HCA Health Inc vs Southwest Airlines Co — how do they compare? HCA Health Inc trades at $449.58 (market cap $96.35B), while Southwest Airlines Co trades at $41.35 (market cap $20.23B). The key difference: HCA Health Inc is far larger — about 4.8× Southwest Airlines Co's market cap, and Southwest Airlines Co pays the higher dividend (1.74%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals — on Pluang, investors hold HCA Health Inc for 76 Days and Southwest Airlines Co for 65 Days on average.
| HCA | LUV | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $96.35B | $20.23B |
Volume | 1,079,453 | 14,560,422 |
Sector | Health | Industrials |
52-Week High | $545.13 | $54.80 |
52-Week Low | $361.32 | $29.67 |
Typical Hold Time | 76 Days | 65 Days |
Enterprise Value | $146.88B | $23.33B |
Dividend Yield | 0.7% | 1.74% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
HCA Healthcare trades at $449.47, up 2.35% with bullish technical indicators and strong fundamental performance. The stock shows consistent earnings beats with Q2 2026 EPS of $7.59 exceeding expectations, while revenue growth continues from $75.6B in 2025 to projected $78.0B in 2026. Analyst consensus remains strongly positive with 63% buy ratings and $461.12 price target, though legal investigations present headwinds.
The outlook remains favorable with solid patient demand and operational efficiency driving growth, though investors should monitor ongoing legal investigations and debt levels. Valuation appears reasonable with P/E of 14.92 and EV/EBITDA of 9.26, while technical support at $440 provides near-term stability.
Southwest Airlines (LUV) trades at $41.15, down 1.37% on the day, amid a bearish technical signal despite recent earnings beats. The stock shows mixed fundamentals with a P/E of 25.85 and net income margin of 2.78%, while cash flow trends indicate a projected recovery in 2026. Recent news highlights the company's commercial transformation initiatives, including new fare structures and lounge plans, aiming to boost profitability.
Outlook remains cautiously optimistic with a consensus price target of $49.61, suggesting upside potential, though risks include volatile fuel costs and competitive pressures. The stock's valuation appears reasonable relative to sales, but investors should weigh near-term operational headwinds against long-term strategic gains.
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HCA Healthcare is a Nashville-based healthcare provider organization operating the largest collection of acute-care hospitals in the U.S. As of December 2021, the firm owned and operated 182 hospitals, 125 freestanding outpatient surgery centers, and a broad network of physician offices, urgent care clinics, and freestanding emergency rooms across nearly 20 states and a small foothold in England.
Read more on HCA →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 →