Southwest Airlines Co vs Marathon Petroleum Corp — how do they compare? Southwest Airlines Co trades at $48.36 (market cap $23.63B), while Marathon Petroleum Corp trades at $316.61 (market cap $92.05B). The key difference: Marathon Petroleum Corp is far larger — about 3.9× Southwest Airlines Co's market cap, and Southwest Airlines Co pays the higher dividend (1.49%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| LUV | MPC | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $23.63B | $92.05B |
Sector | Industrials | Energy |
52-Week High | $54.80 | $315.31 |
52-Week Low | $29.06 | $158.59 |
Enterprise Value | $26.70B | $124.23B |
Dividend Yield | 1.49% | 1.24% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
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.
Marathon Petroleum (MPC) trades at $317.00, up 1.41% today, reflecting strong momentum amid bullish technical signals and positive analyst sentiment. The stock shows robust fundamentals with a P/E of 20.58, P/S of 0.7, and ROE of 27.92%, supported by recent earnings beats in Q4 2025 and Q1 2026. Cash flow trends indicate operational strength with $8.25B from operations in 2025, while refining margins drive profitability, as highlighted in recent Zacks reports (July 2026).
Outlook remains positive with 76% analyst buy ratings and a consensus price target of $292.70, though risks include volatile energy markets and rising debt-to-asset ratios. The stock's proximity to resistance at $317 suggests potential consolidation, but sustained refining advantages and institutional support offer upside potential for investors focused on energy sector growth.
Trailing returns across standard periods
Latest headlines on both assets
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 →Marathon Petroleum is an independent refiner with 13 refineries in the midcontinent, West Coast, and Gulf Coast of the United States with total throughput capacity of 2.9 million barrels per day. Its Dickinson, ND, facility produces 184 million gallons a year of renewable diesel. Its Martinez, CA, facility will have the ability to produce 730 million gallons a year of renewable diesel once converted. The firm also owns and operates midstream assets primarily through its listed MLP, MPLX.
Read more on MPC →