BHP Billiton Limited vs Southwest Airlines Co — how do they compare? BHP Billiton Limited trades at $89.94 (market cap $227.94B), while Southwest Airlines Co trades at $45.71 (market cap $21.97B). The key difference: BHP Billiton Limited is far larger — about 10.4× Southwest Airlines Co's market cap, and BHP Billiton Limited pays the higher dividend (2.94%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| BHP | LUV | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $227.94B | $21.97B |
Sector | Basic Materials | Industrials |
52-Week High | $93.15 | $54.80 |
52-Week Low | $52.14 | $29.67 |
Enterprise Value | $242.14B | $25.06B |
Dividend Yield | 2.94% | 1.6% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
BHP trades at $90.41, up 2.86% today, with a bullish technical signal from moving averages and strong support at $88-89. The company maintains solid profitability with 18.97% net income margin and 20.13% ROE, though recent earnings showed a Q4 2025 miss. Current labor strikes at Port Hedland operations pose near-term operational risks while copper production declines in Chile.
BHP presents a mixed outlook with strong fundamentals offset by operational challenges. The stock's valuation appears reasonable with P/E of 22.46 and EV/EBITDA of 8.24, but analyst consensus leans cautious with 64.5% hold ratings. Key opportunities include AI-driven copper demand growth, while risks center on labor disputes and production volatility.
Southwest Airlines (LUV) trades at $47.05, up 0.23% today, with a bullish technical signal and consensus price target of $53.86. Recent Q2 2026 earnings beat expectations with EPS of $0.94 versus $0.51 expected, driven by record revenue. The company maintains a solid liquidity position of $8.73B cash and has declared quarterly dividends of $0.18 per share, with new board appointments signaling strategic focus.
Outlook is positive with projected 2026 net income margin of 2.78% and revenue growth to $30.1B, but risks include fuel cost volatility and competitive pressures. Analyst sentiment is mixed with 42% buy ratings, offering potential upside of 14.5% to the consensus target, though institutional selling by firms like Elliott Management warrants monitoring.
Trailing returns across standard periods
Latest headlines on both assets
BHP Group Limited operates as a mining company. The Company engages in the exploration, development, production, and processing of iron ore, metallurgical coal, and copper. BHP Group serves customers worldwide.
Read more on BHP →Southwest Airlines is the largest domestic carrier in the United States, as measured by the number of originating passengers boarded. Southwest operates over 700 aircraft in an all-Boeing 737 fleet. Despite expanding into longer routes and business travel, the airline still specializes in short-haul leisure flights, using a point-to-point network. Southwest operates a low-cost carrier business model.
Read more on LUV →