EME vs. LUV: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison

Updated on October 11, 2025

Here’s a clear look at EME and LUV, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.

Company Profile

Symbol	EME	LUV
Company Name	EMCOR Group, Inc.	Southwest Airlines Co.
Country	United States	United States
GICS Sector	Industrials	Industrials
GICS Industry	Construction & Engineering	Passenger Airlines
Market Capitalization	31.11 billion USD	17.04 billion USD
Exchange	NYSE	NYSE
Listing Date	January 10, 1995	January 2, 1980
Security Type	Common Stock	Common Stock

Historical Performance

This chart compares the performance of EME and LUV by tracking the growth of an initial $10,000 investment in each. Use the tabs to select the desired time period. Data is adjusted for dividends and splits.

EME vs. LUV: Growth of a $10,000 investment over the past one year.

Historical Performance at a Glance

Symbol	EME	LUV
5-Day Price Return	5.26%	0.43%
13-Week Price Return	27.23%	-6.05%
26-Week Price Return	96.04%	12.44%
52-Week Price Return	57.83%	4.54%
Month-to-Date Return	7.00%	1.69%
Year-to-Date Return	53.12%	-3.48%
10-Day Avg. Volume	0.40M	8.40M
3-Month Avg. Volume	0.53M	10.22M
3-Month Volatility	28.99%	39.85%
Beta	1.18	1.21

Profitability

Return on Equity (TTM)

EME

37.80%

Construction & Engineering Industry

Max: 26.79%
Q3: 16.47%
Median: 10.66%
Q1: 8.46%
Min: -1.86%

EME’s Return on Equity of 37.80% is exceptionally high, placing it well beyond the typical range for the Construction & Engineering industry. This demonstrates a superior ability to generate profit from shareholder investments, though it could also be inflated by high financial leverage.

LUV

4.11%

Passenger Airlines Industry

Max: 49.96%
Q3: 27.29%
Median: 16.68%
Q1: 8.40%
Min: -15.23%

LUV’s Return on Equity of 4.11% is in the lower quartile for the Passenger Airlines industry. This indicates a less efficient generation of profit from its equity base when compared to its competitors.

EME vs. LUV: A comparison of their Return on Equity (TTM) against their respective Construction & Engineering and Passenger Airlines industry benchmarks.

Net Profit Margin (TTM)

EME

7.07%

Construction & Engineering Industry

Max: 11.67%
Q3: 6.13%
Median: 3.82%
Q1: 2.31%
Min: -2.77%

A Net Profit Margin of 7.07% places EME in the upper quartile for the Construction & Engineering industry, signifying strong profitability and more effective cost management than most of its peers.

LUV

1.43%

Passenger Airlines Industry

Max: 16.00%
Q3: 8.99%
Median: 6.35%
Q1: 3.18%
Min: -4.22%

Falling into the lower quartile for the Passenger Airlines industry, LUV’s Net Profit Margin of 1.43% indicates weaker profitability. This means the company retains a smaller portion of each dollar in sales as profit compared to its competitors.

EME vs. LUV: A comparison of their Net Profit Margin (TTM) against their respective Construction & Engineering and Passenger Airlines industry benchmarks.

Operating Profit Margin (TTM)

EME

9.50%

Construction & Engineering Industry

Max: 17.78%
Q3: 9.61%
Median: 6.19%
Q1: 3.73%
Min: -1.78%

EME’s Operating Profit Margin of 9.50% is around the midpoint for the Construction & Engineering industry, indicating that its efficiency in managing core business operations is typical for the sector.

LUV

1.15%

Passenger Airlines Industry

Max: 22.47%
Q3: 12.67%
Median: 8.62%
Q1: 4.63%
Min: -2.30%

LUV’s Operating Profit Margin of 1.15% is in the lower quartile for the Passenger Airlines industry. This indicates weaker profitability from core operations, which may stem from inefficiencies or competitive pressures on pricing.

EME vs. LUV: A comparison of their Operating Profit Margin (TTM) against their respective Construction & Engineering and Passenger Airlines industry benchmarks.

Profitability at a Glance

Symbol	EME	LUV
Return on Equity (TTM)	37.80%	4.11%
Return on Assets (TTM)	14.03%	1.20%
Net Profit Margin (TTM)	7.07%	1.43%
Operating Profit Margin (TTM)	9.50%	1.15%
Gross Profit Margin (TTM)	19.49%	73.31%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

EME

1.18

Construction & Engineering Industry

Max: 2.17
Q3: 1.50
Median: 1.23
Q1: 1.00
Min: 0.65

EME’s Current Ratio of 1.18 aligns with the median group of the Construction & Engineering industry, indicating that its short-term liquidity is in line with its sector peers.

LUV

0.56

Passenger Airlines Industry

Max: 1.44
Q3: 0.91
Median: 0.73
Q1: 0.54
Min: 0.18

LUV’s Current Ratio of 0.56 aligns with the median group of the Passenger Airlines industry, indicating that its short-term liquidity is in line with its sector peers.

EME vs. LUV: A comparison of their Current Ratio (MRQ) against their respective Construction & Engineering and Passenger Airlines industry benchmarks.

Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)

EME

0.08

Construction & Engineering Industry

Max: 2.37
Q3: 1.24
Median: 0.62
Q1: 0.31
Min: 0.00

Falling into the lower quartile for the Construction & Engineering industry, EME’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.08 points to a conservative financing strategy. This results in lower financial risk but potentially limits strategic investments compared to more leveraged competitors.

LUV

0.51

Passenger Airlines Industry

Max: 10.23
Q3: 5.04
Median: 1.27
Q1: 0.82
Min: 0.00

Falling into the lower quartile for the Passenger Airlines industry, LUV’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.51 points to a conservative financing strategy. This results in lower financial risk but potentially limits strategic investments compared to more leveraged competitors.

EME vs. LUV: A comparison of their Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ) against their respective Construction & Engineering and Passenger Airlines industry benchmarks.

Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)

EME

490.27

Construction & Engineering Industry

Max: 36.37
Q3: 17.88
Median: 8.20
Q1: 4.98
Min: -6.49

With an Interest Coverage Ratio of 490.27, EME demonstrates a superior capacity to service its debt, placing it well above the typical range for the Construction & Engineering industry. This stems from either robust earnings or a conservative debt load.

LUV

9.27

Passenger Airlines Industry

Max: 22.60
Q3: 17.27
Median: 6.75
Q1: 1.94
Min: -8.55

LUV’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 9.27 is positioned comfortably within the norm for the Passenger Airlines industry, indicating a standard and healthy capacity to cover its interest payments.

EME vs. LUV: A comparison of their Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) against their respective Construction & Engineering and Passenger Airlines industry benchmarks.

Financial Strength at a Glance

Symbol	EME	LUV
Current Ratio (MRQ)	1.18	0.56
Quick Ratio (MRQ)	1.13	0.45
Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)	0.08	0.51
Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)	490.27	9.27

Growth

Revenue Growth

EME vs. LUV: A side-by-side comparison of their Revenue Growth for the MRQ (YoY), TTM (YoY), 3-Year CAGR, and 5-Year CAGR periods.

EPS Growth

EME vs. LUV: A side-by-side comparison of their EPS Growth for the MRQ (YoY), TTM (YoY), 3-Year CAGR, and 5-Year CAGR periods.

Dividend

Dividend Yield (TTM)

EME

0.15%

Construction & Engineering Industry

Max: 5.80%
Q3: 3.33%
Median: 2.22%
Q1: 0.21%
Min: 0.00%

EME’s Dividend Yield of 0.15% is in the lower quartile for the Construction & Engineering industry. This suggests the company’s strategy likely favors retaining earnings for growth over providing a high dividend income.

LUV

2.51%

Passenger Airlines Industry

Max: 7.04%
Q3: 3.76%
Median: 1.72%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

LUV’s Dividend Yield of 2.51% is consistent with its peers in the Passenger Airlines industry, providing a dividend return that is standard for its sector.

EME vs. LUV: A comparison of their Dividend Yield (TTM) against their respective Construction & Engineering and Passenger Airlines industry benchmarks.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

EME

4.14%

Construction & Engineering Industry

Max: 139.17%
Q3: 74.39%
Median: 51.48%
Q1: 15.67%
Min: 0.00%

EME’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 4.14% is in the lower quartile for the Construction & Engineering industry. This suggests a conservative dividend policy, with a strategic focus on reinvesting profits for future growth.

LUV

59.15%

Passenger Airlines Industry

Max: 99.73%
Q3: 50.30%
Median: 23.18%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

LUV’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 59.15% is in the upper quartile for the Passenger Airlines industry. This indicates a strong commitment to shareholder returns but also suggests that a smaller portion of earnings is retained for reinvestment compared to many peers.

EME vs. LUV: A comparison of their Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) against their respective Construction & Engineering and Passenger Airlines industry benchmarks.

Dividend at a Glance

Symbol	EME	LUV
Dividend Yield (TTM)	0.15%	2.51%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)	4.14%	59.15%

Valuation

Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)

EME

27.87

Construction & Engineering Industry

Max: 41.00
Q3: 26.91
Median: 16.02
Q1: 13.49
Min: 1.65

A P/E Ratio of 27.87 places EME in the upper quartile for the Construction & Engineering industry. This high valuation relative to peers suggests the market holds elevated expectations for the company’s future growth.

LUV

43.42

Passenger Airlines Industry

Max: 18.74
Q3: 11.24
Median: 8.33
Q1: 6.11
Min: 2.97

At 43.42, LUV’s P/E Ratio is exceptionally high, exceeding the typical maximum for the Passenger Airlines industry. This suggests the stock may be significantly overvalued compared to its peers and implies high market expectations that could be difficult to meet.

EME vs. LUV: A comparison of their Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM) against their respective Construction & Engineering and Passenger Airlines industry benchmarks.

Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)

EME

1.97

Construction & Engineering Industry

Max: 2.93
Q3: 1.65
Median: 0.71
Q1: 0.45
Min: 0.11

EME’s P/S Ratio of 1.97 is in the upper echelon for the Construction & Engineering industry. This means the company is valued richly on its revenue stream compared to its peers, suggesting the stock is priced for a high level of future performance.

LUV

0.62

Passenger Airlines Industry

Max: 1.07
Q3: 0.73
Median: 0.62
Q1: 0.40
Min: 0.09

LUV’s P/S Ratio of 0.62 aligns with the market consensus for the Passenger Airlines industry. This suggests its valuation, based on sales, is seen as standard and is on par with its competitors.

EME vs. LUV: A comparison of their Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) against their respective Construction & Engineering and Passenger Airlines industry benchmarks.

Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)

EME

7.85

Construction & Engineering Industry

Max: 7.96
Q3: 4.06
Median: 1.98
Q1: 1.23
Min: 0.24

EME’s P/B Ratio of 7.85 is in the upper tier for the Construction & Engineering industry. This indicates that investors are paying a premium relative to the company’s net assets, a valuation that hinges on its ability to generate superior profits.

LUV

2.31

Passenger Airlines Industry

Max: 3.47
Q3: 3.19
Median: 1.94
Q1: 1.28
Min: 0.50

LUV’s P/B Ratio of 2.31 is within the conventional range for the Passenger Airlines industry. This shows a balanced market view, where the stock’s price is neither at a significant premium nor a discount to the book value of its peers.

EME vs. LUV: A comparison of their Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ) against their respective Construction & Engineering and Passenger Airlines industry benchmarks.

Valuation at a Glance

Symbol	EME	LUV
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)	27.87	43.42
Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)	1.97	0.62
Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)	7.85	2.31
Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM)	25.49	45.38