LUVIndustrials · AirlinesThe 25 Wall Street analysts covering Southwest Airlines Co. hold a median 12-month price target of $50 — +27.1% from the last close. Ticker Nerd's systematic factor model, run across ~4,600 US stocks, ranks it 76 of 100 as at 14 Oct 2026 — inside the top quartile. Here, the model and the Street point the same way.
Consensus tells you what everyone already believes. The model scores Southwest Airlines Co. on its factor families — the same systematic rank behind the Ticker Nerd portfolio.
Percentile across ~4,600 US stocks on Ticker Nerd’s systematic factor model. Higher is better. How the model is built and tested
Volatility (85): The share price has been relatively steady.
Revisions (45): Analysts have, on balance, been cutting their forecasts.
Size (10): Larger than most of the companies we track — more scrutinised, less often mispriced.
Built and run by Aslam Ghouse, an ex-Goldman Sachs quant trader with fourteen years in markets.
The bullish and bearish analyst opinions on LUV, reported as data — targets and ratings, the market's view beside the model's.
Price targets and ratings are third-party analyst estimates, reported here as data. They are not Ticker Nerd forecasts, and they are frequently wrong.
Data provided by Twelve Data
The green dot is the last close — the median target sits +27.1% from it.
Of the 20 most recent actions, 3 moved their price target up and 8 moved it down.
| Date | Firm | Action | Rating | Target |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 Oct 2026 | Susquehanna | Maintains | Neutral | $50 → $45 |
| 2 Oct 2026 | TD Cowen | Maintains | Buy | $48 → $47 |
| 28 Sept 2026 | BMO Capital | Maintains | Outperform | — |
| 28 Sept 2026 | BMO Capital | Maintains | Outperform | $60 → $50 |
| 24 Sept 2026 | UBS | Maintains | Buy | $49 → $53 |
| 24 Sept 2026 | UBS | Maintains | Buy | — |
| 18 Sept 2026 | Rothschild & Co | Upgrade | Neutral | $35 → $40 |
| 18 Sept 2026 | Rothschild & Co | Upgrade | Neutral | — |
| 11 Sept 2026 | Barclays | Maintains | Overweight | $65 → $58 |
| 11 Sept 2026 | Barclays | Maintains | Overweight | — |
| 10 Sept 2026 | UBS | Maintains | Buy | $56 → $49 |
| 10 Sept 2026 | UBS | Maintains | Buy | — |
| 24 Aug 2026 | Raymond James | Maintains | Outperform | $60 → $54 |
| 24 Aug 2026 | Raymond James | Maintains | Outperform | — |
| 24 Aug 2026 | TD Cowen | Maintains | Buy | $53 → $48 |
| 24 Aug 2026 | TD Cowen | Maintains | Buy | — |
| 24 July 2026 | BMO Capital | Maintains | Outperform | $59 → $60 |
| 24 July 2026 | BMO Capital | Maintains | Outperform | — |
| 24 July 2026 | Citigroup | Maintains | Neutral | $55 → $50 |
| 24 July 2026 | Citigroup | Maintains | Neutral | — |
Price targets and ratings are third-party analyst estimates, reported here as data. They are not Ticker Nerd forecasts, and they are frequently wrong.
Computed off the Friday close and sent before the US open.
Market Radar reports the week’s largest rank changes across roughly 4,600 US stocks, the factor behind each one, and where the market went. LUV appears on the weeks it earns a place.
Both lines are total return — dividends reinvested — so the comparison is honest on both sides.
Over the twelve months to 14 Oct 2026, Southwest Airlines Co. returned +19.8% against +17.5% for the S&P 500, dividends included.
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Data provided by Twelve Data
Not the forecast itself — the direction analysts are revising it. Revision direction is one of the model's factor families.
A margin means little on its own. Each bar marks where the figure sits across the whole US universe we score.
Cheaper than 30% of US stocks
Cheaper than 76% of US stocks
Cheaper than 33% of US stocks
Cheaper than 38% of US stocks
Higher than 64% of US stocks
Higher than 47% of US stocks
Higher than 16% of US stocks
Higher than 51% of US stocks
Higher than 55% of US stocks
Higher than 66% of US stocks
Higher than 61% of US stocks
Higher than 77% of US dividend payers
Bars mark the percentile across the ~4,600 US stocks Ticker Nerd covers, among those reporting the figure.
The headline figures, each with its date. Every row carries its own link — cite it straight from here.
Southwest Airlines Co. has a market value of $19.9B and an enterprise value of $23.0B.
Revenue in the twelve months to 30 June 2026: $30.1B. The latest quarter grew 16.4% year on year.
Net income over the same four quarters: $837.0M, a 2.8% net margin.
Diluted earnings per share, trailing twelve months: $1.63.
Free cash flow in the twelve months to 30 June 2026: −$455.0M, after $451.0M of capital spending.
Southwest Airlines Co. spent $1.6B on share buybacks and $370.0M on dividends in the twelve months to 30 June 2026.
Trailing P/E: 25.4×; forward P/E: 9.3× — the forward figure prices analyst consensus estimates, not reported earnings.
Forward dividend yield: 1.77%, paying out 45% of earnings.
Southwest Airlines Co. employs 73,456 people — $409K of revenue per employee.
Data provided by Twelve Data
The nearest names by industry and size, scored by the same model — like for like.
Look up any of the roughly 4,600 stocks we score.
The rank is the raw material. Whether the rules would actually own Southwest Airlines Co. — and when they’d sell — is the membership. See the Ticker Nerd 20 →
Southwest Airlines is set to report third-quarter earnings. The outlook cited rising fuel and labor costs as pressures, while strong bookings and revenue growth may have provided a boost.
Why it matters — LUV watchers will be looking at how cost pressures and booking and revenue strength shaped the quarter's earnings.
Zacks Investment Research says Southwest Airlines (LUV) lacks the combination of two key factors associated with a likely earnings beat in its upcoming report. The article outlines key expectations ahead of the report.
Why it matters — LUV watchers may use the earnings-beat assessment and report expectations as context when following the company's upcoming results.
Southwest temporarily grounded flights Friday after a widespread computer outage disrupted the IT systems of several major airlines, causing havoc for some passengers.
Why it matters — The outage affected Southwest operations and passenger check-in, making it relevant to watchers of the airline.
Southwest Airlines is leaning toward Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner as its first widebody aircraft as it considers launching long-haul international flights, according to three people familiar with its fleet planning.
Why it matters — The potential aircraft choice is relevant to LUV watchers because it could inform Southwest’s fleet planning for a possible expansion into long-haul international service.
Zacks Equity Research named Chevron its Bull of the Day and Southwest Airlines its Bear of the Day in an item dated October 8, 2026.
Why it matters — The item characterizes Southwest negatively, which may be relevant to LUV watchers reviewing analyst commentary.
The 25 Wall Street analysts covering Southwest Airlines Co. have a median 12-month price target of $50, with estimates ranging from $34 to $65. These are third-party analyst estimates, not Ticker Nerd forecasts, and they are frequently wrong.
Of the 25 analysts covering Southwest Airlines Co., 11 rate it a Buy, 11 a Hold and 3 a Sell. Ticker Nerd's systematic factor model ranks Southwest Airlines Co. 76 out of 100 across roughly 4,600 US stocks as at 14 Oct 2026. None of this is personal advice — it does not consider your circumstances.
As at 14 Oct 2026, Southwest Airlines Co. ranks 76 out of 100 on Ticker Nerd's systematic factor model — a percentile across roughly 4,600 US stocks, built from its factor families. Its strongest factor family is Volatility (85 of 100).
No one can know that. What the data says: the median 12-month target from 25 analysts implies +27.1% from the last close, and Ticker Nerd's factor model ranks Southwest Airlines Co. 76 out of 100 as at 14 Oct 2026. Analyst targets are third-party estimates and frequently wrong; none of this is personal advice.
No analyst covering Southwest Airlines Co. publishes a 2030 price target — Wall Street targets run 12 to 18 months out. Sites quoting a 2030 price for LUV are extrapolating price history, which says nothing about the business. The furthest attributed numbers are the current analyst targets: $34 to $65 over the next 12 months.
Southwest Airlines Co. returned +19.8% over the 12 months to 14 Oct 2026, with dividends reinvested. Past performance does not indicate future returns.
Southwest Airlines Co. is a passenger airline company that provides scheduled air transportation across the United States and select near-international markets.
The most recent item we track (Zacks Investment Research, 14 Oct 2026): "Southwest Airlines to Report Q3 Earnings: What's in the Cards?". Southwest Airlines is set to report third-quarter earnings. The outlook cited rising fuel and labor costs as pressures, while strong bookings and revenue growth may have provided a boost.
Southwest Airlines Co. is a passenger airline company that provides scheduled air transportation across the United States and select near-international markets. Southwest Airlines Co. operates a point-to-point network focused on short- and medium-haul travel, connecting major cities, leisure destinations, and regional markets with frequent nonstop service. The company’s operations are built around an all-Boeing 737 fleet and a streamlined low-cost model that supports efficient network management and a consistent onboard experience. In addition to air travel, Southwest Airlines Co. offers related customer services such as online booking, loyalty program access, and ancillary travel options. Headquartered in Dallas, Texas, Southwest Airlines Co. is a major carrier in the North American aviation market and serves both leisure and business travelers through a broad domestic route structure and a limited set of international destinations.
CEO Mr. Robert E. Jordan · 73,456 employees · United States · https://www.southwest.com
