LUV icon

Southwest Airlines

34.84 USD
+0.01
0.03%
At close Mar 24, 4:00 PM EDT
After hours
34.80
-0.04
0.11%
1 day
0.03%
5 days
7.80%
1 month
15.10%
3 months
1.43%
6 months
17.11%
Year to date
4.41%
1 year
22.20%
5 years
-7.49%
10 years
-22.44%
 

About: Southwest Airlines is the largest domestic air carrier in the United States by passengers boarded. Southwest operates over 800 aircraft in an all-Boeing 737 fleet. Despite offering some longer routes and a few perks for business travelers, the airline predominantly specializes in short-haul, leisure flights operated in a single, open-seating cabin configuration in a point-to-point network. In 2025, Southwest will modify its cabins to offer some seats with extra legroom and will update its ticketing process to offer assigned seats.

Employees: 74,081

0
Funds holding %
of 7,390 funds
0
Analysts bullish %
of 7 analysts

Fund manager confidence

Based on 2024 Q4 regulatory filings by fund managers ($100M+ AUM)

47% more first-time investments, than exits

New positions opened: 132 | Existing positions closed: 90

15% more capital invested

Capital invested by funds: $16.1B [Q3] → $18.5B (+$2.38B) [Q4]

11% more funds holding in top 10

Funds holding in top 10: 9 [Q3] → 10 (+1) [Q4]

4% more funds holding

Funds holding: 781 [Q3] → 809 (+28) [Q4]

0.95% more ownership

Funds ownership: 90.94% [Q3] → 91.89% (+0.95%) [Q4]

15% less repeat investments, than reductions

Existing positions increased: 238 | Existing positions reduced: 279

31% less call options, than puts

Call options by funds: $371M | Put options by funds: $541M

Research analyst outlook

7 Wall Street Analysts provided 1 year price targets over the past 3 months

Low target
$30
15%
downside
Avg. target
$34
4%
downside
High target
$40
15%
upside

7 analyst ratings

positive
14%
neutral
43%
negative
43%
UBS
Thomas Wadewitz
25% 1-year accuracy
8 / 32 met price target
3%upside
$36
Neutral
Upgraded
20 Mar 2025
Melius Research
Conor Cunningham
100% 1-year accuracy
2 / 2 met price target
2%downside
$34
Hold
Upgraded
20 Mar 2025
JP Morgan
Jamie Baker
13% 1-year accuracy
2 / 15 met price target
14%downside
$30
Underweight
Maintained
18 Mar 2025
Susquehanna
Christopher Stathoulopoulos
62% 1-year accuracy
13 / 21 met price target
2%downside
$34
Neutral
Maintained
4 Feb 2025
B of A Securities
Andrew Didora
65% 1-year accuracy
11 / 17 met price target
11%downside
$31
Underperform
Downgraded
17 Jan 2025

Financial journalist opinion

Based on 59 articles about LUV published over the past 30 days

Negative
WSJ
3 days ago
Why Southwest Airlines Finally Soured on Jet Fuel Hedging
The company, an outlier in the airline industry for its commitment to hedging, says the program got too costly.
Why Southwest Airlines Finally Soured on Jet Fuel Hedging
Negative
Reuters
4 days ago
Southwest flight cancels takeoff after crew mistook Orlando taxiway for runway
The Federal Aviation Administration said a Southwest Airlines flight at Orlando airport on Thursday aborted takeoff after it mistakenly began to depart on a taxiway rather than the runway.
Southwest flight cancels takeoff after crew mistook Orlando taxiway for runway
Positive
Market Watch
4 days ago
Southwest's stock is on a roll. This analyst explains why he's no longer bearish.
Melius Research no longer recommends that investors sell Southwest's stock, saying the air carrier has done enough — including adding bag fees and cutting jobs — to turn a corner.
Southwest's stock is on a roll. This analyst explains why he's no longer bearish.
Positive
Schwab Network
4 days ago
5% Rally in FIVE, CVNA Upgrade, LUV Lifts Off Sell Rating
After retail got beaten down in recent earnings, Five Below (FIVE) managed a rally with a strong beat and guidance. However, Diane King Hall says the store will bump up prices due to tariff impacts.
5% Rally in FIVE, CVNA Upgrade, LUV Lifts Off Sell Rating
Neutral
Zacks Investment Research
6 days ago
Should Investors Retain LUV Stock Post Updated Q1 Outlook?
We assess the investment worthiness of Southwest Airlines stock post its updated first-quarter 2025 guidance and growth plans.
Should Investors Retain LUV Stock Post Updated Q1 Outlook?
Negative
Reuters
6 days ago
Southwest jet came within 200 feet of business jet in Chicago near-miss
A Southwest Airlines flight was less than 200 feet behind a business jet when the Southwest pilot aborted the landing and made an emergency maneuver to narrowly avoid a collision at Chicago Midway Airport on February 25, U.S. safety officials said on Tuesday.
Southwest jet came within 200 feet of business jet in Chicago near-miss
Positive
MarketBeat
6 days ago
Southwest Airlines Could Triple From Here—Here's How
Investors typically aren't as excited about airline stocks as they might be about other stocks in exciting areas like the technology sector of the United States stock market. However, there is one name in the industry that today presents a potential for becoming a three-bagger from where it trades today.
Southwest Airlines Could Triple From Here—Here's How
Negative
CNBC
1 week ago
Goodbye to 'bags fly free' on Southwest, the last airline freebie in America
Southwest will start charging for checked bags for the first time in its 50 years of flying. Thousands of Southwest customers complained about the loss of the free checked bags.
Goodbye to 'bags fly free' on Southwest, the last airline freebie in America
Negative
Seeking Alpha
1 week ago
Companies From This Sector Are Lowering Guidance Ahead Of Q1 Earnings Reports
The Q4 2024 earnings season ended on a high note with S&P 500® EPS growing 18.3% YoY. This week, three major airlines issued 8-Ks to lower the previous earnings and sales guidance given in those Q4 reports. Delta kicks off Q1 airline reports when they release results on April 9 (unconfirmed, projected based on historical earnings report dates.
Companies From This Sector Are Lowering Guidance Ahead Of Q1 Earnings Reports
Neutral
Reuters
1 week ago
Major air carriers challenge ruling on Biden airline fee rules
Major air carriers on Friday challenged a U.S. appeals court ruling in January that the Transportation Department has the authority to write airline fee disclosure rules.
Major air carriers challenge ruling on Biden airline fee rules
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