Lockheed Martin Corporation vs Southwest Airlines Co — how do they compare? Lockheed Martin Corporation trades at $597.87 (market cap $139.20B), while Southwest Airlines Co trades at $45.8 (market cap $21.97B). The key difference: Lockheed Martin Corporation is far larger — about 6.3× Southwest Airlines Co's market cap, and Lockheed Martin Corporation pays the higher dividend (2.29%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| LMT | LUV | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $139.20B | $21.97B |
Sector | Industrials | Industrials |
52-Week High | $676.70 | $54.80 |
52-Week Low | $426.26 | $29.06 |
Enterprise Value | $155.95B | $25.06B |
Dividend Yield | 2.29% | 1.6% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Lockheed Martin (LMT) trades at $587.95, up 0.9% with bullish technical signals and strong institutional support. The company reported mixed Q2 2026 earnings with a beat on EPS ($7.94 vs. $7.22 expected) but maintains a record $230B backlog. Valuation metrics show a P/E of 21.68 and ROE of 89.16%, though recent quarters saw earnings misses. Technical indicators suggest bullish momentum with key resistance at $592.
Outlook remains positive driven by defense contract wins and production expansion, but risks include execution on massive backlog and debt levels. Analyst consensus is bullish with $608 price target representing 3.4% upside. The stock offers stability through dividends ($3.45 quarterly) amid geopolitical demand for defense systems.
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
Lockheed Martin is the largest defense contractor globally and has dominated the Western market for high-end fighter aircraft since the F-35 program was awarded in 2001. Lockheed's largest segment is aeronautics, which is dominated by the massive F-35 program. Lockheed's remaining segments are rotary and mission systems, which is mainly the Sikorsky helicopter business.
Read more on LMT →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 →