Mitsubishi UFJ Asset Management Co. Ltd. Sells 40,157 Shares of Southwest Airlines Co. $LUV

Mitsubishi UFJ Asset Management Co. Ltd. decreased its stake in shares of Southwest Airlines Co. (NYSE:LUV) by 6.9% during the third quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 544,511 shares of the airline’s stock after selling 40,157 shares during the period. Mitsubishi UFJ Asset Management Co. Ltd. owned approximately 0.11% of Southwest Airlines worth $17,375,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Elevation Point Wealth Partners LLC purchased a new stake in Southwest Airlines in the second quarter worth about $25,000. Quent Capital LLC bought a new position in shares of Southwest Airlines in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $27,000. Corsicana & Co. purchased a new position in shares of Southwest Airlines in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $27,000. Hantz Financial Services Inc. lifted its stake in shares of Southwest Airlines by 81.4% in the 2nd quarter. Hantz Financial Services Inc. now owns 1,056 shares of the airline’s stock valued at $34,000 after purchasing an additional 474 shares during the period. Finally, Abich Financial Wealth Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of Southwest Airlines during the third quarter valued at approximately $35,000. 80.82% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several brokerages recently weighed in on LUV. Susquehanna upped their price target on Southwest Airlines from $45.00 to $55.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research note on Tuesday, February 3rd. TD Cowen upgraded shares of Southwest Airlines from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and boosted their target price for the company from $50.00 to $66.00 in a report on Friday. UBS Group raised shares of Southwest Airlines from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and upped their target price for the stock from $51.00 to $73.00 in a research report on Tuesday, February 17th. Seaport Research Partners lifted their price target on shares of Southwest Airlines from $57.00 to $58.00 in a research report on Thursday, January 29th. Finally, Weiss Ratings reissued a “hold (c)” rating on shares of Southwest Airlines in a research note on Monday, December 29th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eight have assigned a Buy rating, eight have given a Hold rating and three have issued a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Southwest Airlines presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $49.03.

Southwest Airlines News Roundup

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

• Positive Sentiment: Management’s overhaul and 2026 guidance are supporting investor confidence — coverage notes the transformation and clearer FY‑2026 targets that helped lift sentiment. A Look At Southwest Airlines (LUV) Valuation As Its Overhaul And 2026 Guidance Boost Investor Confidence
• Positive Sentiment: Product changes (assigned seating, extra‑legroom options, expanded distribution, free Wi‑Fi for Rapid Rewards) plus a large 2025 shareholder return (~$2.9B) are reframing Southwest from a low‑cost carrier to a differentiated, revenue‑enhancing operator. Is Southwest’s Bold Shift To Assigned Seating And Perks Altering The Investment Case For LUV?
• Positive Sentiment: TD Cowen upgraded LUV from Hold to Buy with a $66 price target, signaling analyst optimism and adding potential upside from improved sentiment and coverage. Benzinga note on TD Cowen upgrade
• Positive Sentiment: Short interest dropped meaningfully in February (≈22.6% decline), reducing immediate short‑pressure and indicating some bearish positions have been covered. (Market data summarized publicly.)
• Neutral Sentiment: Recent earnings showed a modest EPS beat but a revenue miss; market reaction since the report has been positive overall (LUV up ~5% since earnings), but investors are now parsing forward guidance and execution risks. Why Is Southwest (LUV) Up 5% Since Last Earnings Report?
• Neutral Sentiment: Analysts and commentators are debating valuation — some see LUV as still attractive given execution and margin upside, while others flag stretched momentum after the recent run. Are Investors Undervaluing Southwest Airlines (LUV) Right Now?
• Negative Sentiment: Sector headwinds: rising crude oil and broader airline weakness (notably United and Delta share drops) are pressuring airline multiples and can offset Southwest’s company‑level gains. United Airlines, Delta Stocks Fall. Why Airlines Are Getting Crushed.
• Negative Sentiment: Investor caution remains because higher industry labor costs and legacy carriers’ balance‑sheet issues keep the sector sensitive to macro shocks, which can trigger short‑term pullbacks even for stronger operators. AAL Benefits From Improved Air-Travel Demand Amid High Costs

Southwest Airlines Price Performance

LUV opened at $49.20 on Monday. The firm has a market cap of $24.17 billion, a PE ratio of 58.57, a P/E/G ratio of 0.35 and a beta of 1.10. The stock has a 50-day moving average price of $46.30 and a 200-day moving average price of $37.93. Southwest Airlines Co. has a 1 year low of $23.82 and a 1 year high of $55.11. 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 (NYSE:LUV) last released its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, January 28th. The airline reported $0.58 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.56 by $0.02. The business had revenue of $7.44 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $7.51 billion. Southwest Airlines had a net margin of 1.57% and a return on equity of 6.18%. Southwest Airlines’s revenue was up 7.4% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the business earned $0.56 EPS. Southwest Airlines has set its FY 2026 guidance at 4.000- EPS and its Q1 2026 guidance at 0.450- EPS. Sell-side analysts predict that Southwest Airlines Co. will post 1.55 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Southwest Airlines Announces Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, April 2nd. Investors of record on Thursday, March 12th will be given a dividend of $0.18 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, March 12th. This represents a $0.72 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.5%. Southwest Airlines’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 85.71%.

Southwest Airlines Company Profile

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.