J B Hunt Transport Services Inc vs Southwest Airlines Co — how do they compare? J B Hunt Transport Services Inc trades at $290.56 (market cap $27.36B), while Southwest Airlines Co trades at $48.49 (market cap $23.63B). The key difference: J B Hunt Transport Services Inc is the larger of the two by market cap, and Southwest Airlines Co pays the higher dividend (1.49%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| JBHT | LUV | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $27.36B | $23.63B |
Sector | Industrials | Industrials |
52-Week High | $298.41 | $54.80 |
52-Week Low | $130.65 | $29.06 |
Enterprise Value | $28.50B | $26.70B |
Dividend Yield | 0.62% | 1.49% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
JBHT trades at $290.43, down 0.34% today but near its 52-week high, with a bullish technical outlook and consistent earnings beats. The stock shows strong momentum, supported by intermodal growth and cost discipline. Recent Q2 2026 EPS of $1.91 beat estimates by 12%, driving positive sentiment. Valuation remains elevated with a P/E of 41.45, reflecting high growth expectations amid industry capacity constraints.
Outlook is positive due to structural freight market shifts and operational efficiency, but risks include premium valuation sensitivity and economic cyclicality. Analyst consensus favors Buy with a $299.82 target, suggesting modest upside. Investors should weigh robust fundamentals against potential margin pressures from rising costs.
Southwest Airlines (LUV) trades at $48.28, up 0.42% today, with a neutral technical signal and mixed earnings history. Recent Q1 2026 EPS missed expectations, but Q4 2025 and Q3 2025 beat. Financials show modest revenue growth to $28.06B in 2025, but net income margin is thin at 2.83%. Analyst consensus is mixed with 42% buy, 47% hold, and 11% sell ratings, and a $52.47 price target implies potential upside. Key news highlights Q2 2026 earnings due July 23, 2026, amid fuel cost volatility and travel demand resilience.
LUV presents a cautious opportunity with upside to the consensus target, supported by operational improvements and sector tailwinds, but risks from fuel price swings, execution challenges, and thin margins warrant careful monitoring. The stock's valuation at a P/E of 32.05 appears elevated relative to earnings growth, requiring strong future performance to justify current levels.
Trailing returns across standard periods
Latest headlines on both assets
J.B. Hunt Transport Services ranks among the top surface transportation companies in North America by revenue. Its primary operating segments are intermodal delivery, which uses the Class I rail carriers for the underlying line-haul movement of its owned containers (45% of sales in 2021).
Read more on JBHT →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 →