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Side-by-side financial comparison of Southwest Airlines (LUV) and Vistra Corp. (VST). Click either name above to swap in a different company.

Southwest Airlines is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($7.2B vs $4.8B, roughly 1.5× Vistra Corp.). Vistra Corp. runs the higher net margin — 4.8% vs 3.1%, a 1.7% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, Vistra Corp. posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (31.2% vs 12.8%). Over the past eight quarters, Vistra Corp.'s revenue compounded faster (23.3% 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.

Vistra may refer to either of two companies:Vistra, a corporate services company based in Hong Kong Vistra Corp, an energy company based in Texas

LUV vs VST — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
LUV
LUV
1.5× larger
LUV
$7.2B
$4.8B
VST
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
VST
VST
+18.4% gap
VST
31.2%
12.8%
LUV
Higher net margin
VST
VST
1.7% more per $
VST
4.8%
3.1%
LUV
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
VST
VST
Annualised
VST
23.3%
-0.7%
LUV

Income Statement — Q1 FY2026 vs Q4 FY2025

Metric
LUV
LUV
VST
VST
Revenue
$7.2B
$4.8B
Net Profit
$227.0M
$233.0M
Gross Margin
Operating Margin
9.9%
Net Margin
3.1%
4.8%
Revenue YoY
12.8%
31.2%
Net Profit YoY
252.3%
-47.2%
EPS (diluted)
$0.45
$0.55

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
VST
VST
Q1 26
$7.2B
Q4 25
$7.4B
$4.8B
Q3 25
$6.9B
$4.8B
Q2 25
$7.2B
$3.8B
Q1 25
$6.4B
$4.3B
Q4 24
$6.9B
$3.7B
Q3 24
$6.9B
$4.3B
Q2 24
$7.4B
$3.6B
Net Profit
LUV
LUV
VST
VST
Q1 26
$227.0M
Q4 25
$323.0M
$233.0M
Q3 25
$54.0M
$652.0M
Q2 25
$213.0M
$327.0M
Q1 25
$-149.0M
$-268.0M
Q4 24
$262.0M
$441.0M
Q3 24
$67.0M
$1.9B
Q2 24
$367.0M
$365.0M
Operating Margin
LUV
LUV
VST
VST
Q1 26
Q4 25
5.3%
9.9%
Q3 25
0.5%
21.7%
Q2 25
3.1%
13.7%
Q1 25
-3.5%
-2.8%
Q4 24
4.0%
16.4%
Q3 24
0.6%
59.6%
Q2 24
5.4%
22.5%
Net Margin
LUV
LUV
VST
VST
Q1 26
3.1%
Q4 25
4.3%
4.8%
Q3 25
0.8%
13.6%
Q2 25
2.9%
8.7%
Q1 25
-2.3%
-6.3%
Q4 24
3.8%
12.0%
Q3 24
1.0%
43.5%
Q2 24
5.0%
10.1%
EPS (diluted)
LUV
LUV
VST
VST
Q1 26
$0.45
Q4 25
$0.56
$0.55
Q3 25
$0.10
$1.75
Q2 25
$0.39
$0.81
Q1 25
$-0.26
$-0.93
Q4 24
$0.46
$1.09
Q3 24
$0.11
$5.25
Q2 24
$0.58
$0.90

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

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

Metric
LUV
LUV
VST
VST
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$3.3B
$785.0M
Total DebtLower is stronger
$5.4B
$15.8B
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$6.9B
$5.1B
Total Assets
$20.4B
$41.5B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
0.78×
3.11×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
LUV
LUV
VST
VST
Q1 26
$3.3B
Q4 25
$3.2B
$785.0M
Q3 25
$3.0B
$602.0M
Q2 25
$3.8B
$458.0M
Q1 25
$8.3B
$561.0M
Q4 24
$8.7B
$1.2B
Q3 24
$9.4B
$905.0M
Q2 24
$10.0B
$1.6B
Total Debt
LUV
LUV
VST
VST
Q1 26
$5.4B
Q4 25
$4.6B
$15.8B
Q3 25
$4.1B
$15.8B
Q2 25
$4.1B
$15.5B
Q1 25
$4.1B
$15.4B
Q4 24
$5.1B
$15.4B
Q3 24
$5.1B
$13.9B
Q2 24
$5.1B
$13.9B
Stockholders' Equity
LUV
LUV
VST
VST
Q1 26
$6.9B
Q4 25
$8.0B
$5.1B
Q3 25
$7.8B
$5.2B
Q2 25
$8.0B
$4.8B
Q1 25
$9.4B
$4.8B
Q4 24
$10.3B
$5.6B
Q3 24
$10.4B
$5.4B
Q2 24
$10.5B
$5.6B
Total Assets
LUV
LUV
VST
VST
Q1 26
$20.4B
Q4 25
$29.1B
$41.5B
Q3 25
$28.3B
$38.0B
Q2 25
$28.7B
$38.1B
Q1 25
$33.2B
$38.2B
Q4 24
$33.8B
$37.8B
Q3 24
$34.8B
$37.9B
Q2 24
$35.6B
$39.1B
Debt / Equity
LUV
LUV
VST
VST
Q1 26
0.78×
Q4 25
0.57×
3.11×
Q3 25
0.52×
3.02×
Q2 25
0.51×
3.22×
Q1 25
0.44×
3.20×
Q4 24
0.49×
2.77×
Q3 24
0.49×
2.56×
Q2 24
0.48×
2.49×

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
VST
VST
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$1.4B
$1.4B
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$596.0M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
12.4%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
8.7%
17.4%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
6.25×
6.15×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$1.3B

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
LUV
LUV
VST
VST
Q1 26
$1.4B
Q4 25
$294.0M
$1.4B
Q3 25
$287.0M
$1.5B
Q2 25
$401.0M
$572.0M
Q1 25
$860.0M
$599.0M
Q4 24
$476.0M
$1.4B
Q3 24
$113.0M
$1.7B
Q2 24
$-23.0M
$1.2B
Free Cash Flow
LUV
LUV
VST
VST
Q1 26
Q4 25
$-565.0M
$596.0M
Q3 25
$-391.0M
$1.0B
Q2 25
$-234.0M
$-118.0M
Q1 25
$359.0M
$-169.0M
Q4 24
$16.0M
$923.0M
Q3 24
$-404.0M
$1.0B
Q2 24
$-517.0M
$698.0M
FCF Margin
LUV
LUV
VST
VST
Q1 26
Q4 25
-7.6%
12.4%
Q3 25
-5.6%
21.1%
Q2 25
-3.2%
-3.1%
Q1 25
5.6%
-4.0%
Q4 24
0.2%
25.2%
Q3 24
-5.9%
23.4%
Q2 24
-7.0%
19.4%
Capex Intensity
LUV
LUV
VST
VST
Q1 26
8.7%
Q4 25
11.5%
17.4%
Q3 25
9.8%
9.6%
Q2 25
8.8%
18.4%
Q1 25
7.8%
18.1%
Q4 24
6.6%
11.7%
Q3 24
7.5%
15.8%
Q2 24
6.7%
13.8%
Cash Conversion
LUV
LUV
VST
VST
Q1 26
6.25×
Q4 25
0.91×
6.15×
Q3 25
5.31×
2.25×
Q2 25
1.88×
1.75×
Q1 25
Q4 24
1.82×
3.07×
Q3 24
1.69×
0.90×
Q2 24
-0.06×
3.28×

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%

VST
VST

Retail Energy Charge In ERCOT$2.1B43%
Retail Energy Charge In Northeast Midwest$1.2B24%
East Segment$1.1B24%
Hedging Revenue Realized$170.0M4%
Revenue From Other Wholesale Contracts$116.0M2%
Transferable Production Tax Credit Revenues$78.0M2%
West Segment$77.0M2%
Intersegment Sales$25.0M1%

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