Southwest Airlines Co vs United Parcel Service Inc — how do they compare? Southwest Airlines Co trades at $48.53 (market cap $23.63B), while United Parcel Service Inc trades at $115.15 (market cap $96.18B). The key difference: United Parcel Service Inc is far larger — about 4.1× Southwest Airlines Co's market cap, and United Parcel Service Inc pays the higher dividend (5.8%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| LUV | UPS | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $23.63B | $96.18B |
Sector | Industrials | Industrials |
52-Week High | $54.80 | $120.00 |
52-Week Low | $29.06 | $82.58 |
Enterprise Value | $26.70B | $119.04B |
Dividend Yield | 1.49% | 5.8% |
Volume | — | 2,288,643 |
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.
UPS stock trades at $112.97, down 4.03% today, with mixed technical signals showing bullish moving averages but overbought RSI levels. The company maintains strong profitability with 33.41% ROE and 5.94% net margin, though revenue has declined from $100.3B in 2022 to $88.7B in 2025. Recent quarters show consistent earnings beats, with Q2 2026 results expected on July 28, 2026. Analyst sentiment is divided with 42% buy ratings and consensus price target of $112.
UPS faces near-term headwinds from revenue pressure and Amazon's logistics expansion, but cost-cutting initiatives and healthcare investments provide growth catalysts. The stock's current valuation at 19x P/E appears reasonable given strong cash flow generation. Key risks include competitive threats and economic sensitivity, while dividend sustainability remains a focus with the $1.64 per share payout.
Trailing returns across standard periods
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 →United Parcel Service, Inc. (UPS) delivers packages and documents throughout the United States and in other countries and territories. The Company also provides global supply chain services and less-than-truckload transportation, primarily in the US UPS's business consists of integrated air and ground pick-up and delivery network
Read more on UPS →