start lowering price targets
Southwest Stock Signals the Mother of all Entry Opportunities
For a stock that has led its peers for so long, Southwest Airlines Company NYSE: LUV has been having a tough time recently. While it was able to catch some of those gains that have been sweeping across equities since November, this week's 20% drop has given up much of those.
AI Cracks Open Largest Untapped Energy Reserve on Earth
This orb represents the largest untapped energy source in the world… And although this energy resource is unknown by 99% of the public… It makes gas, coal, oil, wind, hydropower, solar, fusion… 
Southwest Stock Signals the Mother of all Entry Opportunities (LUV)
A fresh price target is pointing to a targeted upside of some 40%, which should be enough to tempt even the more risk-averse investor.
Is it Time to Sell These 5 Overvalued Stocks? (LUV)
Wingstop, Celsius, Southwest, Vistra and Dell are among stocks that soared in recent months and may now be overvalued and ready for a pullback.
Southwest Airlines, Asana fall; Oracle, 3M rise, Tuesday, 3/12/2024
Stocks that are trading heavily or have substantial price changes on Tuesday: Southwest Airlines, Asana fall; Oracle, 3M rise
Is It Time To Sell These 5 Overvalued Stocks?
As Nvidia Corp. NASDAQ: NVDA continues to lead the S&P 500 higher, even as other big techs such as Microsoft Corp. NASDAQ: MSFT and Apple Inc. NASDAQ: AAPL pull back sharply, some investors are wondering whether Nvidia stock may be overvalued.
How to invest in airline stocks (LUV)
Should you invest in airline stocks? Learn the tips and tricks of investing in airline stocks with MarketBeat and whether they fit your portfolio.
Central Bank Gold Heist In Progress
When central banks buy gold… The rich buy right along with them. And central banks are buying at breakneck pace. Last year… 1,037 tons. Just 45 tons less than the record set two years ago.
This investor bought a load of cheap JetBlue stock (LUV)
Carl Icahn saw a value deal in JetBlue stock, analysts believe its industry-leading growth may be already priced in, don't worry, there's another worthy mention
Southwest Airlines (NYSE:LUV) Shares Gap Down to $33.78
Southwest Airlines upgraded at Jefferies after selloff
See More Headlines
Receive LUV Stock News and Ratings via Email

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Company Calendar

Ex-Dividend for 1/11 Dividend
12/20/2023
Dividend Payable
1/11/2024
Last Earnings
1/25/2024
Ex-Dividend for 3/27 Dividend
3/05/2024
Today
3/18/2024
Dividend Payable
3/27/2024
Next Earnings (Confirmed)
4/25/2024
Fiscal Year End
12/31/2024

Industry, Sector and Symbol

Industry
Air transportation, scheduled
Sub-Industry
Airlines
CUSIP
84474110
Employees
74,806
Year Founded
1967

Price Target and Rating

Average Stock Price Target
$32.00
High Stock Price Target
$47.00
Low Stock Price Target
$20.00
Potential Upside/Downside
+14.2%
Consensus Rating
Hold
Rating Score (0-4)
2.06
Research Coverage
16 Analysts

Profitability

Net Income
$465 million
Pretax Margin
2.43%

Debt

Sales & Book Value

Annual Sales
$26.09 billion
Cash Flow
$4.19 per share
Book Value
$17.64 per share

Miscellaneous

Free Float
594,755,000
Market Cap
$16.71 billion
Optionable
Optionable
Beta
1.16

Social Links

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Key Executives

  • Mr. Gary C. Kelly (Age 69)
    Executive Chairman
    Comp: $1.3M
  • Mr. Robert E. Jordan (Age 63)
    CEO, President & Director
    Comp: $1.71M
  • Ms. Tammy  RomoMs. Tammy Romo (Age 62)
    Executive VP & CFO
    Comp: $1.09M
  • Mr. Andrew M. WattersonMr. Andrew M. Watterson (Age 57)
    Chief Operating Officer
    Comp: $1.14M
  • Mr. Mark R. Shaw (Age 61)
    Executive VP, Chief Legal & Regulatory Officer and Corporate Secretary
    Comp: $953.96k
  • Mr. Ray Schuster
    Managing Director of Accounting & Financial Reporting
  • Mr. Thomas Merritt
    VP of Technology – Infrastructure & Services and CTO
  • Ms. Lauren Woods
    Senior VP of Technology & Chief Information Officer
  • Ms. Linda Burke Rutherford (Age 57)
    Chief Administrative Officer
  • Ms. Julia Landrum
    Vice President of Investor Relations

LUV Stock Analysis - Frequently Asked Questions

Should I buy or sell Southwest Airlines stock right now?

16 Wall Street analysts have issued "buy," "hold," and "sell" ratings for Southwest Airlines in the last twelve months. There are currently 3 sell ratings, 9 hold ratings and 4 buy ratings for the stock. The consensus among Wall Street analysts is that investors should "hold" LUV shares. A hold rating indicates that analysts believe investors should maintain any existing positions they have in LUV, but not buy additional shares or sell existing shares.
View LUV analyst ratings
or view top-rated stocks.

What is Southwest Airlines' stock price target for 2024?

16 Wall Street research analysts have issued 12-month price objectives for Southwest Airlines' shares. Their LUV share price targets range from $20.00 to $47.00. On average, they anticipate the company's stock price to reach $32.00 in the next year. This suggests a possible upside of 14.2% from the stock's current price.
View analysts price targets for LUV
or view top-rated stocks among Wall Street analysts.

How have LUV shares performed in 2024?

Southwest Airlines' stock was trading at $28.88 on January 1st, 2024. Since then, LUV shares have decreased by 3.0% and is now trading at $28.01.
View the best growth stocks for 2024 here
.

Are investors shorting Southwest Airlines?

Southwest Airlines saw a decrease in short interest in the month of February. As of February 29th, there was short interest totaling 17,560,000 shares, a decrease of 8.9% from the February 14th total of 19,270,000 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 8,110,000 shares, the short-interest ratio is presently 2.2 days.
View Southwest Airlines' Short Interest
.

When is Southwest Airlines' next earnings date?

The company is scheduled to release its next quarterly earnings announcement on Thursday, April 25th 2024.
View our LUV earnings forecast
.

How can I listen to Southwest Airlines' earnings call?

Southwest Airlines will be holding an earnings conference call on Thursday, April 25th at 12:30 PM Eastern. Interested parties can register for or listen to the call using this link.

How were Southwest Airlines' earnings last quarter?

Southwest Airlines Co. (NYSE:LUV) announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, January, 25th. The airline reported $0.37 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.12 by $0.25. The airline earned $6.82 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $6.75 billion. Southwest Airlines had a net margin of 1.91% and a trailing twelve-month return on equity of 9.40%. The company's revenue for the quarter was up 10.5% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company posted ($0.38) earnings per share.
Read the conference call transcript
.

How often does Southwest Airlines pay dividends? What is the dividend yield for Southwest Airlines?

Southwest Airlines announced a quarterly dividend on Wednesday, January 31st. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, March 6th will be given a dividend of $0.18 per share on Wednesday, March 27th. This represents a $0.72 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.57%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, March 5th.
Read our dividend analysis for LUV
.

Is Southwest Airlines a good dividend stock?

Southwest Airlines (NYSE:LUV) pays an annual dividend of $0.72 per share and currently has a dividend yield of 2.56%. The dividend payout ratio is 96.00%. Payout ratios above 75% are not desirable because they may not be sustainable. Based on earnings estimates, LUV will have a dividend payout ratio of 28.13% next year. This indicates that the company will be able to sustain or increase its dividend.
Read our dividend analysis for LUV.

What is Gary C. Kelly's approval rating as Southwest Airlines' CEO?

1,507 employees have rated Southwest Airlines Chief Executive Officer Gary C. Kelly on Glassdoor.com. Gary C. Kelly has an approval rating of 94% among the company's employees. This puts Gary C. Kelly in the top 30% of approval ratings compared to other CEOs of publicly-traded companies.

What other stocks do shareholders of Southwest Airlines own?

Based on aggregate information from My MarketBeat watchlists, some companies that other Southwest Airlines investors own include Delta Air Lines (DAL), NVIDIA (NVDA), Walt Disney (DIS), Boeing (BA), Bank of America (BAC), AT&T (T), Tesla (TSLA), Alibaba Group (BABA), Micron Technology (MU) and Netflix (NFLX).

Who are Southwest Airlines' major shareholders?

Southwest Airlines' stock is owned by many different retail and institutional investors. Top institutional investors include Vanguard Group Inc. (10.96%), Vanguard Group Inc. (10.96%), Capital World Investors (8.96%), Primecap Management Co. CA (8.29%), Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD (4.02%) and Putnam Investments LLC (2.21%). Insiders that own company stock include John T Montford, Ryan C Green and Thomas W Gilligan.
View institutional ownership trends
.

How do I buy shares of Southwest Airlines?

Shares of LUV stock can be purchased through any online brokerage account. Popular online brokerages with access to the U.S. stock market include Charles Schwab, E*TRADE, Fidelity, and Vanguard Brokerage Services.
Compare Top Brokerages Here.

Does Southwest Airlines have any subsidiaries?
The following companies are subsidiares of Southwest Airlines: AirTran Airways, AirTran Airways 717 Leasing Corporation, AirTran Airways Inc., AirTran Holdings LLC, Morris Air, Southwest Jet Fuel Co., TranStar Airlines, and Triple Crown Assurance Co..
Read More
This page (NYSE:LUV) was last updated on 3/19/2024 by MarketBeat.com Staff

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