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Side-by-side financial comparison of Southwest Airlines (LUV) and Live Nation Entertainment (LYV). Click either name above to swap in a different company.

Southwest Airlines is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($7.2B vs $6.3B, roughly 1.1× Live Nation Entertainment). Southwest Airlines runs the higher net margin — 3.1% vs -3.2%, a 6.3% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, Southwest Airlines posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (12.8% vs 11.1%). Over the past eight quarters, Live Nation Entertainment's revenue compounded faster (28.9% CAGR vs -0.7%).

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.

Live Nation Entertainment, Inc. is an American multinational entertainment company that was founded in 2010 following the merger of Live Nation and Ticketmaster. It continues to operate both brands as subsidiary companies, promoting and managing ticket sales for live entertainment internationally. It also owns and operates entertainment venues and manages the careers of music artists.

LUV vs LYV — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
LUV
LUV
1.1× larger
LUV
$7.2B
$6.3B
LYV
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
LUV
LUV
+1.7% gap
LUV
12.8%
11.1%
LYV
Higher net margin
LUV
LUV
6.3% more per $
LUV
3.1%
-3.2%
LYV
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
LYV
LYV
Annualised
LYV
28.9%
-0.7%
LUV

Income Statement — Q1 FY2026 vs Q4 FY2025

Metric
LUV
LUV
LYV
LYV
Revenue
$7.2B
$6.3B
Net Profit
$227.0M
$-202.1M
Gross Margin
Operating Margin
-2.3%
Net Margin
3.1%
-3.2%
Revenue YoY
12.8%
11.1%
Net Profit YoY
252.3%
-204.6%
EPS (diluted)
$0.45
$-1.06

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
LUV
LUV
LYV
LYV
Q1 26
$7.2B
Q4 25
$7.4B
$6.3B
Q3 25
$6.9B
$8.5B
Q2 25
$7.2B
$7.0B
Q1 25
$6.4B
$3.4B
Q4 24
$6.9B
$5.7B
Q3 24
$6.9B
$7.7B
Q2 24
$7.4B
$6.0B
Net Profit
LUV
LUV
LYV
LYV
Q1 26
$227.0M
Q4 25
$323.0M
$-202.1M
Q3 25
$54.0M
$431.5M
Q2 25
$213.0M
$243.4M
Q1 25
$-149.0M
$23.2M
Q4 24
$262.0M
$193.2M
Q3 24
$67.0M
$451.8M
Q2 24
$367.0M
$298.0M
Operating Margin
LUV
LUV
LYV
LYV
Q1 26
Q4 25
5.3%
-2.3%
Q3 25
0.5%
9.3%
Q2 25
3.1%
6.9%
Q1 25
-3.5%
3.4%
Q4 24
4.0%
-4.3%
Q3 24
0.6%
8.4%
Q2 24
5.4%
7.7%
Net Margin
LUV
LUV
LYV
LYV
Q1 26
3.1%
Q4 25
4.3%
-3.2%
Q3 25
0.8%
5.1%
Q2 25
2.9%
3.5%
Q1 25
-2.3%
0.7%
Q4 24
3.8%
3.4%
Q3 24
1.0%
5.9%
Q2 24
5.0%
4.9%
EPS (diluted)
LUV
LUV
LYV
LYV
Q1 26
$0.45
Q4 25
$0.56
$-1.06
Q3 25
$0.10
$0.73
Q2 25
$0.39
$0.41
Q1 25
$-0.26
$-0.32
Q4 24
$0.46
$0.58
Q3 24
$0.11
$1.66
Q2 24
$0.58
$1.03

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

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

Metric
LUV
LUV
LYV
LYV
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$3.3B
$7.1B
Total DebtLower is stronger
$5.4B
$7.6B
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$6.9B
$271.0M
Total Assets
$20.4B
$22.9B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
0.78×
28.09×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
LUV
LUV
LYV
LYV
Q1 26
$3.3B
Q4 25
$3.2B
$7.1B
Q3 25
$3.0B
$6.8B
Q2 25
$3.8B
$7.1B
Q1 25
$8.3B
$7.2B
Q4 24
$8.7B
$6.1B
Q3 24
$9.4B
$5.5B
Q2 24
$10.0B
$6.4B
Total Debt
LUV
LUV
LYV
LYV
Q1 26
$5.4B
Q4 25
$4.6B
$7.6B
Q3 25
$4.1B
$6.1B
Q2 25
$4.1B
$5.0B
Q1 25
$4.1B
$5.9B
Q4 24
$5.1B
$6.2B
Q3 24
$5.1B
$5.7B
Q2 24
$5.1B
$5.1B
Stockholders' Equity
LUV
LUV
LYV
LYV
Q1 26
$6.9B
Q4 25
$8.0B
$271.0M
Q3 25
$7.8B
$521.3M
Q2 25
$8.0B
$360.1M
Q1 25
$9.4B
$106.0M
Q4 24
$10.3B
$173.3M
Q3 24
$10.4B
$288.0M
Q2 24
$10.5B
$-43.3M
Total Assets
LUV
LUV
LYV
LYV
Q1 26
$20.4B
Q4 25
$29.1B
$22.9B
Q3 25
$28.3B
$22.9B
Q2 25
$28.7B
$23.2B
Q1 25
$33.2B
$21.8B
Q4 24
$33.8B
$19.6B
Q3 24
$34.8B
$19.7B
Q2 24
$35.6B
$20.5B
Debt / Equity
LUV
LUV
LYV
LYV
Q1 26
0.78×
Q4 25
0.57×
28.09×
Q3 25
0.52×
11.71×
Q2 25
0.51×
13.86×
Q1 25
0.44×
55.93×
Q4 24
0.49×
35.65×
Q3 24
0.49×
19.70×
Q2 24
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
LUV
LUV
LYV
LYV
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$1.4B
$-53.7M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$-405.6M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
-6.4%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
8.7%
5.6%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
6.25×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$333.6M

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
LUV
LUV
LYV
LYV
Q1 26
$1.4B
Q4 25
$294.0M
$-53.7M
Q3 25
$287.0M
$-95.7M
Q2 25
$401.0M
$223.5M
Q1 25
$860.0M
$1.3B
Q4 24
$476.0M
$1.0B
Q3 24
$113.0M
$-720.9M
Q2 24
$-23.0M
$412.1M
Free Cash Flow
LUV
LUV
LYV
LYV
Q1 26
Q4 25
$-565.0M
$-405.6M
Q3 25
$-391.0M
$-371.3M
Q2 25
$-234.0M
$-39.9M
Q1 25
$359.0M
$1.2B
Q4 24
$16.0M
$890.2M
Q3 24
$-404.0M
$-879.0M
Q2 24
$-517.0M
$212.4M
FCF Margin
LUV
LUV
LYV
LYV
Q1 26
Q4 25
-7.6%
-6.4%
Q3 25
-5.6%
-4.4%
Q2 25
-3.2%
-0.6%
Q1 25
5.6%
34.0%
Q4 24
0.2%
15.7%
Q3 24
-5.9%
-11.5%
Q2 24
-7.0%
3.5%
Capex Intensity
LUV
LUV
LYV
LYV
Q1 26
8.7%
Q4 25
11.5%
5.6%
Q3 25
9.8%
3.2%
Q2 25
8.8%
3.8%
Q1 25
7.8%
5.0%
Q4 24
6.6%
2.7%
Q3 24
7.5%
2.1%
Q2 24
6.7%
3.3%
Cash Conversion
LUV
LUV
LYV
LYV
Q1 26
6.25×
Q4 25
0.91×
Q3 25
5.31×
-0.22×
Q2 25
1.88×
0.92×
Q1 25
56.94×
Q4 24
1.82×
5.41×
Q3 24
1.69×
-1.60×
Q2 24
-0.06×
1.38×

Financial Flow Comparison

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

Revenue Breakdown by Segment

LUV
LUV

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

LYV
LYV

Concerts$5.1B82%
Ticketing$846.2M13%
Sponsorship And Advertising$329.9M5%

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