Compare HCA Health Inc (HCA) vs Southwest Airlines Co (LUV) Price & Performance
Price performance (Past 24H)
Key statistics
Key statistics
HCA Health Inc vs Southwest Airlines Co — how do they compare? HCA Health Inc trades at $411.81 (market cap $89.64B), while Southwest Airlines Co trades at $45.6 (market cap $21.97B). The key difference: HCA Health Inc is far larger — about 4.1× Southwest Airlines Co's market cap, and Southwest Airlines Co pays the higher dividend (1.6%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| HCA | LUV | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $89.64B | $21.97B |
Sector | Health | Industrials |
52-Week High | $545.13 | $54.80 |
52-Week Low | $361.32 | $29.06 |
Enterprise Value | $140.18B | $25.06B |
Dividend Yield | 0.75% | 1.6% |
Aura AI Summary
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Aura AI Summary
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
HCA Healthcare trades at $413.36, up 1.09% on the day, with a bullish technical outlook supported by moving averages and a consensus analyst price target of $449.93. The company reported strong Q2 2026 earnings of $7.59 per share, beating estimates, and has shown consistent revenue growth, reaching $75.60 billion in 2025. Recent corporate actions include dividend payments of $0.78 per share, while news highlights executive appointments and ongoing legal investigations.
The stock presents a compelling investment case with attractive valuation multiples like a P/E of 13.86 and robust profitability, but faces risks from legal probes and high debt levels. Upside potential is supported by analyst optimism and solid operational cash flow, though investors should monitor expense pressures and regulatory developments.
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.
Returns comparison
Trailing returns across standard periods
Returns comparison
Trailing returns across standard periods
Top news
Latest headlines on both assets
Top news
Latest headlines on both assets
About HCA Health Inc
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 →About Southwest Airlines Co
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 →
