J.B. Hunt Transport Services, Inc. (JBHT) vs Southwest Airlines Co. (LUV)
JBHT leads on 9 of 16 compared metrics, though LUV is the cheaper stock.
A side-by-side comparison of J.B. Hunt Transport Services, Inc. and Southwest Airlines Co. across valuation, profitability, dividends, and growth — built entirely from reported fundamentals, as of June 25, 2026. The ● marks the stronger figure on each row (cheaper multiple, higher margin/return).
JBHT
J.B. Hunt Transport Services, Inc.
$274.68Industrials
LUV
Southwest Airlines Co.
$52.09Industrials
Total return — JBHT vs LUV
growth of $100 · last 30yJBHT +5275.3%LUV +805.9%JBHT compounded faster
Log scale — wide-divergence pair
JBHT LUV
JBHT vs LUV: by the numbers
- •JBHT is the larger company ($25.90B vs $25.46B market cap).
- •LUV trades at the lower earnings multiple (33.61 vs 42.52 P/E).
- •JBHT converts more revenue to profit (5.13% vs 2.83% net margin).
- •LUV grew revenue faster over the past five years (33.29% vs 4.00% CAGR).
- •LUV pays the higher dividend yield (1.38% vs 0.65%).
Which is better, JBHT or LUV?
Metric tally: JBHT 9 · LUV 7It depends on what you're optimizing for:
ValueLUV(lower P/E)
GrowthLUV(faster 5Y revenue CAGR)
IncomeLUV(higher dividend yield)
QualityJBHT(higher ROIC)
Metrics side by side
Valuation
| Metric | JBHT | LUV |
|---|---|---|
| P/E ratio | 42.52 | 33.61● |
| Forward P/E | 29.92 | 11.44● |
| P/S ratio | 2.16 | 0.91● |
| P/B ratio | 7.28 | 3.81● |
| PEG ratio | 3.42● | 40.83 |
| EV / EBITDA | 17.46 | 10.91● |
| FCF yield | 3.95% | — |
Profitability
| Metric | JBHT | LUV |
|---|---|---|
| Gross margin | 17.28%● | 16.46% |
| Operating margin | 7.36%● | 3.40% |
| Net margin | 5.13%● | 2.83% |
| ROE | 17.31%● | 11.88% |
| ROIC | 9.32%● | 1.79% |
Dividends
| Metric | JBHT | LUV |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend yield | 0.65% | 1.38%● |
| Payout ratio | 29.08% | 87.80% |
Growth (annualized)
| Metric | JBHT | LUV |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue CAGR (5Y) | 4.00% | 33.29%● |
| EPS CAGR (5Y) | 5.02%● | -24.07% |
| FCF CAGR (5Y) | 13.09%● | -15.91% |
| Total return CAGR (5Y) | 12.17%● | 0.70% |
Frequently asked
- Which is better, JBHT or LUV?
- It depends on your goal. value: LUV (lower P/E); growth: LUV (faster 5Y revenue CAGR); income: LUV (higher dividend yield); quality: JBHT (higher ROIC). Across all compared metrics, JBHT leads 9 to 7.
- Is JBHT or LUV cheaper?
- On trailing earnings, LUV is cheaper: JBHT trades at a 42.52 P/E and LUV at 33.61.
- Which has grown faster, JBHT or LUV?
- Over the past five years, LUV grew revenue faster — JBHT at a 4.00% CAGR versus LUV at 33.29%.
- Does JBHT or LUV pay a bigger dividend?
- JBHT yields 0.65% and LUV yields 1.38% based on trailing dividends and the latest price.
- Is JBHT or LUV more profitable?
- JBHT runs the higher net margin — JBHT at 5.13% versus LUV at 2.83%.
- Which has been the better investment, JBHT or LUV?
- Over the past 10-year, JBHT delivered the higher annualized total return — JBHT at 14.43% versus LUV at 4.39%. Past performance doesn't predict future results.
Go deeper
Dig into the metrics
J.B. Hunt Transport Services P/E ratioSouthwest Airlines P/E ratioJ.B. Hunt Transport Services dividend yieldSouthwest Airlines dividend yieldJ.B. Hunt Transport Services ROESouthwest Airlines ROEJ.B. Hunt Transport Services operating marginSouthwest Airlines operating marginJ.B. Hunt Transport Services revenue growthSouthwest Airlines revenue growthJ.B. Hunt Transport Services free cash flowSouthwest Airlines free cash flow
J.B. Hunt Transport Services & 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 25, 2026.