Compare Southwest Airlines Co (LUV) vs Xcel Energy Inc (XEL) Price & Performance
Price performance (Past 24H)
Key statistics
Key statistics
Southwest Airlines Co vs Xcel Energy Inc — how do they compare? Southwest Airlines Co trades at $45.71 (market cap $21.97B), while Xcel Energy Inc trades at $77.66 (market cap $48.02B). The key difference: Xcel Energy Inc is far larger — about 2.2× Southwest Airlines Co's market cap, and Xcel Energy Inc pays the higher dividend (3.08%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| LUV | XEL | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $21.97B | $48.02B |
Sector | Industrials | Utilities |
52-Week High | $54.80 | $83.91 |
52-Week Low | $29.67 | $71.75 |
Enterprise Value | $25.06B | $86.33B |
Dividend Yield | 1.6% | 3.08% |
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 $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.
Xcel Energy (XEL) trades at $78.07, up 1.43% on the day, with a bearish technical signal from moving averages. The company reported strong Q2 2026 earnings of $0.93 per share, beating estimates, driven by infrastructure investment recovery. Revenue for 2025 was $14.67B with a net income margin of 15.28%, while the balance sheet shows rising assets and liabilities, with a debt-to-asset ratio of 41.57% in 2024. Recent news highlights community investment and board additions.
The outlook for XEL is supported by a $60 billion capital plan targeting 11% annual rate base growth, but regulatory pushback and affordability concerns pose risks. Analyst consensus is bullish with a $93.80 price target, implying 20% upside, though technical indicators suggest near-term caution. Earnings growth and utility demand trends remain key catalysts for investor returns.
Returns comparison
Trailing returns across standard periods
Returns comparison
Trailing returns across standard periods
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 Xcel Energy Inc
Xcel Energy manages utilities serving 3.7 million electric customers and 2.1 million natural gas customers in eight states. Its utilities are Northern States Power, which serves customers in Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin, and Michigan
Read more on XEL →
