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CSX vs. LUV: CSX vs. Southwest Airlines Stock Comparison

How do CSX (CSX) and Southwest Airlines (LUV) stack up? This page sets them side by side across company profile, performance and risk, profitability, growth, financial strength, dividends, and valuation, with selected fundamentals also measured against each stock's industry-group peers.

Company Profile

CSX (CSX) and Southwest Airlines (LUV) both fall under the Transportation industry group, but CSX is classified in Ground Transportation while LUV is classified in Passenger Airlines.

Company profile comparison for CSX (CSX) and Southwest Airlines (LUV)
Profile ItemCSXLUV
NameCSX CorporationSouthwest Airlines Co.
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorIndustrialsIndustrials
GICS Industry GroupTransportationTransportation
GICS IndustryGround TransportationPassenger Airlines
GICS Sub-IndustryRail TransportationPassenger Airlines
Market Capitalization90.99 billion USD21.76 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNasdaqNYSE
Listing DateNovember 3, 1980January 2, 1980
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

CSX
LUV
GSPC
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CSX (CSX) vs. Southwest Airlines (LUV), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Growth of a $10,000 investment over the past five years. Adjusted for dividends and splits.

Trailing Returns

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Trailing total returns for CSX (CSX) and Southwest Airlines (LUV). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for CSX (CSX) and Southwest Airlines (LUV). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for CSX (CSX) and Southwest Airlines (LUV)
MetricCSXLUV
Total Return (1Y)42.93%44.35%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)19.91%28.08%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)8.47%-0.31%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

CSX
LUV
GSPC
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CSX (CSX) vs. Southwest Airlines (LUV), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Drawdown from the running peak over the past five years. Each line shows the decline from its prior peak; 0% marks a new high.

Return Distribution

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Distribution of monthly total returns for CSX (CSX) and Southwest Airlines (LUV). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for CSX (CSX) and Southwest Airlines (LUV)
MetricCSXLUV
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)23.05%44.46%
Beta (5Y)1.121.19
Max Drawdown (5Y)-29.44%-55.39%
Avg. Volume (3M)10.64M5.76M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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CSX and LUV are plotted by 1-year volatility (risk) and 1-year return. The dashed Capital Allocation Line runs from the risk-free rate through the shared industry median.

Risk-Adjusted Metrics

Risk-adjusted metrics for CSX (CSX) and Southwest Airlines (LUV)
MetricCSXLUV
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)1.680.90
Sortino Ratio (1Y)2.741.51

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

CSX (CSX) at 26.39% sits in the top ROE quartile, while Southwest Airlines (LUV) at 13.94% is closer to the peer norm — stronger capital efficiency for CSX.

CSX

Transportation industry group

26.39%

Max
45.08%
CSX
26.39%
Q3
22.02%
Median
13.94%
Q1
2.89%
Min
-10.45%

LUV

Transportation industry group

13.94%

Max
45.08%
Q3
22.02%
LUV
13.94%
Median
13.94%
Q1
2.89%
Min
-10.45%
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CSX (CSX) vs. Southwest Airlines (LUV): A comparison of their ROE against the Transportation industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

CSX (CSX) at 23.97% retains a top-quartile share of revenue as profit, ahead of Southwest Airlines (LUV) at 3.34%, which keeps about the industry-typical share.

CSX

Transportation industry group

23.97%

Max
50.36%
CSX
23.97%
Q3
21.18%
Median
5.58%
Q1
1.55%
Min
-11.37%

LUV

Transportation industry group

3.34%

Max
50.36%
Q3
21.18%
Median
5.58%
LUV
3.34%
Q1
1.55%
Min
-11.37%
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CSX (CSX) vs. Southwest Airlines (LUV): A comparison of their net margin against the Transportation industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

CSX (CSX) at 39.26% carries a top-quartile operating margin, while Southwest Airlines (LUV) at 4.49% operates in the bottom quartile.

CSX

Transportation industry group

39.26%

Max
59.18%
CSX
39.26%
Q3
29.30%
Median
11.50%
Q1
4.62%
Min
-8.91%

LUV

Transportation industry group

4.49%

Max
59.18%
Q3
29.30%
Median
11.50%
Q1
4.62%
LUV
4.49%
Min
-8.91%
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CSX (CSX) vs. Southwest Airlines (LUV): A comparison of their operating margin against the Transportation industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for CSX (CSX) and Southwest Airlines (LUV)
MetricCSXLUV
ROE (TTM)26.39%13.94%
ROA (TTM)7.77%3.05%
Net Margin (TTM)23.97%3.34%
Operating Margin (TTM)39.26%4.49%
Gross Margin (TTM)47.78%22.14%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Southwest Airlines (LUV) at 2.11% is around its peer norm for revenue growth, while CSX (CSX) at -3.08% drops into the bottom quartile, signaling weaker demand or pricing momentum.

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CSX (CSX) vs. Southwest Airlines (LUV): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Both CSX (CSX) at -13.97% and Southwest Airlines (LUV) at 3.95% land near their industries' usual EPS growth ranges, so bottom-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

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CSX (CSX) vs. Southwest Airlines (LUV): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for CSX (CSX) and Southwest Airlines (LUV)
MetricCSXLUV
Revenue Growth (YoY)-3.08%2.11%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)-1.74%5.63%
EPS Growth (YoY)-13.97%3.95%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)-7.57%-3.16%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

CSX (CSX) at 0.84 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while Southwest Airlines (LUV) at 0.47 runs in the tighter-liquidity quartile — a thinner cushion against current liabilities for LUV.

CSX

Transportation industry group

0.84

Max
2.58
Q3
1.62
Median
1.16
CSX
0.84
Q1
0.78
Min
0.22

LUV

Transportation industry group

0.47

Max
2.58
Q3
1.62
Median
1.16
Q1
0.78
LUV
0.47
Min
0.22
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CSX (CSX) vs. Southwest Airlines (LUV): A comparison of their current ratio against the Transportation industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Both CSX (CSX) at 1.35 and Southwest Airlines (LUV) at 0.94 fund their balance sheets with roughly industry-typical debt-to-equity mixes.

CSX

Transportation industry group

1.35

Max
2.75
Q3
1.37
CSX
1.35
Median
0.78
Q1
0.35
Min
0.00

LUV

Transportation industry group

0.94

Max
2.75
Q3
1.37
LUV
0.94
Median
0.78
Q1
0.35
Min
0.00
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CSX (CSX) vs. Southwest Airlines (LUV): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Transportation industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for CSX (CSX) and Southwest Airlines (LUV)
MetricCSXLUV
Current Ratio (MRQ)0.840.47
Debt / Equity (MRQ)1.350.94
Net Debt / EBITDA2.501.21

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Both CSX (CSX) at 1.08% and Southwest Airlines (LUV) at 1.62% pay solid, industry-typical yields, sitting squarely within their peers’ usual range.

CSX

Transportation industry group

1.08%

Max
4.68%
Q3
1.99%
CSX
1.08%
Median
0.74%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

LUV

Transportation industry group

1.62%

Max
4.68%
Q3
1.99%
LUV
1.62%
Median
0.74%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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CSX (CSX) vs. Southwest Airlines (LUV): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Transportation industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Both CSX (CSX) at 28.65% and Southwest Airlines (LUV) at 35.12% keep payout ratio within their industries’ typical mid-ranges — dividend policies that share earnings without consuming too much of them.

CSX

Transportation industry group

28.65%

Max
100.89%
Q3
41.68%
CSX
28.65%
Median
20.43%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

LUV

Transportation industry group

35.12%

Max
100.89%
Q3
41.68%
LUV
35.12%
Median
20.43%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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CSX (CSX) vs. Southwest Airlines (LUV): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Transportation industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for CSX (CSX) and Southwest Airlines (LUV)
MetricCSXLUV
Dividend Yield (TTM)1.08%1.62%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)28.65%35.12%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both CSX (CSX) at 25.58 and Southwest Airlines (LUV) at 21.68 land around their industries’ usual P/E ratio levels — neither is getting a clear earnings-multiple discount or premium versus peers.

CSX

Transportation industry group

25.58

Max
46.76
Q3
30.87
CSX
25.58
Median
20.58
Q1
10.44
Min
0.00

LUV

Transportation industry group

21.68

Max
46.76
Q3
30.87
LUV
21.68
Median
20.58
Q1
10.44
Min
0.00
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CSX (CSX) vs. Southwest Airlines (LUV): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Transportation industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Southwest Airlines (LUV) at 0.69 prices around its industry’s typical P/S ratio, while CSX (CSX) at 6.09 clears its benchmark range — CSX looks notably rich on sales.

CSX

Transportation industry group

6.09

CSX
6.09
Max
4.35
Q3
2.07
Median
0.93
Q1
0.53
Min
0.04

LUV

Transportation industry group

0.69

Max
4.35
Q3
2.07
Median
0.93
LUV
0.69
Q1
0.53
Min
0.04
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CSX (CSX) vs. Southwest Airlines (LUV): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Transportation industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Southwest Airlines (LUV) at 2.97 is valued about in line with its industry on P/B ratio, while CSX (CSX) at 6.29 carries an above-peer premium to book — CSX is pricier on assets.

CSX

Transportation industry group

6.29

CSX
6.29
Max
6.29
Q3
3.39
Median
1.90
Q1
1.03
Min
-2.07

LUV

Transportation industry group

2.97

Max
6.29
Q3
3.39
LUV
2.97
Median
1.90
Q1
1.03
Min
-2.07
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CSX (CSX) vs. Southwest Airlines (LUV): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Transportation industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for CSX (CSX) and Southwest Airlines (LUV)
MetricCSXLUV
P/E Ratio (TTM)25.5821.68
P/S Ratio (TTM)6.090.69
P/B Ratio (MRQ)6.292.97
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)2.66%-2.82%