Within the last quarter, Southwest Airlines LUV has observed the following analyst ratings:

7 analysts offering 12-month price targets in the last 3 months for Southwest Airlines evaluate the company at an average price target of $67.29 with a high of $80.00 and a low of $60.00.

This current average has increased by 30.41% from the previous average price target of $51.6.

Analyst Ratings: What Are They?

Analysts work in banking and financial systems and typically specialize in reporting for stocks or defined sectors. Analysts may attend company conference calls and meetings, research company financial statements, and communicate with insiders to publish "analyst ratings" for stocks. Analysts typically rate each stock once per quarter.

Related content: Benzinga's Full Analyst Ratings Calendar

Analysts can recommend "buy", "sell", "hold", or similar verbage for each stock based on that company's recent performance. "Buy" indicates that an analyst is optimistic about a stock's short-term or mid-term growth and is a recommendation to purchase the stock. On the other hand, "Sell" implies that an analyst forecasts a downwards trend for the stock. "Hold" suggests that investors should maintain their positions on that stock because of forecasted stagnation or lack of new information.

Some analysts will also offer forecasts for metrics like growth estimates, earnings, and revenue to provide further guidance on stocks. Investors who use analyst ratings should note that this specialized advice comes from humans and may be subject to error.