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Side-by-side financial comparison of Southwest Airlines (LUV) and SONIC AUTOMOTIVE INC (SAH). Click either name above to swap in a different company.
Southwest Airlines is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($7.2B vs $3.7B, roughly 2.0× SONIC AUTOMOTIVE INC). Southwest Airlines runs the higher net margin — 3.1% vs 1.6%, a 1.5% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, Southwest Airlines posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (12.8% vs 1.0%). Over the past eight quarters, SONIC AUTOMOTIVE INC's revenue compounded faster (3.4% 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.
Sonic Automotive is a Fortune 500 company based in Charlotte, North Carolina, and is the fifth largest automotive retailer in the United States as measured by total revenues. The company was founded by O Bruton Smith and completed its initial public offering on the NYSE in 1997.
LUV vs SAH — Head-to-Head
Income Statement — Q1 FY2026 vs Q1 FY2026
| Metric | | |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue | $7.2B | $3.7B |
| Net Profit | $227.0M | $60.8M |
| Gross Margin | — | 16.2% |
| Operating Margin | 4.6% | 3.1% |
| Net Margin | 3.1% | 1.6% |
| Revenue YoY | 12.8% | 1.0% |
| Net Profit YoY | — | — |
| EPS (diluted) | $0.45 | $1.79 |
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.
| Q1 26 | $7.2B | $3.7B | ||
| Q4 25 | $7.4B | $3.9B | ||
| Q3 25 | $6.9B | $4.0B | ||
| Q2 25 | $7.2B | $3.7B | ||
| Q1 25 | $6.4B | $3.7B | ||
| Q4 24 | $6.9B | $3.9B | ||
| Q3 24 | $6.9B | $3.5B | ||
| Q2 24 | $7.4B | $3.5B |
| Q1 26 | $227.0M | $60.8M | ||
| Q4 25 | $323.0M | $46.9M | ||
| Q3 25 | $54.0M | $46.8M | ||
| Q2 25 | $213.0M | $-45.6M | ||
| Q1 25 | $-149.0M | $70.6M | ||
| Q4 24 | $262.0M | $58.6M | ||
| Q3 24 | $67.0M | $74.2M | ||
| Q2 24 | $367.0M | $41.2M |
| Q1 26 | — | 16.2% | ||
| Q4 25 | — | 15.5% | ||
| Q3 25 | — | 15.5% | ||
| Q2 25 | — | 16.5% | ||
| Q1 25 | — | 15.5% | ||
| Q4 24 | — | 14.7% | ||
| Q3 24 | — | 15.6% | ||
| Q2 24 | — | 15.6% |
| Q1 26 | 4.6% | 3.1% | ||
| Q4 25 | 5.3% | 3.2% | ||
| Q3 25 | 0.5% | 3.1% | ||
| Q2 25 | 3.1% | -0.6% | ||
| Q1 25 | -3.5% | 4.0% | ||
| Q4 24 | 4.0% | 3.4% | ||
| Q3 24 | 0.6% | 3.3% | ||
| Q2 24 | 5.4% | 3.1% |
| Q1 26 | 3.1% | 1.6% | ||
| Q4 25 | 4.3% | 1.2% | ||
| Q3 25 | 0.8% | 1.2% | ||
| Q2 25 | 2.9% | -1.2% | ||
| Q1 25 | -2.3% | 1.9% | ||
| Q4 24 | 3.8% | 1.5% | ||
| Q3 24 | 1.0% | 2.1% | ||
| Q2 24 | 5.0% | 1.2% |
| Q1 26 | $0.45 | $1.79 | ||
| Q4 25 | $0.56 | $1.39 | ||
| Q3 25 | $0.10 | $1.33 | ||
| Q2 25 | $0.39 | $-1.34 | ||
| Q1 25 | $-0.26 | $2.04 | ||
| Q4 24 | $0.46 | $1.67 | ||
| Q3 24 | $0.11 | $2.13 | ||
| Q2 24 | $0.58 | $1.18 |
Balance Sheet & Financial Strength
Snapshot of each company's liquidity, leverage and book value from the latest quarter.
| Metric | | |
|---|---|---|
| Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand | $3.3B | — |
| Total DebtLower is stronger | $5.4B | — |
| Stockholders' EquityBook value | $6.9B | — |
| Total Assets | $20.4B | — |
| Debt / EquityLower = less leverage | 0.78× | — |
8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.
| Q1 26 | $3.3B | — | ||
| Q4 25 | $3.2B | $6.3M | ||
| Q3 25 | $3.0B | $89.4M | ||
| Q2 25 | $3.8B | $110.4M | ||
| Q1 25 | $8.3B | $64.6M | ||
| Q4 24 | $8.7B | $44.0M | ||
| Q3 24 | $9.4B | $17.6M | ||
| Q2 24 | $10.0B | $67.2M |
| Q1 26 | $5.4B | — | ||
| Q4 25 | $4.6B | $1.6B | ||
| Q3 25 | $4.1B | $1.5B | ||
| Q2 25 | $4.1B | $1.5B | ||
| Q1 25 | $4.1B | $1.6B | ||
| Q4 24 | $5.1B | $1.6B | ||
| Q3 24 | $5.1B | $1.7B | ||
| Q2 24 | $5.1B | $1.7B |
| Q1 26 | $6.9B | — | ||
| Q4 25 | $8.0B | $1.1B | ||
| Q3 25 | $7.8B | $1.1B | ||
| Q2 25 | $8.0B | $1.0B | ||
| Q1 25 | $9.4B | $1.1B | ||
| Q4 24 | $10.3B | $1.1B | ||
| Q3 24 | $10.4B | $1.0B | ||
| Q2 24 | $10.5B | $944.7M |
| Q1 26 | $20.4B | — | ||
| Q4 25 | $29.1B | $6.0B | ||
| Q3 25 | $28.3B | $6.0B | ||
| Q2 25 | $28.7B | $5.9B | ||
| Q1 25 | $33.2B | $5.9B | ||
| Q4 24 | $33.8B | $5.9B | ||
| Q3 24 | $34.8B | $5.8B | ||
| Q2 24 | $35.6B | $5.8B |
| Q1 26 | 0.78× | — | ||
| Q4 25 | 0.57× | 1.51× | ||
| Q3 25 | 0.52× | 1.39× | ||
| Q2 25 | 0.51× | 1.48× | ||
| Q1 25 | 0.44× | 1.44× | ||
| Q4 24 | 0.49× | 1.49× | ||
| Q3 24 | 0.49× | 1.67× | ||
| Q2 24 | 0.48× | 1.81× |
Cash Flow & Capital Efficiency
How much cash each business actually produces after reinvestment. Cash flow is harder to manipulate than net income.
| Metric | | |
|---|---|---|
| Operating Cash FlowLast quarter | $1.4B | — |
| Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex | — | — |
| FCF MarginFCF / Revenue | — | — |
| Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue | 8.7% | — |
| Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit | 6.25× | — |
| TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters | — | — |
8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.
| Q1 26 | $1.4B | — | ||
| Q4 25 | $294.0M | $66.9M | ||
| Q3 25 | $287.0M | $167.9M | ||
| Q2 25 | $401.0M | $136.8M | ||
| Q1 25 | $860.0M | $195.8M | ||
| Q4 24 | $476.0M | $87.7M | ||
| Q3 24 | $113.0M | $87.8M | ||
| Q2 24 | $-23.0M | $-136.4M |
| Q1 26 | — | — | ||
| Q4 25 | $-565.0M | $-195.6M | ||
| Q3 25 | $-391.0M | $134.4M | ||
| Q2 25 | $-234.0M | $102.7M | ||
| Q1 25 | $359.0M | $150.8M | ||
| Q4 24 | $16.0M | $-245.5M | ||
| Q3 24 | $-404.0M | $34.5M | ||
| Q2 24 | $-517.0M | $-185.2M |
| Q1 26 | — | — | ||
| Q4 25 | -7.6% | -5.1% | ||
| Q3 25 | -5.6% | 3.4% | ||
| Q2 25 | -3.2% | 2.8% | ||
| Q1 25 | 5.6% | 4.1% | ||
| Q4 24 | 0.2% | -6.3% | ||
| Q3 24 | -5.9% | 1.0% | ||
| Q2 24 | -7.0% | -5.4% |
| Q1 26 | 8.7% | — | ||
| Q4 25 | 11.5% | 6.8% | ||
| Q3 25 | 9.8% | 0.8% | ||
| Q2 25 | 8.8% | 0.9% | ||
| Q1 25 | 7.8% | 1.2% | ||
| Q4 24 | 6.6% | 8.6% | ||
| Q3 24 | 7.5% | 1.5% | ||
| Q2 24 | 6.7% | 1.4% |
| Q1 26 | 6.25× | — | ||
| Q4 25 | 0.91× | 1.43× | ||
| Q3 25 | 5.31× | 3.59× | ||
| Q2 25 | 1.88× | — | ||
| Q1 25 | — | 2.77× | ||
| Q4 24 | 1.82× | 1.50× | ||
| Q3 24 | 1.69× | 1.18× | ||
| Q2 24 | -0.06× | -3.31× |
Financial Flow Comparison
Revenue → gross profit → operating profit → net profit for each company.
Revenue Breakdown by Segment
LUV
| Passenger | $6.6B | 91% |
| Other | $614.0M | 8% |
| Freight | $44.0M | 1% |
SAH
| Retail new vehicles | $1.6B | 44% |
| Used vehicles | $1.3B | 34% |
| Parts, service and collision repair | $516.6M | 14% |
| Finance, insurance and other, net | $202.4M | 5% |
| Wholesale vehicles | $71.8M | 2% |
| Fleet new vehicles | $20.7M | 1% |
