Latest news with #SouthwestAirlines'
Business Insider
20 hours ago
- Business
- Business Insider
Southwest Airlines Stock (LUV) Hits Q2 Turbulence
Southwest Airlines' (LUV) second-quarter 2025 earnings point to continued headwinds, triggering several downgrades from Wall Street analysts. The company reported sharp year-over-year declines in both net income and earnings per share alongside a drop in operating revenue. The market didn't like it one bit, punishing the stock over the past five days. Moreover, technical indications show there is further downside ahead, according to the most recent price data. Elevate Your Investing Strategy: Take advantage of TipRanks Premium at 50% off! Unlock powerful investing tools, advanced data, and expert analyst insights to help you invest with confidence. A deeper look suggests that weaker domestic leisure travel demand, coupled with operational missteps, weighed on results. While some of these issues appear temporary and potentially fixable, they introduce near-term uncertainty—leading me to adopt a cautiously Neutral stance on the stock. Revenue and Profit Undershoot Hurt Southwest Southwest reported a 1.5% year-over-year decline in operating revenue, bringing the total to $7.2 billion for Q2. More notably, GAAP net income dropped 42% to $213 million, down from $367 million in the same quarter of 2024. Given that airlines typically operate on razor-thin margins, such a sharp decline in net income is particularly concerning. TipRanks data indicates that a key factor behind the revenue drop appears to be a 3.5% year-over-year decline in revenue passenger miles (RPMs), reflecting lower traffic and softer travel demand. Operational Metrics Underperform Taking a look under the hood, Southwest's key operational metrics fared no better. Revenue per available seat mile (RASM) decreased 3.1% year-over-year in Q2 2025. This was despite a 1.6% year-over-year increase in capacity, as measured in available seat miles (ASMs). This tells us that the increase in available seats did not translate into proportional revenue growth, meaning that Southwest was less efficient in its utilization of capacity. On the expense front, Cost per Available Seat Mile, which excludes fuel and oil expense, special items, and profit sharing (CASM-X), increased 4.7% year-over-year. Typically, increased capacity will distribute fixed costs over a larger operational base, reducing unit costs. This was not the case for Southwest. Cost-Push Inflation is Yet Another Obstacle For starters, like everyone else, Southwest is dealing with inflationary pressures, particularly those stemming from labor contracts ratified in 2024. Salaries and wages were up 8.8% year-over-year. The combination of rising non-fuel unit costs and the future recognition of fuel expenses from terminated hedging contracts could pressure Southwest's profitability for several quarters to come. Some of the blame falls on Southwest. For example, its recent introduction of the basic economy product caused a 'temporary reduction in the conversion rate of basic economy on its website.' This resulted in a 'nearly one-half point' impact on RASM. Recall that Southwest was known for its simple, all-inclusive fare structure, where everyone got two free checked bags and the ability to choose any available seat. The introduction of 'basic economy' did away with this, aligning with other major airlines that offer a tiered fare system. New Initiatives Boost Investor Hopes The short-term dip in conversion rates isn't entirely unexpected. Many customers were unfamiliar with the newly introduced bag policy, and Southwest's marketing efforts may not have clearly communicated its value. The company is now working to improve messaging, which should help normalize conversion over time. Alongside the discontinuation of its long-standing 'Bags Fly Free' policy, Southwest projects these initiatives could generate an additional $1.8 billion in EBIT for full-year 2025. However, these changes also carry the risk of customer pushback and potential damage to the brand's identity. Given that, it's reasonable to expect a delayed payoff. In the near term, Southwest's outlook remains underwhelming: for Q3, the company is guiding for flat revenue per available seat mile (RASM)—ranging from -2% to +2% year-over-year—and cost per available seat mile excluding fuel (CASM-X) is expected to rise between 3.5% and 5.5%. LUV Compared With Its Peers Since Southwest wishes to become more like its peers, let's compare its valuation. Southwest's P/E ratio of 49.9 trades at a 101% premium to its peers in the Industrials sector. This implies that investors anticipate a significant rebound in earnings. Should this not happen within a reasonable amount of time, Southwest's stock has plenty of room to fall. Is LUV a Good Buy Now? On Wall Street, LUV earns a consensus Hold rating with three Buy, six Hold, and four Sell ratings in the past three months. LUV's average stock price target of $31.25 implies a downside potential of 2.4% over the next twelve months. Earlier this week, Citi analyst Stephen Trent handed LUV a Sell rating with a price target of $22. The analyst expressed caution, noting 'The airline's current initiatives, such as assigned seating and checked bag fees, are expected to increase unit revenue, but the potential for a significant revenue boost in the fourth quarter of 2025 appears unlikely.' This skepticism is reinforced by weaker-than-expected second-quarter results and a soft third-quarter outlook, which suggest that the risk/reward balance for Southwest's shares is not favorable at present,' the analyst said in a research note. Southwest's Transformation Faces Turbulence Southwest is experiencing some bumps in its pursuit of long-term strategic transformation. A perfect storm of a challenging operating environment, inflationary pressures, and softer domestic leisure travel has squeezed profitability. The crux of the problem is that transforming a long-established brand during trying times is no easy task. Consequently, I'd like to see clear evidence that the benefits of the pivot outweigh the short-term operational and reputational costs before jumping aboard Southwest's stock.
Time of India
07-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Southwest Airlines policy update: Airline enters new era with bag fees and other changes. Check rates
Southwest Airlines has announced a lot of changes in the past few months with the latest one in March where it said it would end free checked baggage for most travelers. In March, Southwest announced that it would begin charging for checked bags, a move that brought it in line with most of its competitors. Long praised for its "Bags Fly Free" policy, Southwest Airlines' revised policy took effect on May 28, requiring the majority of passengers to pay for their first and second checked bags. Southwest Airlines' CEO Bob Jordan is doubling down on the company's controversial changes ending unassigned seating and free bags for most customers. According to Travel Weekly, the carrier, which long made its bags-fly-free policy a centerpiece of its commercial offering, will charge $35 for the first checked bag and $45 for a second bag. The fees will apply to flights booked or voluntarily changed on or after May 28. Play Video Play Skip Backward Skip Forward Mute Current Time 0:00 / Duration 0:00 Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 1x Playback Rate Chapters Chapters Descriptions descriptions off , selected Captions captions and subtitles off , selected Audio Track Picture-in-Picture Fullscreen This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. 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Story To Hear ALSO READ: Pearl Jam drummer Matt Cameron announces heartbreaking departure after 27 'fantastic years', leaves fans stunned Under the new policy, holders of a Southwest co-branded credit card and flyers with Rapid Rewards A-list status will be entitled to one free checked bag. Travelers who book Southwest's top-level fare, Business Select, will continue to get two free checked bags, as will those with Rapid Reward A-list Preferred status. Live Events Why is Southwest Airlines changing policy? CEO Bob Jordan has repeatedly defended the changes and he did so again in a new interview with the New York Times on July 6. He explained that the change marks a major shift as the airline seeks new revenue and a wider customer base. Jordan explained the reasoning behind both the changes and their timing. That included addressing the elephant in the room, namely, the speed at which those changes were being rolled out. '[O]ther airlines went through these changes over a decade or more,' Jordan said. 'There is a bit of catch-up here because we're moving to that world, but in months, not a decade.' The CEO described the new baggage policy change as part of a broader transformation designed to meet evolving traveler expectations and improve Southwest's profitability. It is expected to net the airline $4 billion in profit, the report said. ALSO READ: Big revelation in Texas tragedy: Was 'flash flood' warning system scrapped before 27 died at Camp Mystic? "Customers today want a lot of choice, especially coming out of the pandemic. The customer's needs and wants are just different. The move to bag fees is really about choice," Jordan said in an interview with The New York Times. Jordan added: "Change is hard, and change is emotional. The needs of customers, employees and investors don't have to be at odds." He said that the changes were not solely driven by investor pressure but reflected broader industry trends and consumer behavior—almost all other U.S. airlines and many others around the world charge for taking bags. "There is a bit of catch-up here because we're moving to that world, but in months, not a decade," he said. Asked if cabin crews were excited about the addition of assigned seating, he said, "If in the open-seating world a family gets on and they can't sit together, the flight attendant is having to police that in the cabin,' he told the Times. 'Our open-seat boarding can cause a lot of pre-boards, and our agents are having to police that.' ALSO READ: Novak Djokovic's wife Jelena reacts to historic Wimbledon victory without using a word. Who is she? When asked about whether the changes reward frequent customers and potentially leave out those who don't fly Southwest as much, Jordan said the airline is "not abandoning anybody." "You are going to get great fares on Southwest Airlines, period," he continued. "My whole point is there's more coming to the strategy as we keep evolving, but it's all about staying true to who we are—best people, best hospitality, best service—while stretching the model to meet the needs of our customers." Why is this significant? Southwest Airlines, once known for standing out as the only major U.S. carrier offering two free checked bags to all passengers, has changed course. Under its new policy, Southwest now aligns with rivals like American, Delta, and United, which charge $35–$40 for the first checked bag and $45–$50 for the second. A Southwest spokesperson told Newsweek: "Southwest will be charging $35 for a first checked bag and $45 for a second checked bag (weight and size limits apply) for flights booked or voluntarily changed on or after May 28." However, Southwest still offers some perks: Business Select travelers and Rapid Rewards A-List Preferred members can continue to check two bags at no cost. A-List members and Southwest credit card holders will be allowed one free checked bag.
Yahoo
02-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Southwest Airlines (NYSE:LUV) Announces First Trans-Pacific Partnership With China Airlines
Southwest Airlines is exploring a trans-Pacific partnership with China Airlines Group, marking a pioneering move for the company. During the last quarter, Southwest's stock rose 13%, a notable shift amidst broader market movements, including China-U.S. trade tensions affecting other sectors. While the market posted strong monthly gains, Southwest benefitted from positive corporate initiatives, like partnerships with China Airlines and Icelandair, which likely provided a counterbalance to broader market concerns. Additionally, Southwest's dividend of $0.18 per share and effective cost management activities, such as significant share buybacks, enhanced investor perception and stock performance. We've identified 1 weakness with Southwest Airlines and understanding the impact should be part of your investment process. The best AI stocks today may lie beyond giants like Nvidia and Microsoft. Find the next big opportunity with these 25 smaller AI-focused companies with strong growth potential through early-stage innovation in machine learning, automation, and data intelligence that could fund your retirement. Southwest Airlines' pioneering move to explore a trans-Pacific partnership with the China Airlines Group could play a crucial role in shaping its future operational landscape. By opening new avenues for international collaboration, this partnership has the potential to enhance revenue streams as the airline diversifies its market presence. This expansion aligns with ongoing strategies to boost operational efficiency and revenue through innovative distribution channels and seating options. Over the past year, Southwest Airlines' total shareholder return, including share price and dividends, was 23.42%. This reflects strong company performance despite industry challenges, showcasing resilience and growth. Within the US Airlines industry, Southwest has outperformed as seen by its higher return against the industry's 16.2% rise over the same timeframe. The introduction of new regional partnerships is anticipated by analysts to influence revenue and earnings forecasts positively. While the analysts have set a price target of US$28.39, slightly lower than the current share price of US$29.84, the modest 5.1% discount relative to this target provides a framework to evaluate expected performance against market estimates. These developments are likely to have a long-term impact on the company's revenue and profitability as they bolster adoption of its services across new and existing markets. Evaluate Southwest Airlines' historical performance by accessing our past performance report. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Companies discussed in this article include NYSE:LUV. This article was originally published by Simply Wall St. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@ Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
02-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Southwest Airlines (NYSE:LUV) Announces First Trans-Pacific Partnership With China Airlines
Southwest Airlines is exploring a trans-Pacific partnership with China Airlines Group, marking a pioneering move for the company. During the last quarter, Southwest's stock rose 13%, a notable shift amidst broader market movements, including China-U.S. trade tensions affecting other sectors. While the market posted strong monthly gains, Southwest benefitted from positive corporate initiatives, like partnerships with China Airlines and Icelandair, which likely provided a counterbalance to broader market concerns. Additionally, Southwest's dividend of $0.18 per share and effective cost management activities, such as significant share buybacks, enhanced investor perception and stock performance. We've identified 1 weakness with Southwest Airlines and understanding the impact should be part of your investment process. The best AI stocks today may lie beyond giants like Nvidia and Microsoft. Find the next big opportunity with these 25 smaller AI-focused companies with strong growth potential through early-stage innovation in machine learning, automation, and data intelligence that could fund your retirement. Southwest Airlines' pioneering move to explore a trans-Pacific partnership with the China Airlines Group could play a crucial role in shaping its future operational landscape. By opening new avenues for international collaboration, this partnership has the potential to enhance revenue streams as the airline diversifies its market presence. This expansion aligns with ongoing strategies to boost operational efficiency and revenue through innovative distribution channels and seating options. Over the past year, Southwest Airlines' total shareholder return, including share price and dividends, was 23.42%. This reflects strong company performance despite industry challenges, showcasing resilience and growth. Within the US Airlines industry, Southwest has outperformed as seen by its higher return against the industry's 16.2% rise over the same timeframe. The introduction of new regional partnerships is anticipated by analysts to influence revenue and earnings forecasts positively. While the analysts have set a price target of US$28.39, slightly lower than the current share price of US$29.84, the modest 5.1% discount relative to this target provides a framework to evaluate expected performance against market estimates. These developments are likely to have a long-term impact on the company's revenue and profitability as they bolster adoption of its services across new and existing markets. Evaluate Southwest Airlines' historical performance by accessing our past performance report. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Companies discussed in this article include NYSE:LUV. This article was originally published by Simply Wall St. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
5 things to know for May 28: Gaza, Immigration, DOGE, Harvard, SpaceX
Remember when Southwest Airlines' policy was 'bags fly free?' Those days are now over. On flights booked today and going forward, the carrier will charge travelers $35 for checking one bag, $45 for a second and $150 for a third checked bag. Overweight luggage will require paying up to $200 in fees. Here's what else you need to know to Get Up to Speed and On with Your Day. It's been 600 days since Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel, killing more than 1,200 people and kidnapping 250 others. Since then, the militant group has released some of the hostages, but continued to fire rockets at Israel. Israel has responded by negotiating for the release of hostages, bombing much of Gaza and killing more than 53,000 people. In recent months, Israel has also halted access to humanitarian aid, which has pushed the enclave's population of more than 2 million Palestinians towards famine. Although access to aid resumed this week, chaos broke out at a distribution site in southern Gaza on Tuesday as thousands of desperate Palestinians arrived to receive food from a controversial new US and Israel-backed aid distribution program. Jake Wood, the head of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, resigned on Sunday, saying, 'it is not possible to implement this plan while also strictly adhering to the humanitarian principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality, and independence, which I will not abandon.' President Donald Trump asked the Supreme Court on Tuesday to make it easier for his administration to deport people to countries where they don't hold citizenship. The policy, which was adopted soon after Trump returned to office, allowed the Department of Homeland Security to send immigrants to nations other than their home country without first notifying them or giving them a chance to claim a risk of persecution, torture or death in that third-party country. When a group of immigrants facing deportation to war-torn South Sudan sued, a federal judge blocked the US from deporting them unless they received written notice and had the chance to demonstrate a credible fear of persecution or torture there. The judge later said the administration violated his court order when it attempted to send several detainees of various nationalities to South Sudan. A federal judge ruled in the Trump administration's favor on Tuesday, saying the Department of Government Efficiency can access sensitive Treasury Department systems that contain private information about millions of Americans. A coalition of 19 states filed the lawsuit earlier this year to block DOGE from accessing the payment systems. In her latest ruling, US District Judge Jeannette Vargas said she would allow the Elon Musk-backed team at Treasury to access systems that control trillions of dollars of payments because the administration had created a process to train the DOGE staffers and prevent improper disclosures of private data. Earlier this year, DOGE staffers attempted to use the Treasury payment systems to shut down payments for programs they didn't believe should be funded. In its latest salvo against Harvard University, the White House has directed federal agencies to cancel all remaining contracts with the Ivy League school, two senior Trump administration officials said. Such a move would cost the university about $100 million. That's on top of the $2.65 billion already cut from Harvard after the administration demanded the school change its hiring and admission requirements, eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion programs and alter rules for on-campus protests. The school resisted those orders and filed a lawsuit claiming the government's actions violate the First Amendment. Last week, the administration tried to halt Harvard's ability to enroll foreign students, but a federal judge put that on hold. And on Tuesday, the State Department instructed US embassies and consulates around the world to pause new student visa appointments. While conducting the ninth uncrewed test flight of its Starship megarocket, SpaceX lost control of the spacecraft, which likely disintegrated over the Indian Ocean. The company was attempting to reuse a Super Heavy rocket booster that was previously flown and recaptured after a launch in January. The company wants to recover, refurbish and reuse as much of a rocket as possible to save money on future missions. Although Starship made it farther into its flight path during Flight 9 than in previous tests, it was not able to accomplish key objectives, such as deploying the test satellites it was carrying or reigniting engines upon reentry. The last two test missions — Flight 7 in January and Flight 8 in March — ended in explosive failures. Mary Lou Retton arrestedPolice in her West Virginia hometown took the 57-year-old gymnastics icon into custody earlier this month on suspicion of driving under the influence. Harry Potter TV show casts its starsHBO has finally found a trio of young actors to play Harry Potter, Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley in its upcoming series about the magical world of witchcraft and wizardry. (HBO, like CNN, is owned by Warner Bros. Discovery.) CosMc's to closeMcDonald's is planning to shutter all five of its beverage-focused spinoff locations in June. However, some of the customizable drinks will stick around. There's a fungus among usAs the climate crisis intensifies, researchers say Aspergillus, a common group of infection-causing fungi, will spread to new regions of the planet. Stop stealing the stones, folksA city in Belgium is asking tourists not to take a piece of its UNESCO-recognized medieval streets home with them. Rock guitarist/producer Rick Derringer diesDuring his six-decade music career, Derringer released the hit singles 'Hang On Sloopy' with his band The McCoys, and 'Rock and Roll, Hoochie Koo' from his solo album 'All American Boy.' He also worked with numerous artists — including Ringo Starr, Steely Dan, B.B. King and Barbra Streisand — and produced 'Weird Al' Yankovic's first six albums. 100That's how many hours climate and weather scientists plan to livestream presentations to protest the Trump administration's cuts to NOAA, NASA and the Department of Energy, as well as research funding to academia. The livestream marathon, which is billed as nonpartisan, begins today at 1 p.m. ET. 'I was disappointed to see the massive spending bill, frankly, which increases the budget deficit, not just decreases it, and undermines the work that the DOGE team is doing. I think a bill can be big or it can be beautiful, but I don't know if it can be both.' — Elon Musk on President Trump's sweeping tax and spending cuts package. Check your local forecast here>>> Joe Jackson's 6-year-old son William suffers from Duchenne muscular dystrophy. There is a potential treatment available, but it costs $2.2 million. So, Jackson set out to raise those funds by rowing nonstop for 31 hours.
