Southwest Airlines Co vs Advanced Drainage Systems Inc — how do they compare? Southwest Airlines Co trades at $45.6 (market cap $21.97B), while Advanced Drainage Systems Inc trades at $143.7 (market cap $10.68B). The key difference: Southwest Airlines Co is far larger — about 2.1× Advanced Drainage Systems Inc's market cap, and Southwest Airlines Co pays the higher dividend (1.6%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| LUV | WMS | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $21.97B | $10.68B |
Sector | Industrials | Industrials |
52-Week High | $54.80 | $175.38 |
52-Week Low | $29.06 | $129.50 |
Enterprise Value | $25.06B | $12.29B |
Dividend Yield | 1.6% | 0.56% |
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.
Advanced Drainage Systems (WMS) trades at $143.95, down 3.03% on the day, with a neutral technical signal. The company reported strong Q2 2026 earnings of $2.49 per share, beating estimates, and maintains solid profitability with a 14% net income margin and 24.9% ROE. Recent news highlights Q1 fiscal 2027 sales growth of 21% and consistent dividend payments, though cash flow turned negative in 2025 due to increased investing activity.
The outlook is mixed; analyst consensus is a Buy with a $185.86 price target, but near-term risks include volatile cash flows and high valuation multiples. Upside potential hinges on execution of growth initiatives and infrastructure demand, while margin pressure and economic sensitivity pose challenges.
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 →Advanced Drainage Systems Inc is engaged in designing, manufacturing, and marketing thermoplastic corrugated pipe and related water management products in North and South America, and Europe. The company's operating segment includes Pipe
Read more on WMS →