LUV vs ALK vs AZUL Stock Comparison

Southwest Airlines, Alaska Air and Azul Prices as of Oct 26, 2026 Peers: Industry group
LUV Southwest Airlines Co
$42.85 +0.4% 1M +33.1% 1Y
Market cap
$21.14B
P/E
20.1x
Revenue (TTM)
$31.55B
Div. yield
–
Airlines Industrials
7 wins
AZUL Azul Sa
$4.05 -37.5% 1M
Market cap
$3.00B
P/E
142.7x
Revenue (TTM)
—
Div. yield
–
Airlines Industrials
1 win

Head to Head

8 decided of 12

Southwest Airlines leads on 7 of the 12 questions below (Southwest Airlines 7, Azul 1). Which ones matter depends on what you are buying for; a cheap multiple and slow growth often come together.

QuestionLUVALKAZULLeader
Larger companyMarket capitalisation $21.14B $3.96B $3.00B LUV
Cheaper on earningsLower P/E, profitable companies only 20.1x -10.0x 142.7x LUV
Cheaper on forward earningsLower price / next fiscal year consensus EPS 16.5x — 8.4x AZUL
Faster revenue growthRevenue growth, trailing twelve months +14.5% +8.2% — LUV
More profitableNet margin, trailing twelve months 3.3% — — –
Better return on capitalReturn on invested capital 8.2% — — –
Less leveragedLower net debt / EBITDA 0.8x — — –
Higher dividend yieldTrailing dividend yield 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% –
Better 1-year returnPrice return, last 12 months +33.1% -20.1% — LUV
Better 5-year returnAnnualised price return, 5 years -1.7%/yr -7.9%/yr — LUV
Less volatileAnnualised volatility, 1 year 43.6% 52.1% 560.8% LUV
Higher overall scoreMean of the five percentile scores vs peers 58/100 34/100 — LUV

Percentile Scorecard

LUVALKAZUL

Each axis is the mean percentile of its metrics against the company's industry group. 100 is the best in the group, 50 the middle.

Scores by Axis

AxisLUVALKAZUL
Valuation 49 #70 of 136 73 #37 of 136 18 #112 of 136
Growth 88 #15 of 122 9 #111 of 122 –
Profitability 42 #68 of 116 21 #92 of 116 –
Financial Health 32 #98 of 144 – 1 #143 of 144
Shareholder Returns 78 #19 of 82 – –
Overall 58 34 –
  • LUV ranked among 150 companies in Transportation
  • ALK ranked among 150 companies in Transportation
  • AZUL ranked among 150 companies in Transportation

Price Performance

Price return, split-adjusted, before dividends. Click a name to hide or show it.

Returns

PeriodLUVALKAZULSPY
1 month +0.4%-14.6%-37.5% -0.8%
3 months -5.6%-26.4%-52.1% +3.5%
6 months +12.2%-13.6%+3.8% +7.0%
Year to date +3.7%-30.5%— +12.2%
1 year +33.1%-20.1%— +13.0%
3 years +91.8%+11.9%— +86.3%
3 years, per year +24.3%+3.8%— +23.1%
5 years -8.0%-33.7%— +68.6%
5 years, per year -1.7%-7.9%— +11.0%
10 years +11.6%-50.9%— +258.0%
10 years, per year +1.1%-6.9%— +13.6%

Risk

MeasureLUVALKAZULSPY
Volatility, 1Y 43.6%52.1%560.8% 12.7%
Downside volatility, 1Y 38.3%50.0%725.2% 12.7%
Beta vs S&P 500, 1Y 1.612.281.88 1.00
Return / volatility, 1Y 0.76-0.39— 1.02
Max drawdown, 5Y -57.4%-56.2%-99.2% -25.4%
From 52-week high -21.8%-41.9%-99.2% -1.8%
52-week high $54.80$60.21$495.00 $779.14
52-week low $29.67$33.56$3.90 $631.97

Valuation History

Weekly multiples on trailing twelve-month fundamentals. Negative or extreme readings (a loss year, a collapsed denominator) are left out so the chart stays readable.

MultipleLUVALKAZUL
P/E now vs peer median 19.9xmedian 16.1x -9.8xmedian 16.1x 142.7xmedian 16.1x
P/S now vs peer median 0.7xmedian 1.0x 0.3xmedian 1.0x 3.2xmedian 1.0x
EV/EBITDA now vs peer median 7.9xmedian 8.7x —median 8.7x —median 8.7x
P/FCF now vs peer median -46.7xmedian 11.5x -12.7xmedian 11.5x -47.8xmedian 11.5x
P/B now vs peer median 2.9xmedian 1.2x 1.1xmedian 1.2x —median 1.2x
PEG now vs peer median 0.50median 0.81 0.18median 0.81 —median 0.81

Financial History

Reported figures by fiscal period, placed on the calendar year (or quarter) each period ended in, so companies with different fiscal years line up.

Trailing twelve monthsLUVALKAZUL
Revenue $31.55B $15.31B –
Operating income $1.39B -$290.00M –
Net income $1.05B -$395.00M –
Free cash flow -$449.00M – –
EPS (diluted) $2.13 $-3.55 –
Cash & equivalents $3.62B $835.00M $181.08M
Total debt $5.89B – $4.21B
Shares (diluted) 494.00M 111.13M 17.41B
Enterprise value $7.17B $3.96B $2.10B

All Metrics

58 metrics · best in bold

Bold marks the best reading: the lowest positive value for multiples, leverage and payout, the highest for everything else. The bar under each value is its percentile against that company's own peers. Hover a value for its rank and the peer median.

Valuation

12 metrics
MetricLUVALKAZUL
P/E 19.9x -9.8x 142.7x
P/FCF -46.7x -12.7x -47.8x
P/Operating cash flow 7.6x 4.1x –
P/S 0.7x 0.3x 3.2x
P/B 2.9x 1.1x –
P/Tangible book 2.9x 1.4x –
EV/EBITDA 7.9x – –
EV/EBIT 16.8x – –
EV/Revenue 0.7x 0.3x –
EV/FCF -51.8x – –
EV/Operating cash flow 8.4x 4.1x –
PEG (3Y EPS CAGR) 0.50 0.18 –

Growth

14 metrics
MetricLUVALKAZUL
Revenue growth (1Y) 14.5% 8.2% –
Revenue CAGR (3Y) 7.4% 13.9% –
Gross profit growth (1Y) – – –
Gross profit CAGR (3Y) – – –
Operating income growth (1Y) 339.7% -196.3% –
Operating income CAGR (3Y) 78.6% -40.2% –
Net income growth (1Y) 177.8% -363.3% –
Net income CAGR (3Y) 28.4% -52.2% –
EPS growth (1Y) 195.8% -378.4% –
EPS CAGR (3Y) 40.0% -55.7% –
Operating cash flow growth (1Y) 36.2% -29.7% –
Operating cash flow CAGR (3Y) -6.0% -5.4% –
Free cash flow growth (1Y) -35.2% – –
Free cash flow CAGR (3Y) 20.2% – –

Profitability

14 metrics
MetricLUVALKAZUL
Gross margin – – –
EBITDA margin 9.4% – –
Operating margin 4.4% – –
Pretax margin 4.3% – –
Net margin 3.3% – –
FCF margin -1.4% – –
Operating cash flow margin 8.7% 6.1% –
Return on equity 14.6% -11.0% –
Return on assets 3.5% -1.9% –
Return on invested capital 8.2% – –
Return on capital employed 8.3% – –
Asset turnover 1.0x 0.7x –
Cash conversion (OCF / net income) 2.6x -2.4x –
Stock comp / revenue – – –

Financial Health

11 metrics
MetricLUVALKAZUL
Debt / assets 19.3% – 97.6%
Debt / equity 0.8x – –
Net debt / EBITDA 0.8x – –
Debt / FCF -13.1x – –
Liabilities / assets 76.0% – 165.7%
Equity / assets 24.0% 16.8% –
Interest coverage 5.9x – –
Current ratio 0.5x 0.5x 0.2x
Quick ratio 0.4x – 0.1x
Cash ratio 0.3x – 0.0x
Altman Z-score 2.21 – –

Shareholder Returns

7 metrics
MetricLUVALKAZUL
Dividend yield 1.7% – –
Net buyback yield 5.9% – –
Shareholder yield 7.6% 0.0% –
Payout ratio (earnings) – – –
Payout ratio (FCF) – – –
Dividend growth (1Y) – – –
Dividend CAGR (3Y) – – –

Analyst Estimates

Solid lines are reported fiscal-year results; dashed lines are the consensus for the years ahead. Hover a year for the analysts' high and low, and how each result compared with its estimate.

ConsensusLUVALKAZUL
Forward P/E 16.5xFY2026 – 8.4xFY2026
EPS, next fiscal year $2.60FY2026 $-4.68FY2026 $0.48FY2026
EPS growth, next FY +179.6%FY2026 -291.8%FY2026 –
EPS growth, the year after +58.8% – +187.5%
Revenue, next fiscal year $31.34BFY2026 $15.35BFY2026 $4.51BFY2026
Revenue growth, next FY +11.7%FY2026 +7.8%FY2026 +6.3%FY2026
Revenue growth, the year after +16.7% +9.7% +13.8%

Institutional Ownership

13F filings, quarter ended Jun 30, 2026
HoldersLUVALKAZUL
Held by institutions 92.9% 92.1% 2.9%
Institutions holding 930 490 42
Change in shares held, QoQ +4.4% +0.0% –
Institutions buying 476 265 42
Institutions selling 280 146 0
Buyers to sellers 1.70 1.82 –

Return Correlation

Daily returns, last 12 months

1.00 means two stocks move in lockstep, 0 that they move independently. Pairs below about 0.5 diversify each other.

LUVALKAZUL
LUV 1.00 0.75 0.00
ALK 0.75 1.00 0.05
AZUL 0.00 0.05 1.00

Add a Peer

Largest companies in the same industry

Related Comparisons

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is bigger, LUV, ALK and AZUL?

Southwest Airlines (LUV) is the largest by market capitalisation: Southwest Airlines (LUV) $21.14B, Alaska Air (ALK) $3.96B, Azul (AZUL) $3.00B.

Which stock is cheaper, LUV, ALK and AZUL?

Southwest Airlines (LUV) trades on the lowest price-to-earnings ratio (Southwest Airlines (LUV) 20.1x, Alaska Air (ALK) -10.0x, Azul (AZUL) 142.7x). On next year's consensus earnings, Azul (AZUL) is cheapest (Southwest Airlines (LUV) 16.5x, Azul (AZUL) 8.4x). A lower multiple can reflect slower expected growth, so read it next to the growth figures.

Which company is growing faster?

Southwest Airlines (LUV) grew revenue fastest over the trailing twelve months: Southwest Airlines (LUV) +14.5%, Alaska Air (ALK) +8.2%.

Which stock has performed better?

Over the past year Southwest Airlines (LUV) returned the most: Southwest Airlines (LUV) +33.1%, Alaska Air (ALK) -20.1%. Over five years, Southwest Airlines (LUV) compounded fastest (Southwest Airlines (LUV) -1.7%/yr, Alaska Air (ALK) -7.9%/yr). Returns are price only, before dividends.

Which stock is riskier?

By one-year price volatility, Southwest Airlines (LUV) has been the steadiest (Southwest Airlines (LUV) 43.6%, Alaska Air (ALK) 52.1%, Azul (AZUL) 560.8%). Volatility measures how widely the price swings, not the risk of the business.

Which is the better stock, LUV, ALK and AZUL?

There is no single answer; it depends on what you are buying for. On the 12 head-to-head measures on this page, Southwest Airlines (LUV) leads on 7. Business Quant does not give investment advice; use the comparison as a starting point for your own research.

Data from SEC filings, exchange prices and consensus estimates, via Business Quant. Percentile scores compare each company with its own peer group, so two companies' scores are each relative to different peers unless you rank against the whole market. Price returns exclude dividends. Nothing on this page is investment advice.