LUV vs ULCC
LUV: Southwest Airlines is a major domestic passenger carrier known for its high-frequency, point-to-point route network and recent transformation toward assigned seating and global partnerships. ULCC: A fuel-efficient ultra-low-cost carrier targeting value-conscious travelers with low fares and a more family-friendly cabin experience than competing ULCCs.
Side-by-side fundamentals
| Metric | LUV | ULCC | Edge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price as of 2026-07-22 close | $47.66 | $5.95 | |
| Market cap as of 2026-07-23 | $23.6B | $1.4B | |
| P/E as of 2026-07-23 | 28.86 | n/a | |
| PEG as of 2026-07-23 | 0.42 | n/a | |
| Net margin as of 2026-07-23 | +2.8% | -9.6% | LUV higher |
| Gross margin as of 2026-07-23 | +73.8% | +52.4% | LUV higher |
| Operating margin as of 2026-07-23 | +3.4% | -10.2% | LUV higher |
| ROE as of 2026-07-23 | +10.7% | -88.6% | LUV higher |
| ROA as of 2026-07-23 | +2.8% | -5.3% | LUV higher |
| Debt / equity as of 2026-07-23 | 0.78 | 2.63 | LUV lower |
| Revenue growth (YoY) as of 2026-07-23 | +4.7% | -0.5% | LUV higher |
| Revenue CAGR (3y) SEC XBRL | +5.6% | +3.8% | LUV higher |
| Dividend yield as of 2026-07-23 | +1.5% | n/a | |
| Dividend streak (yrs) SEC XBRL | 4 | 0 | LUV higher |
| Beta as of 2026-07-23 | 1.14 | 2.60 | |
| 1-year return as of 2026-07-22 close | +28.2% | +39.3% | ULCC higher |
Fundamentals: Finnhub, as of 2026-07-23. Filings: SEC EDGAR. Prices are delayed daily-close data.
Last updated 2026-07-22.
Informational only — NOT financial advice. All figures are delayed daily-close data from SEC EDGAR & Finnhub, shown with their as-of date; "Edge" cells are a pure numeric comparison, not a recommendation.