Curtiss-Wright Corporation (CW) vs Southwest Airlines Co. (LUV)
CW leads on 9 of 16 compared metrics, though LUV is the cheaper stock.
A side-by-side comparison of Curtiss-Wright Corporation and Southwest Airlines Co. across valuation, profitability, dividends, and growth — built entirely from reported fundamentals, as of June 27, 2026. The ● marks the stronger figure on each row (cheaper multiple, higher margin/return).
CW
Curtiss-Wright Corporation
$747.27Industrials
LUV
Southwest Airlines Co.
$51.91Industrials
Total return — CW vs LUV
growth of $100 · last 30yCW +11003.6%LUV +859.5%CW compounded faster
Log scale — wide-divergence pair
CW LUV
CW vs LUV: by the numbers
- •CW is the larger company ($27.61B vs $25.37B market cap).
- •LUV trades at the lower earnings multiple (33.49 vs 54.70 P/E).
- •CW converts more revenue to profit (14.17% vs 2.83% net margin).
- •LUV grew revenue faster over the past five years (33.29% vs 8.60% CAGR).
- •LUV pays the higher dividend yield (1.39% vs 0.14%).
Which is better, CW or LUV?
Metric tally: CW 9 · LUV 7It depends on what you're optimizing for:
ValueLUV(lower P/E)
GrowthLUV(faster 5Y revenue CAGR)
IncomeLUV(higher dividend yield)
QualityCW(higher ROIC)
Metrics side by side
Valuation
| Metric | CW | LUV |
|---|---|---|
| P/E ratio | 54.70 | 33.49● |
| Forward P/E | 43.79 | 11.39● |
| P/S ratio | 7.68 | 0.90● |
| P/B ratio | 10.52 | 3.80● |
| PEG ratio | 1.94● | 40.83 |
| EV / EBITDA | 36.13 | 11.65● |
| FCF yield | 2.13% | — |
Profitability
| Metric | CW | LUV |
|---|---|---|
| Gross margin | 37.17%● | 16.46% |
| Operating margin | 18.48%● | 3.40% |
| Net margin | 14.17%● | 2.83% |
| ROE | 19.42%● | 11.88% |
| ROIC | 12.41%● | 1.79% |
Dividends
| Metric | CW | LUV |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend yield | 0.14% | 1.39%● |
| Payout ratio | 8.04% | 87.80% |
Growth (annualized)
| Metric | CW | LUV |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue CAGR (5Y) | 8.60% | 33.29%● |
| EPS CAGR (5Y) | 21.79%● | -24.07% |
| FCF CAGR (5Y) | 8.67%● | -15.91% |
| Total return CAGR (5Y) | 44.15%● | 0.63% |
Frequently asked
- Which is better, CW or LUV?
- It depends on your goal. value: LUV (lower P/E); growth: LUV (faster 5Y revenue CAGR); income: LUV (higher dividend yield); quality: CW (higher ROIC). Across all compared metrics, CW leads 9 to 7.
- Is CW or LUV cheaper?
- On trailing earnings, LUV is cheaper: CW trades at a 54.70 P/E and LUV at 33.49.
- Which has grown faster, CW or LUV?
- Over the past five years, LUV grew revenue faster — CW at a 8.60% CAGR versus LUV at 33.29%.
- Does CW or LUV pay a bigger dividend?
- CW yields 0.14% and LUV yields 1.39% based on trailing dividends and the latest price.
- Is CW or LUV more profitable?
- CW runs the higher net margin — CW at 14.17% versus LUV at 2.83%.
- Which has been the better investment, CW or LUV?
- Over the past 10-year, CW delivered the higher annualized total return — CW at 25.54% versus LUV at 4.35%. Past performance doesn't predict future results.
Go deeper
Dig into the metrics
Curtiss-Wright P/E ratioSouthwest Airlines P/E ratioCurtiss-Wright dividend yieldSouthwest Airlines dividend yieldCurtiss-Wright ROESouthwest Airlines ROECurtiss-Wright operating marginSouthwest Airlines operating marginCurtiss-Wright revenue growthSouthwest Airlines revenue growthCurtiss-Wright free cash flowSouthwest Airlines free cash flow
Curtiss-Wright & Southwest Airlines appear in these rankings
Figures are sourced from reported fundamentals and the latest end-of-day price. This comparison is informational only and is not investment advice. Past performance does not predict future results. See our methodology. Compiled by TGMCharts Research · data verified June 27, 2026.