LUV vs. ZTO: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at LUV and ZTO, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Profile
LUV is a standard domestic listing, while ZTO trades as an American Depositary Receipt (ADR), offering U.S. investors access to its foreign-listed shares.
| Symbol | LUV | ZTO |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | Southwest Airlines Co. | ZTO Express (Cayman) Inc. |
| Country | United States | China |
| GICS Sector | Industrials | Industrials |
| GICS Industry | Passenger Airlines | Air Freight & Logistics |
| Market Capitalization | 17.43 billion USD | 15.18 billion USD |
| Exchange | NYSE | NYSE |
| Listing Date | January 2, 1980 | October 27, 2016 |
| Security Type | Common Stock | ADR |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of LUV and ZTO 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.
Historical Performance at a Glance
| Symbol | LUV | ZTO |
|---|---|---|
| 5-Day Price Return | 6.82% | -1.27% |
| 13-Week Price Return | 1.62% | 9.96% |
| 26-Week Price Return | 11.34% | -5.80% |
| 52-Week Price Return | 17.70% | 2.50% |
| Month-to-Date Return | 7.31% | -2.63% |
| Year-to-Date Return | -1.28% | -2.25% |
| 10-Day Avg. Volume | 6.69M | 2.83M |
| 3-Month Avg. Volume | 11.46M | 2.54M |
| 3-Month Volatility | 41.76% | 38.58% |
| Beta | 1.23 | 0.85 |
Profitability
Return on Equity (TTM)
LUV
4.11%
Passenger Airlines Industry
- Max
- 49.96%
- Q3
- 28.15%
- Median
- 15.41%
- Q1
- 8.29%
- Min
- -11.01%
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.
ZTO
15.30%
Air Freight & Logistics Industry
- Max
- 35.27%
- Q3
- 18.47%
- Median
- 11.35%
- Q1
- 7.21%
- Min
- 2.53%
ZTO’s Return on Equity of 15.30% is on par with the norm for the Air Freight & Logistics industry, indicating its profitability relative to shareholder equity is typical for the sector.
Net Profit Margin (TTM)
LUV
1.43%
Passenger Airlines Industry
- Max
- 17.65%
- Q3
- 8.90%
- Median
- 5.80%
- Q1
- 2.02%
- Min
- -3.12%
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.
ZTO
20.76%
Air Freight & Logistics Industry
- Max
- 10.27%
- Q3
- 6.18%
- Median
- 3.96%
- Q1
- 2.32%
- Min
- 0.61%
ZTO’s Net Profit Margin of 20.76% is exceptionally high, placing it well beyond the typical range for the Air Freight & Logistics industry. This demonstrates outstanding operational efficiency and a strong competitive advantage in converting revenue into profit.
Operating Profit Margin (TTM)
LUV
1.15%
Passenger Airlines Industry
- Max
- 22.47%
- Q3
- 12.33%
- Median
- 8.62%
- Q1
- 4.43%
- Min
- -2.88%
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.
ZTO
25.33%
Air Freight & Logistics Industry
- Max
- 17.40%
- Q3
- 8.87%
- Median
- 5.89%
- Q1
- 3.03%
- Min
- 0.62%
ZTO’s Operating Profit Margin of 25.33% is exceptionally high, placing it well above the typical range for the Air Freight & Logistics industry. This demonstrates outstanding efficiency in managing its core operations, which can be a result of strong pricing power or superior cost control.
Profitability at a Glance
| Symbol | LUV | ZTO |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | 4.11% | 15.30% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | 1.20% | 10.15% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | 1.43% | 20.76% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | 1.15% | 25.33% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 73.31% | 29.65% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
LUV
0.56
Passenger Airlines Industry
- Max
- 1.46
- Q3
- 0.94
- Median
- 0.76
- Q1
- 0.54
- Min
- 0.17
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.
ZTO
1.05
Air Freight & Logistics Industry
- Max
- 1.83
- Q3
- 1.47
- Median
- 1.29
- Q1
- 1.05
- Min
- 0.62
ZTO’s Current Ratio of 1.05 falls into the lower quartile for the Air Freight & Logistics industry. This indicates a tighter liquidity situation and a more constrained capacity to handle short-term debt than many of its competitors.
Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)
LUV
0.51
Passenger Airlines Industry
- Max
- 9.80
- Q3
- 4.82
- Median
- 1.30
- Q1
- 0.89
- 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.
ZTO
0.27
Air Freight & Logistics Industry
- Max
- 1.57
- Q3
- 1.06
- Median
- 0.72
- Q1
- 0.30
- Min
- 0.00
Falling into the lower quartile for the Air Freight & Logistics industry, ZTO’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.27 points to a conservative financing strategy. This results in lower financial risk but potentially limits strategic investments compared to more leveraged competitors.
Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)
LUV
9.27
Passenger Airlines Industry
- Max
- 22.60
- Q3
- 16.29
- 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.
ZTO
--
Air Freight & Logistics Industry
- Max
- 49.07
- Q3
- 23.59
- Median
- 8.56
- Q1
- 5.97
- Min
- -0.60
Interest Coverage Ratio data for ZTO is currently unavailable.
Financial Strength at a Glance
| Symbol | LUV | ZTO |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | 0.56 | 1.05 |
| Quick Ratio (MRQ) | 0.45 | 0.87 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ) | 0.51 | 0.27 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | 9.27 | -- |
Growth
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
Dividend
Dividend Yield (TTM)
LUV
2.58%
Passenger Airlines Industry
- Max
- 6.71%
- Q3
- 3.95%
- Median
- 1.10%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
LUV’s Dividend Yield of 2.58% is consistent with its peers in the Passenger Airlines industry, providing a dividend return that is standard for its sector.
ZTO
0.00%
Air Freight & Logistics Industry
- Max
- 6.43%
- Q3
- 3.10%
- Median
- 2.40%
- Q1
- 0.46%
- Min
- 0.00%
ZTO currently does not pay a dividend, resulting in a yield of 0%. This is a common strategy for growth-focused companies that prioritize reinvesting earnings, though it may be less typical in mature, income-oriented sectors.
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)
LUV
59.15%
Passenger Airlines Industry
- Max
- 71.59%
- Q3
- 38.54%
- Median
- 8.16%
- 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.
ZTO
0.00%
Air Freight & Logistics Industry
- Max
- 160.95%
- Q3
- 92.80%
- Median
- 54.10%
- Q1
- 0.19%
- Min
- 0.00%
ZTO has a Dividend Payout Ratio of 0%, indicating it does not currently pay a dividend. This is a common strategy for growth-oriented companies that reinvest all profits back into the business.
Dividend at a Glance
| Symbol | LUV | ZTO |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 2.58% | 0.00% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 59.15% | 0.00% |
Valuation
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)
LUV
42.24
Passenger Airlines Industry
- Max
- 13.29
- Q3
- 11.94
- Median
- 8.78
- Q1
- 7.42
- Min
- 3.07
At 42.24, 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.
ZTO
12.01
Air Freight & Logistics Industry
- Max
- 34.55
- Q3
- 23.34
- Median
- 16.33
- Q1
- 13.38
- Min
- 6.36
In the lower quartile for the Air Freight & Logistics industry, ZTO’s P/E Ratio of 12.01 suggests the stock may be undervalued compared to its peers, potentially presenting an attractive entry point for investors.
Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)
LUV
0.60
Passenger Airlines Industry
- Max
- 1.09
- Q3
- 0.74
- Median
- 0.61
- Q1
- 0.44
- Min
- 0.09
LUV’s P/S Ratio of 0.60 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.
ZTO
2.49
Air Freight & Logistics Industry
- Max
- 2.13
- Q3
- 1.16
- Median
- 0.59
- Q1
- 0.36
- Min
- 0.18
With a P/S Ratio of 2.49, ZTO trades at a valuation that eclipses even the highest in the Air Freight & Logistics industry. This implies the market has priced in exceptionally optimistic scenarios for future revenue growth, posing considerable valuation risk.
Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)
LUV
2.31
Passenger Airlines Industry
- Max
- 3.44
- Q3
- 2.89
- Median
- 1.84
- Q1
- 1.22
- Min
- 0.56
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.
ZTO
1.82
Air Freight & Logistics Industry
- Max
- 3.13
- Q3
- 2.81
- Median
- 1.82
- Q1
- 1.20
- Min
- 0.74
ZTO’s P/B Ratio of 1.82 is within the conventional range for the Air Freight & Logistics 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.
Valuation at a Glance
| Symbol | LUV | ZTO |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM) | 42.24 | 12.01 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) | 0.60 | 2.49 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ) | 2.31 | 1.82 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM) | 44.16 | 9.58 |