Oak Thistle LLC Purchases New Shares in Southwest Airlines Co. $LUV

Oak Thistle LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Southwest Airlines Co. (NYSE:LUV) in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm acquired 18,958 shares of the airline’s stock, valued at approximately $784,000.

Other large investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Lodestone Wealth Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Southwest Airlines during the 4th quarter valued at about $29,000. Flagship Harbor Advisors LLC purchased a new position in Southwest Airlines in the fourth quarter worth about $35,000. Quent Capital LLC bought a new stake in Southwest Airlines during the third quarter worth approximately $27,000. Corsicana & Co. bought a new stake in Southwest Airlines during the third quarter worth approximately $27,000. Finally, Abich Financial Wealth Management LLC purchased a new stake in Southwest Airlines during the third quarter valued at approximately $35,000. 80.82% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Southwest Airlines Price Performance

Southwest Airlines stock opened at $39.58 on Friday. The stock has a market cap of $19.43 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 47.11, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.45 and a beta of 1.19. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.57, a current ratio of 0.52 and a quick ratio of 0.45. Southwest Airlines Co. has a 1 year low of $23.82 and a 1 year high of $55.11. The firm has a 50-day moving average of $45.04 and a two-hundred day moving average of $39.63.

Southwest Airlines (NYSE:LUV) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, January 28th. The airline reported $0.58 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.56 by $0.02. Southwest Airlines had a net margin of 1.57% and a return on equity of 6.18%. The business had revenue of $7.44 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $7.51 billion. During the same period last year, the company posted $0.56 earnings per share. The company’s quarterly revenue was up 7.4% compared to the same quarter last year. Southwest Airlines has set its FY 2026 guidance at 4.000- EPS and its Q1 2026 guidance at 0.450- EPS. On average, research analysts forecast that Southwest Airlines Co. will post 1.55 earnings per share for the current year.

Southwest Airlines Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, April 2nd. Shareholders of record on Thursday, March 12th were issued a dividend of $0.18 per share. This represents a $0.72 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.8%. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, March 12th. Southwest Airlines’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 85.71%.

More Southwest Airlines News

Here are the key news stories impacting Southwest Airlines this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Analysts/upgrades — Seeking Alpha published an upgrade to a “Buy” on Southwest despite recent oil-price headwinds, signaling some analysts view the airline’s fundamentals and recovery as intact despite fuel volatility. Southwest Airlines: Upgraded To Buy Despite Oil Shock
• Positive Sentiment: Product/network differentiation — Southwest is expanding wine-country routes and launched a “Sip and Ship” free checked-wine case perk on select West Coast flights, a leisure-focused initiative that could boost yield and ancillary appeal on targeted routes. Is Southwest (LUV) Using Wine-Country Perks to Quietly Redefine Its Leisure-Focused Network Strategy?
• Neutral Sentiment: Activist filings — Activist investors have reported positions that include Southwest among other companies, which can catalyze strategic reviews or governance pressure but outcomes and targets are unclear. Southwest Airlines, Colliers International, and More Stocks See Action From Activist Investors
• Neutral Sentiment: Policy/PR — Southwest instituted a one-portable-charger limit, citing safety; the policy departs from UN guidance and could affect customer satisfaction but has limited direct financial impact. Southwest Charger Limit Highlights Tension Between Safety Rules And Customer Appeal
• Neutral Sentiment: Macro demand signal — CPI data show airfares jumped 14.9% year-over-year in March, which supports higher revenue per passenger but may presage demand sensitivity if fares remain elevated. Inflation Is Hitting These Consumers Hard In Iran War
• Negative Sentiment: Fuel-cost pressure — Separate coverage highlights surging jet fuel prices and carriers pushing through higher fares and baggage fees; rising fuel is a direct margin headwind that could pressure near‑term profitability. Airfares Skyrocket as Carriers Tackle Rising Fuel Costs
• Negative Sentiment: Network cuts and layoffs — Southwest is ending operations at O’Hare, impacting more than 100 employees; route exits can reduce capacity and revenue in the near term and raise restructuring costs. More than 100 Southwest employees to be impacted as O’Hare service ends
• Negative Sentiment: Bearish preview — A Seeking Alpha Q1 preview flagged concerns ahead of results, suggesting potential downside risks to the quarter relative to investor expectations. Southwest Airlines: I’m Not ‘Luving’ This – Q1 Preview

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

LUV has been the subject of a number of recent research reports. Seaport Research Partners lifted their target price on Southwest Airlines from $57.00 to $58.00 in a report on Thursday, January 29th. Susquehanna decreased their price target on Southwest Airlines from $55.00 to $42.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, April 2nd. Rothschild & Co Redburn lifted their price objective on shares of Southwest Airlines from $27.00 to $35.00 and gave the stock a “sell” rating in a research note on Thursday, March 5th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut their price objective on shares of Southwest Airlines from $58.00 to $56.00 in a research report on Friday, March 27th. Finally, UBS Group reduced their target price on shares of Southwest Airlines from $59.00 to $56.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, March 23rd. Eight analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eight have assigned a Hold rating and four have assigned a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $43.72.

About Southwest Airlines

Southwest Airlines Co is a U.S.-based low-cost carrier that operates a point-to-point domestic and near-international airline network. Headquartered in Dallas, Texas, the company primarily flies Boeing 737 aircraft and offers no-frills, single-class service designed to keep fares competitive. Southwest’s operating model emphasizes high aircraft utilization, quick turnaround times and an open seating policy, allowing customers to board and select seats on a first-come, first-served basis.

Founded in 1967 by Herb Kelleher and Rollin King as Air Southwest Company, Southwest began commercial service in 1971, initially connecting Dallas, Houston and San Antonio.