Southwest Airlines and TJX Hit New 52-Week Highs: Which Is More Likely to Fly Higher in 2026 and beyond?

Market Overview - On Tuesday, the NYSE and Nasdaq recorded 56 and 99 new 52-week highs, respectively, while also seeing 42 and 256 new 52-week lows, indicating a bearish trend in the market [1] - The S&P 500 has fallen for three consecutive days, with new lows outpacing new highs significantly [1] Economic Insights - Gina Bolvin from Bolvin Wealth Management Group commented that the current economic data suggests a slowing economy, with job growth stabilizing but showing signs of weakness [2] Company Performance - Southwest Airlines (LUV) and TJX Companies (TJX) were among the new highs on the NYSE, with LUV achieving its 18th new high and TJX its 31st in the past year [2] - Year-to-date, Southwest's stock has increased over 25%, while TJX's share price has risen by more than 28%, both significantly outperforming the S&P 500 [3] Stock Analysis - Southwest Airlines' stock has shown strong performance in recent trading days, with daily gains recorded between 1.06% and 4.4% [4] - In the four weeks ending December 15, Southwest's stock had weekly gains of 6.13%, 8.73%, 8.77%, and 2.43%, leading to a year-to-date increase of over 25% [4] Operational Metrics - Concerns regarding Southwest Airlines include operational deficiencies, financial stability, and an overvalued stock price [5] - In Q3 2025, Southwest's cost per available seat mile (CASM) was 15.17 cents, a 0.4% increase from the previous year, while the revenue per available seat mile (RASM) was 15.25 cents, also up by 0.4% year-over-year [6]