Southwest Airlines Co. (NYSE: LUV) is one of the most successful and popular low-cost carriers in the United States. The company flies more than 4,000 flights every day to over 100 destinations in the U.S. and 10 other countries. Southwest Airlines has a market value of about $18 billion as of September 2021.

But who are the people behind Southwest Airlines? Who are the main Shareholders who have a stake in the company’s success and future? In this article, we will explore the ownership structure of Southwest Airlines and reveal the largest shareholders in the company.

Institutional Shareholders

Institutional shareholders are organizations that invest in stocks, bonds, and other securities on behalf of their clients or members. These include mutual funds, pension funds, hedge funds, banks, insurance companies, and other financial institutions. Institutional shareholders usually have large amounts of money and can influence the management and direction of the companies they invest in.

According to the latest data from Yahoo Finance, institutional shareholders own 78.03% of the total shares of Southwest Airlines as of June 2021. This means that out of the 595.3 million shares that the company has issued, 464.6 million are held by institutional investors. This percentage is higher than the average of 71.5% for the airlines industry.

The top 10 institutional shareholders of Southwest Airlines are:

• The Vanguard Group, Inc.: 11.08% of total shares, or 65.9 million shares
• PRIMECAP Management Company: 8.40% of total shares, or 50 million shares
• State Street Corporation: 6.73% of total shares, or 40.1 million shares
• BlackRock, Inc.: 5.57% of total shares, or 33.1 million shares
• T. Rowe Price Associates, Inc.: 4.31% of total shares, or 25.6 million shares
• T. Rowe Price Investment Management, Inc.: 3.07% of total shares, or 18.2 million shares
• Capital World Investors: 2.55% of total shares, or 15.1 million shares
• Geode Capital Management, LLC: 2.10% of total shares, or 12.4 million shares
• Ameriprise Financial, Inc.: 2.00% of total shares, or 11.9 million shares
• Barrow, Hanley, Mewhinney & Strauss, LLC: 1.90% of total shares, or 11.2 million shares

These 10 institutional shareholders together own 47.71% of the total shares of Southwest Airlines, or 284.1 million shares. The largest institutional shareholder, The Vanguard Group, is also the largest shareholder overall, with a stake worth about $1.9 billion as of June 2021.

Mutual Fund Shareholders

Mutual fund shareholders are individual or institutional investors who buy shares of a mutual fund, which is a pooled investment vehicle that invests in a portfolio of securities, such as stocks, bonds, or other assets. The Mutual Fund Shareholders benefit from the diversification, professional management, and liquidity that mutual funds offer. Mutual fund shareholders typically have a long-term investment horizon and seek capital growth, income, or both.

According to the latest data from Yahoo Finance, mutual fund shareholders own 48.93% of the total shares of Southwest Airlines as of June 2021. This means that out of the 595.3 million shares that the company has issued, 291.3 million are held by mutual fund investors. This percentage is higher than the average of 44.4% for the airlines industry.

The top 10 mutual fund shareholders of Southwest Airlines are:

• Vanguard PRIMECAP Fund: 4.27% of total shares, or 25.4 million shares
• Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund: 3.11% of total shares, or 18.5 million shares
• Vanguard 500 Index Fund: 2.38% of total shares, or 14.1 million shares
• Vanguard Mid-Cap Index Fund: 2.32% of total shares, or 13.7 million shares
• T. Rowe Price Mid Cap Growth Fund: 1.51% of total shares, or 8.9 million shares
• Vanguard Horizon Fund-Capital Opportunity Fund: 1.29% of total shares, or 7.7 million shares
• SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust: 1.13% of total shares, or 6.7 million shares
• Fidelity 500 Index Fund: 1.12% of total shares, or 6.6 million shares
• Vanguard PRIMECAP Core Fund: 1.03% of total shares, or 6.1 million shares
• T. Rowe Price Mid-Cap Value Fund: 0.97% of total shares, or 5.8 million shares

These 10 mutual fund shareholders together own 19.08% of the total shares of Southwest Airlines, or 113.6 million shares. The largest mutual fund shareholder, Vanguard PRIMECAP Fund, is also the second largest shareholder overall, with a stake worth about $736 million as of June 2021.

Individual Shareholders

Individual shareholders are investors who buy and sell stocks, bonds, and other securities for their own personal accounts, rather than for an organization or a group. The individual shareholders usually have a smaller amount of money and a shorter investment horizon than institutional or mutual fund shareholders. The individual shareholders may have various financial goals, such as saving for retirement, education, or a major purchase.

According to the latest data from Yahoo Finance, individual shareholders own 10.27% of the total shares of Southwest Airlines as of June 2021. This means that out of the 595.3 million shares that the company has issued, 61.1 million are held by individual investors. This percentage is lower than the average of 14.4% for the airlines industry.

The top 10 individual shareholders of Southwest Airlines are:

• Gary C. Kelly: 0.16% of total shares, or 0.9 million shares
• Thomas W. Gilligan: 0.07% of total shares, or 0.4 million shares
• Tammy Romo: 0.06% of total shares, or 0.3 million shares
• Robert E. Jordan: 0.05% of total shares, or 0.3 million shares
• Michael G. Van De Ven: 0.05% of total shares, or 0.3 million shares
• Mark R. Shaw: 0.04% of total shares, or 0.2 million shares
• William H. Dr Cunningham: 0.03% of total shares, or 0.2 million shares
• John G. Denison: 0.03% of total shares, or 0.2 million shares
• Douglas H. Brooks: 0.03% of total shares, or 0.2 million shares
• Nancy B. Loeffler: 0.03% of total shares, or 0.2 million shares

These 10 individual shareholders together own 0.54% of the total shares of Southwest Airlines, or 3.2 million shares. The largest individual shareholder, Gary C. Kelly, is also the chairman and CEO of the company, with a stake worth about $26 million as of June 2021.

Summary

Southwest Airlines is a leading player in the U.S. airline industry, with a loyal customer base, a strong brand, and a profitable business model. The company’s shareholders include institutional investors, mutual fund investors, and individual investors, who have different levels of ownership, influence, and interest in the company’s success and future.

The largest shareholder in Southwest Airlines is The Vanguard Group, Inc., which owns 11.08% of the total shares, followed by PRIMECAP Management Company, which owns 8.40% of the total shares. The largest individual shareholder is Gary C. Kelly, who owns 0.16% of the total shares and is also the chairman and CEO of the company.

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