Southwest Airlines (LUV) reported $6.43 billion in revenue for the quarter ended March 2025, representing a year-over-year increase of 1.6%. EPS of -$0.13 for the same period compares to -$0.36 a year ago.
The reported revenue represents a surprise of +0.40% over the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $6.4 billion. With the consensus EPS estimate being -$0.18, the EPS surprise was +27.78%.
While investors closely watch year-over-year changes in headline numbers -- revenue and earnings -- and how they compare to Wall Street expectations to determine their next course of action, some key metrics always provide a better insight into a company's underlying performance.
Since these metrics play a crucial role in driving the top- and bottom-line numbers, comparing them with the year-ago numbers and what analysts estimated about them helps investors better project a stock's price performance.
Here is how Southwest performed in the just reported quarter in terms of the metrics most widely monitored and projected by Wall Street analysts:
- Load factor: 73.9% compared to the 81.3% average estimate based on five analysts.
- CASM, excluding Fuel and oil expense, special items, and profitsharing expense: 12.81 cents compared to the 12.99 cents average estimate based on four analysts.
- Available seat miles (ASMs): 41.43 billion compared to the 41.32 billion average estimate based on four analysts.
- Revenue passenger miles (RPMs): 30.63 billion compared to the 33.52 billion average estimate based on four analysts.
- Revenue Per Available Seat Mile (RASM): 15.51 cents versus the four-analyst average estimate of 15.53 cents.
- Passenger revenue per ASM (PRASM): 14.02 cents versus 14.02 cents estimated by four analysts on average.
- Passenger revenue yield per RPM: 18.97 cents versus 17.3 cents estimated by three analysts on average.
- Fuel consumed: 500 Mgal versus 502.23 Mgal estimated by three analysts on average.
- Fuel costs per gallon, including fuel tax: 2.49 $/gal compared to the 2.51 $/gal average estimate based on three analysts.
- Operating Revenues- Passenger [$M]: $5.81 billion compared to the $5.80 billion average estimate based on six analysts. The reported number represents a change of +1.7% year over year.
- Operating Revenues- Other: $576 million compared to the $587.23 million average estimate based on six analysts. The reported number represents a change of +0.2% year over year.
- Operating Revenues- Freight [$M]: $41 million compared to the $46.16 million average estimate based on six analysts. The reported number represents a change of -2.4% year over year.
View all Key Company Metrics for Southwest here>>>
Shares of Southwest have returned -28.6% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's -6.6% change. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), indicating that it could perform in line with the broader market in the near term.
Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report
Southwest Airlines Co. (LUV): Free Stock Analysis ReportThis article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).
Zacks Investment Research
