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Side-by-side financial comparison of LINCOLN NATIONAL CORP (LNC) and Southwest Airlines (LUV). Click either name above to swap in a different company.

Southwest Airlines is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($7.2B vs $4.9B, roughly 1.5× LINCOLN NATIONAL CORP). LINCOLN NATIONAL CORP runs the higher net margin — 15.3% vs 3.1%, a 12.2% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, Southwest Airlines posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (12.8% vs -2.8%). Over the past eight quarters, LINCOLN NATIONAL CORP's revenue compounded faster (9.4% CAGR vs -0.7%).

Lincoln National Corporation is a Fortune 200 American holding company, which operates multiple insurance and investment management businesses through subsidiary companies. Lincoln Financial Group is the marketing name for LNC and its subsidiary companies.

Southwest Airlines is a major low-cost airline of the United States. It is headquartered in the Love Field neighborhood of Dallas, Texas. It is the fourth-largest airline in North America when measured by passengers carried, as of 2024. With its all-Boeing 737 fleet, Southwest serves over 100 destinations in 42 states, Washington, D.C.

LNC vs LUV — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
LUV
LUV
1.5× larger
LUV
$7.2B
$4.9B
LNC
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
LUV
LUV
+15.5% gap
LUV
12.8%
-2.8%
LNC
Higher net margin
LNC
LNC
12.2% more per $
LNC
15.3%
3.1%
LUV
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
LNC
LNC
Annualised
LNC
9.4%
-0.7%
LUV

Income Statement — Q4 FY2025 vs Q1 FY2026

Metric
LNC
LNC
LUV
LUV
Revenue
$4.9B
$7.2B
Net Profit
$755.0M
$227.0M
Gross Margin
Operating Margin
18.6%
Net Margin
15.3%
3.1%
Revenue YoY
-2.8%
12.8%
Net Profit YoY
-55.2%
252.3%
EPS (diluted)
$4.32
$0.45

Green = leading value per metric. Periods may differ when fiscal calendars don't align.

8-Quarter Revenue & Profit Trend

Side-by-side quarterly history. Quarters aligned by calendar period so offset fiscal years line up.

Revenue
LNC
LNC
LUV
LUV
Q1 26
$7.2B
Q4 25
$4.9B
$7.4B
Q3 25
$4.6B
$6.9B
Q2 25
$4.0B
$7.2B
Q1 25
$4.7B
$6.4B
Q4 24
$5.1B
$6.9B
Q3 24
$4.1B
$6.9B
Q2 24
$5.2B
$7.4B
Net Profit
LNC
LNC
LUV
LUV
Q1 26
$227.0M
Q4 25
$755.0M
$323.0M
Q3 25
$445.0M
$54.0M
Q2 25
$699.0M
$213.0M
Q1 25
$-722.0M
$-149.0M
Q4 24
$1.7B
$262.0M
Q3 24
$-528.0M
$67.0M
Q2 24
$895.0M
$367.0M
Operating Margin
LNC
LNC
LUV
LUV
Q1 26
Q4 25
18.6%
5.3%
Q3 25
11.5%
0.5%
Q2 25
21.0%
3.1%
Q1 25
-20.2%
-3.5%
Q4 24
41.5%
4.0%
Q3 24
-17.1%
0.6%
Q2 24
21.3%
5.4%
Net Margin
LNC
LNC
LUV
LUV
Q1 26
3.1%
Q4 25
15.3%
4.3%
Q3 25
9.8%
0.8%
Q2 25
17.3%
2.9%
Q1 25
-15.4%
-2.3%
Q4 24
33.3%
3.8%
Q3 24
-12.8%
1.0%
Q2 24
17.4%
5.0%
EPS (diluted)
LNC
LNC
LUV
LUV
Q1 26
$0.45
Q4 25
$4.32
$0.56
Q3 25
$2.12
$0.10
Q2 25
$3.80
$0.39
Q1 25
$-4.41
$-0.26
Q4 24
$9.66
$0.46
Q3 24
$-3.29
$0.11
Q2 24
$5.11
$0.58

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

Snapshot of each company's liquidity, leverage and book value from the latest quarter.

Metric
LNC
LNC
LUV
LUV
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$3.3B
Total DebtLower is stronger
$6.3B
$5.4B
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$10.9B
$6.9B
Total Assets
$417.2B
$20.4B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
0.57×
0.78×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
LNC
LNC
LUV
LUV
Q1 26
$3.3B
Q4 25
$3.2B
Q3 25
$3.0B
Q2 25
$3.8B
Q1 25
$8.3B
Q4 24
$8.7B
Q3 24
$9.4B
Q2 24
$10.0B
Total Debt
LNC
LNC
LUV
LUV
Q1 26
$5.4B
Q4 25
$6.3B
$4.6B
Q3 25
$5.8B
$4.1B
Q2 25
$5.8B
$4.1B
Q1 25
$5.9B
$4.1B
Q4 24
$6.1B
$5.1B
Q3 24
$5.9B
$5.1B
Q2 24
$5.7B
$5.1B
Stockholders' Equity
LNC
LNC
LUV
LUV
Q1 26
$6.9B
Q4 25
$10.9B
$8.0B
Q3 25
$10.5B
$7.8B
Q2 25
$9.5B
$8.0B
Q1 25
$8.2B
$9.4B
Q4 24
$8.3B
$10.3B
Q3 24
$9.0B
$10.4B
Q2 24
$7.9B
$10.5B
Total Assets
LNC
LNC
LUV
LUV
Q1 26
$20.4B
Q4 25
$417.2B
$29.1B
Q3 25
$415.3B
$28.3B
Q2 25
$399.1B
$28.7B
Q1 25
$382.9B
$33.2B
Q4 24
$390.8B
$33.8B
Q3 24
$396.8B
$34.8B
Q2 24
$384.5B
$35.6B
Debt / Equity
LNC
LNC
LUV
LUV
Q1 26
0.78×
Q4 25
0.57×
0.57×
Q3 25
0.55×
0.52×
Q2 25
0.60×
0.51×
Q1 25
0.72×
0.44×
Q4 24
0.74×
0.49×
Q3 24
0.65×
0.49×
Q2 24
0.72×
0.48×

Cash Flow & Capital Efficiency

How much cash each business actually produces after reinvestment. Cash flow is harder to manipulate than net income.

Metric
LNC
LNC
LUV
LUV
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$233.0M
$1.4B
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
8.7%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
0.31×
6.25×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
LNC
LNC
LUV
LUV
Q1 26
$1.4B
Q4 25
$233.0M
$294.0M
Q3 25
$-1.1B
$287.0M
Q2 25
$1.0B
$401.0M
Q1 25
$-272.0M
$860.0M
Q4 24
$222.0M
$476.0M
Q3 24
$-27.0M
$113.0M
Q2 24
$-859.0M
$-23.0M
Free Cash Flow
LNC
LNC
LUV
LUV
Q1 26
Q4 25
$-565.0M
Q3 25
$-391.0M
Q2 25
$-234.0M
Q1 25
$359.0M
Q4 24
$16.0M
Q3 24
$-404.0M
Q2 24
$-517.0M
FCF Margin
LNC
LNC
LUV
LUV
Q1 26
Q4 25
-7.6%
Q3 25
-5.6%
Q2 25
-3.2%
Q1 25
5.6%
Q4 24
0.2%
Q3 24
-5.9%
Q2 24
-7.0%
Capex Intensity
LNC
LNC
LUV
LUV
Q1 26
8.7%
Q4 25
11.5%
Q3 25
9.8%
Q2 25
8.8%
Q1 25
7.8%
Q4 24
6.6%
Q3 24
7.5%
Q2 24
6.7%
Cash Conversion
LNC
LNC
LUV
LUV
Q1 26
6.25×
Q4 25
0.31×
0.91×
Q3 25
-2.56×
5.31×
Q2 25
1.45×
1.88×
Q1 25
Q4 24
0.13×
1.82×
Q3 24
1.69×
Q2 24
-0.96×
-0.06×

Financial Flow Comparison

Revenue → gross profit → operating profit → net profit for each company.

Revenue Breakdown by Segment

LNC
LNC

Life Segment$1.6B33%
Group Protection Segment$1.5B31%
Annuities Segment$1.3B27%
Other$435.0M9%

LUV
LUV

Passenger$6.6B91%
Other$614.0M8%
Freight$44.0M1%

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