Compare Southwest Airlines Co (LUV) vs Merck & Co., Inc. (MRK) Price & Performance
Price performance (Past 24H)
Key statistics
Key statistics
Southwest Airlines Co vs Merck & Co., Inc. — how do they compare? Southwest Airlines Co trades at $41.66 (market cap $20.23B), while Merck & Co., Inc. trades at $145.6 (market cap $351.28B). The key difference: Merck & Co., Inc. is far larger — about 17.4× Southwest Airlines Co's market cap, and Merck & Co., Inc. pays the higher dividend (2.39%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals — on Pluang, investors hold Southwest Airlines Co for 65 Days and Merck & Co., Inc. for 98 Days on average.
| LUV | MRK | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $20.23B | $351.28B |
Volume | 14,560,422 | 7,969,665 |
Sector | Industrials | Health |
52-Week High | $54.80 | $156.43 |
52-Week Low | $29.67 | $82.49 |
Typical Hold Time | 65 Days | 98 Days |
Enterprise Value | $23.33B | $398.04B |
Dividend Yield | 1.74% | 2.39% |
Aura AI Summary
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Aura AI Summary
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Southwest Airlines (LUV) trades at $41.36, down 0.86% on the day, with a mixed technical picture showing bearish moving averages but neutral oscillators. Fundamentally, the company reported revenue of $28.06B in 2025 with a net income margin of 2.78%, while valuation ratios like P/E of 25.85 and P/S of 0.72 suggest moderate pricing. Recent earnings have been volatile, with a significant beat in Q2 2026 but a miss in Q1 2026, and the upcoming Q3 2026 results on October 21, 2026, are highly anticipated amid a commercial transformation driving record unit revenue.
The outlook for LUV is cautiously optimistic, with analyst consensus pointing to a $49.61 price target and 42% buy ratings, but risks include high fuel costs, competitive pressures from rivals like United and American, and macroeconomic volatility. Investment opportunity lies in the successful execution of new fare structures and ancillary services, projected to boost EBIT, though bearish technical signals and net cash outflows require careful monitoring for sustained shareholder value.
Merck (MRK) trades at $142.40, down 0.28% on the day, with a bearish technical signal and key support at $140. The company reported strong earnings beats in recent quarters, with Q3 2026 EPS expected at $2.14. Revenue grew to $65.01B in 2025, and net income reached $18.25B, though the P/E ratio is elevated at 113.9. Recent news highlights Merck's acquisition of Terns Pharmaceuticals to bolster its oncology pipeline.
The outlook for MRK is mixed, with solid fundamentals and analyst optimism countered by high valuation and bearish technicals. The consensus price target of $158.78 suggests upside potential, but investors face risks from competitive pressures and integration challenges from recent M&A activity. Earnings growth and pipeline developments remain key catalysts.
Returns comparison
Trailing returns across standard periods
Returns comparison
Trailing returns across standard periods
Investor sentiment on Pluang
What Pluang investors did over the last 30 days
Investor sentiment on Pluang
What Pluang investors did over the last 30 days
Top news
Latest headlines on both assets
Top news
Latest headlines on both assets
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 →About Merck & Co., Inc.
Merck makes pharmaceutical products to treat several conditions in a number of therapeutic areas, including cardiometabolic disease, cancer, and infections. Within cancer, the firm's immuno-oncology platform is growing as a major contributor to overall sales. The company also has a substantial vaccine business, with treatments to prevent hepatitis B and pediatric diseases as well as HPV and shingles. Additionally, Merck sells animal health-related drugs. From a geographical perspective, just under half of the firm's sales are generated in the United States.
Read more on MRK →
