Southwest Airlines Co vs SkyWest Inc — how do they compare? Southwest Airlines Co trades at $45.71 (market cap $21.97B), while SkyWest Inc trades at $107.91 (market cap $4.18B). The key difference: Southwest Airlines Co is far larger — about 5.3× SkyWest Inc's market cap, and Southwest Airlines Co pays a 1.6% dividend while SkyWest Inc pays none. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| LUV | SKYW | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $21.97B | $4.18B |
Sector | Industrials | Technology |
52-Week High | $54.80 | $123.72 |
52-Week Low | $29.67 | $78.40 |
Enterprise Value | $25.06B | $5.96B |
Dividend Yield | 1.6% | — |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
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.
SkyWest (SKYW) trades at $111.84, down 1.41% on the day, with a bullish technical signal supported by moving averages and a consensus analyst buy rating. Recent Q2 2026 earnings missed estimates at $2.54 EPS versus $2.70 expected, but revenue trends show growth to $4.2B in 2026. The stock benefits from strong profitability with a 9.78% net margin and attractive valuation metrics, including a P/E of 10.69. Key developments include executive stock sales and a 7.7% post-earnings rally noted by Zacks on July 27, 2026.
Outlook remains positive due to undervaluation and fleet expansion, but risks include fuel cost volatility from Iran war impacts (New York Post, July 7, 2026) and insider selling. The consensus price target of $109.33 suggests limited upside, with execution on earnings beats being critical for further gains.
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 →SkyWest, Inc. is a major North American regional airline company, operating primarily through its subsidiary, SkyWest Airlines. The company provides regional airline service to various large airlines under contract, including United Airlines (as United Express), Delta Air Lines (as Delta Connection), American Airlines (as American Eagle), and Alaska Airlines (as Alaska SkyWest). SKYW's primary business is providing essential flight services, connecting smaller cities to major airline hubs across the United States.
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