Southwest Airlines (LUV)
NYSEIndustrialsAirlines, Airports & Air ServicesSnapshot 2026-09-04
$39.62+2.30%
Close 2026-09-04 · 1-day change
NYSEIndustrialsAirlines, Airports & Air ServicesSnapshot 2026-09-04
Research Workspace
Put LUV beside peers and holdings, graph the same metric, and keep your notes with the evidence.
Daily closes. Earnings/event dots are placed inline.
Industries move in repeating boom-and-bust cycles. This shows where this stock’s industry sits in that cycle, stage by stage (recovery → expansion → supercycle → steady → deceleration → contraction), from its fundamentals (orders, revenue, capital spending), not the stock’s price.
A booming industry is a tailwind for the names in it; a contracting one is a headwind. Companies in the same industry tend to rise and fall together with the cycle, the way a tide lifts and lowers every boat in the harbor at once, so a large part of a stock’s swing can come from where its industry sits rather than from the company itself. It’s context for reading the company’s results, not a buy/sell call. Full explanation →
Industrials is in expansion. Describes the industry's cycle state, not a call on this stock.
The stage band shows the industry’s cycle over the chart’s timeline (each color a stage); a ▼ marks a quarter its growth inflected down — amber is an unconfirmed watch, red is confirmed the next quarter. Use “Overlay cycle on chart” to tint the price chart by stage. The industry’s fundamentals, not a signal on this stock.
Primary pillar under pressure — Operating margin near 4.6% or higher: 3.4% vs 4.6% target.
View ThesisRevenue is growing steadily — about 9% over the past year.
View GrowthMiddle-of-the-pack quality for its industry.
View QualityMiddle-of-the-pack management execution.
View ManagementExpectations look reasonable — what the market is pricing in sits in line with or below what analysts forecast.
View ValuationModerate volatility — typically moves about 2% a day.
View RiskSouthwest Airlines aims to attract premium travelers through new airport lounges. This shift could help increase revenue and change its low-cost carrier image. Revenue grew 16% year over year, and the last quarter beat expectations. The stock trades at 19 times earnings, below the peer median of 24 times. This suggests the price reflects less growth than expected. The primary risk is that operating margins are below the target of 4.6%. Peer multiples imply a price about 32% above where it trades. This read is provisional.
Trailing returns as of 2026-09-04. LUV is total return (includes dividends); the S&P 500 benchmark is price return (the index excludes dividends).
Based on 25 analysts currently covering LUV (as of Sep 2026).
Based on 7 Wall Street analysts offering 12-month price targets for LUV in the last 4 months.
Continue this research
Compare LUV with peers and holdings, graph the same reported metric, keep your questions beside the evidence, and return when the facts change.
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Selected metric trend
Quarterly · checked companies · value or % of revenue
A consensus fair price across 9 valuation methods, at three horizons. As of 2026-09-04. Estimates are diagnostics, not price targets. Short-horizon estimates are close to coin-flips, so confidence is a method-agreement read, not a prediction.
Today's peer multiple on trailing earnings, with no growth credited. This is the headline read.
Adds projected growth, so it leans optimistic by design. Read it as upside context, not a base case.
A price-focused, side-by-side fair-value read versus Passenger Airlines — fair value, gap to price, and forward P/E.
Our valuation methods disagree too much on this name right now. Rather than print a number we don't believe, we're holding it back until they converge.
Compare the value case
Put LUV next to peers and holdings, compare Living FV and multiples, then graph the driver behind the difference.
Threatens: Optimize network and capacity for higher returns
Limited network expansion may hinder capacity optimization.
Not investment advice. Scores describe historical and current data; they are not forecasts of future returns. Consult a licensed advisor before making investment decisions.
End-of-day figures as of 2026-09-04. EPS is implied from price ÷ P/E. Not investment advice.
Current $39.62
The last 12 months of price, then the range of analyst 12-month targets from today’s $39.62.
Analyst ratings and price targets are third-party Wall Street estimates, not QuarterlyIQ’s view. Not investment advice.
A long-thesis check that carries the widest uncertainty of the three horizons.
Around the middle on quality vs scored peers
Direction of the business behind the multiple. Bands are backend reads; trailing-12-month basis.
Advances: Enhance customer product offerings including assigned and extra legroom seating
Enhances customer offerings, aligning with growth initiatives.
Advances: Enhance customer product offerings including assigned and extra legroom seating
Launch of lounges enhances customer offerings and premium appeal.
Entering lounge market significantly boosts customer experience and brand value.
Advances: Execute business transformation initiatives
S&P upgrade signals confidence in earnings growth potential.
Advances: Execute business transformation initiatives
Reshaping operations aligns with growth initiatives.
Advances: Execute business transformation initiatives
Major change aligns with business transformation initiatives.
Advances: Execute business transformation initiatives
Changes align with business transformation initiatives.
