Gilead Sciences, Inc. vs Southwest Airlines Co — how do they compare? Gilead Sciences, Inc. trades at $135.89 (market cap $164.99B), while Southwest Airlines Co trades at $45.71 (market cap $21.97B). The key difference: Gilead Sciences, Inc. is far larger — about 7.5× Southwest Airlines Co's market cap, and Gilead Sciences, Inc. pays the higher dividend (2.47%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| GILD | LUV | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $164.99B | $21.97B |
Sector | Health | Industrials |
52-Week High | $155.80 | $54.80 |
52-Week Low | $110.56 | $29.67 |
Enterprise Value | $188.06B | $25.06B |
Dividend Yield | 2.47% | 1.6% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Gilead Sciences (GILD) trades at $133.21, up 1.8% in the last session, with a bullish technical outlook and strong analyst support. Recent Q2 2026 results showed a revenue beat despite a net loss driven by acquisition costs, with HIV drug sales and pipeline progress fueling raised full-year guidance. The stock exhibits robust cash flow from operations and a high gross margin, though negative net income and elevated debt levels present fundamental concerns.
The outlook is positive based on raised sales guidance and pipeline momentum, but risks include patent cliffs for key HIV drugs by the mid-2030s and integration challenges from recent acquisitions. With a consensus price target of $151.22 implying 13.5% upside, Wall Street sentiment is bullish, though investors should weigh growth prospects against execution and regulatory risks.
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
Gilead Sciences develops and markets therapies to treat life-threatening infectious diseases, with the core of its portfolio focused on HIV and hepatitis B and C. The acquisitions of Corus Pharma, Myogen, CV Therapeutics, Arresto Biosciences, and Calistoga have broadened this focus to include pulmonary and cardiovascular diseases and cancer. Gilead's acquisition of Pharmasset brought rights to hepatitis C drug Sovaldi, which is also part of combination drug Harvoni, and the Kite, Forty Seven, and Immunomedics acquisitions boost Gilead's exposure to cell therapy and noncell therapy in oncology.
Read more on GILD →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 →