Southwest Airlines stock heads into the open after a 0.05% gain

At the close on September 9, 2026, Southwest Airlines stock finished at USD 38.69 on the NYSE, up 0.05%. UBS cut its price target to USD 49 that day, and the shares traded below their year-to-date S&P 500 benchmark return.

Southwest Airlines stock closed at USD 38.69 on the NYSE on September 9, 2026, marking a 0.05% gain for the session. Per data tied to the S&P 500 benchmark, Southwest Airlines trailed a year-to-date total return of 5.13% as of September 10, 2026.

September 9, 2026 in numbers

Southwest Airlines Co. (ISIN US8447411088, NYSE: LUV) ended trading on September 9, 2026 at USD 38.69 on the NYSE, slightly above the prior close, for a 0.05% rise on the day. According to price history data, the shares were trading below levels seen earlier in 2026, when the stock started the year at USD 41.34, implying a decline of about 6.4% from that starting point as of the September 9, 2026 close per MarketBeat data. On the same day, the stock underperformed the broader S&P 500 benchmark on a trailing total return basis as of September 10, 2026, highlighting continued relative pressure on the shares.

As MarketBeat reported on September 10, 2026, UBS Group cut its price objective on Southwest Airlines from USD 56 to USD 49 while maintaining a buy rating, and noted that the shares had recently traded around USD 38.42. The report emphasized that the stock had moved lower despite the airline previously beating quarterly earnings and revenue estimates, with cited figures of USD 0.94 earnings per share and USD 8.72 billion in revenue for the recent quarter. This combination of cautious analyst commentary and earlier fundamental strength framed sentiment around the stock in the last completed session.

Today’s drivers and events

Today, September 11, 2026, Southwest Airlines enters the US session without a newly reported company event before the opening bell, so trading is set against the backdrop of the UBS price target revision and the share’s recent underperformance versus the S&P 500 benchmark. As MT Newswires summarized on September 10, 2026, the UBS move to a USD 49 price target with a maintained buy stance kept the airline in focus among analyst-driven stories. Broader market conditions, including the performance of the S&P 500 and travel and airline peers, remain relevant for Southwest Airlines stock today, as investors weigh the impact of fuel costs, demand trends and analyst views on the company’s earnings trajectory.