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SO·The Southern Company

$85.79
+0.35 (+0.41%)
High
$85.81
Open
$85.50
Market Cap
97.75B
52W High
$100.84
Low
$85.18
P. Close
$85.79
P/E
20.99
52W Low
$81.69
Fwd P/E
17.35
DailyIQ Est.
$98.85
Inst. Ownership
-
Short Interest
2.54%
Days to Cover
5.2
Technical Score (1D)
27
BEARISH
News Sentiment
58
BULLISH
On Oct 6, Southern Co. (SO) closed at $85.44, up 1.97% from the prior day, outperforming the S&P 500, Dow, and Nasdaq. The gain followed a 4.9% decline earlier in the month, narrowing the Utilities sector’s loss. Investors noted the upcoming earnings release on Nov 5 2026, with analysts projecting modest EPS and revenue growth. The positive market movement reflected short‑term momentum rather than a fundamental shift.
LOW TARGET
$79 -7.9%
2 analysts
MEAN TARGET
$98 +14.4%
22 analysts
HIGH TARGET
$112 +30.6%
9 analysts
PRICE RANGE
$79.00 - $112.00
SB / B / H / S / SS
5/9/16/2/1
DAILYIQ EST.
$98.85 (+15.2%)
Sector
Utilities
Industry
Utilities - Regulated Electric
Exchange
NYQ
Country
United States
Symbol
SO
Description
Southern Company is a multifaceted utility enterprise primarily focused on the generation, transmission, and distribution of electricity. The company's core business involves the development and management of power generation assets, including renewable energy projects, alongside the sale of electricity to both wholesale and retail markets. Beyond electricity, Southern Company also operates in the natural gas sector, distributing it across several states and managing an extensive network of pipelines and storage facilities. Furthermore, the company provides gas marketing services and offers distributed energy solutions, digital wireless communications, and fiber optic services, positioning itself as a provider of comprehensive energy infrastructure and related services. Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, Southern Company has been in operation since 1946.
Bought (1Y)
0 shares
$0
Sold (1Y)
13,229 shares
$1.2M
EARLEY ANTHONY F JR-
Award/Grant262.07 shares2026-10-01
EARLEY ANTHONY F JR-
Award/Grant539.116 shares2026-10-01
Thomas Lizanne-
Award/Grant539.116 shares2026-10-01
Turner John M JR-
Award/Grant913.502 shares2026-10-01
MEADOR DAVID E-
Award/Grant913.502 shares2026-10-01
66/ 100
Bullish
Overall: Bullish
✓Revenue growing year over year
✓Positive net margin
✓Positive operating cash flow
Net Margin
15.0%
Revenue CAGR
3.6%
Current Ratio
0.65x
Debt / Equity
1.84x
Return on Equity
12.1%
Earnings Summary
Southern Company, a diversified utility headquartered in Atlanta, operates across electric generation, transmission, distribution, and natural gas distribution, while also offering fiber and digital services, positioning it as a comprehensive energy infrastructure provider in the regulated electric sector. In the most recent quarters, Q4 2025 revenue rose to $6.98 billion from $6.29 billion in Q3 2025, a 11.2% increase, while EPS edged up to $0.55 from $0.92 in Q2 2025, reflecting a modest 5.9% decline in earnings per share relative to the prior quarter; however, EPS still beat estimates in Q4 2025 (0.55 vs 0.56 estimate) and in Q1 2026 (1.32 vs 1.21 estimate), indicating a pattern of earnings outperformance against analyst forecasts. Historically, Southern has maintained a steady YoY revenue growth trajectory, with Q1 2026 revenue at $8.40 billion up 6.6% from the same period in 2025, and EPS growth of 9.5% year‑over‑year, underscoring consistent profitability gains even when quarterly EPS dips occur. Recent news highlights a mixed sentiment: Scotiabank’s price target cut to $93 on September 30 reflects concerns about earnings trajectory, while a comparison with Duke Energy notes similar dividend yields and capital expenditure plans, suggesting competitive pressures but stable income potential.

EPS

EstBeatMiss
$0.39$0.74$1.10$1.46$1.81Q2'25Q3'25Q4'25Q1'26Q2'26Q3'26
QtrEstActual+/−
Q3'26$1.65 - -
Q2'26$1.03$1.13+9.6%
Q1'26$1.21$1.32+8.9%
Q4'25$0.56$0.55-1.4%
Q3'25$1.51$1.60+6.0%
Q2'25$0.88$0.92+4.7%

Revenue

EstBeatMiss
$6.0B$6.7B$7.4B$8.1B$8.8BQ2'25Q3'25Q4'25Q1'26Q2'26Q3'26
QtrEstActual+/−
Q3'26$8.5B - -
Q2'26$7.5B$7.0B-6.4%
Q1'26$8.1B$8.4B+3.6%
Q4'25$6.3B$7.0B+10.9%
Q3'25 - $7.8B -
Q2'25 - $7.0B -

Market Data

SO Stock Snapshot

BEARISH27/100
$85.79+$0.35 (0.4%)
Market cap
97.75B
P/E ratio
21.0
Day range
$85.18 – $85.81
News sentiment
58/100 · Neutral
Analyst target
$98.13 (+14.4%)
Consensus
Hold · 33 analysts
52-week range+5.0% off low · -14.9% from high
$81.69$100.84
Price $85.79 DailyIQ Est. $98.85

SO's technical picture is under pressure, with momentum working against price. The stock is liquid enough that positioning changes get absorbed without distorting the trend.

Behaviour On Record

What SO's own history says about today's numbers

Realized volatility (21d)
14.3% 31st pct
Below its peak
-16.0%
vs 200-day average
-9.1%
Up days (1y)
49%

The Southern Company is currently running 14.3% annualised volatility over the last 21 sessions. Measured against SO's own 13 years of daily returns rather than a market-wide average, that is the 31st percentile — on the quiet side for this stock, against a typical reading of 16.3%. The distinction matters because a number that looks calm for one stock is turbulent for another, and the absolute figure on its own tells you neither.

SO is trading -16.0% below its running peak. Across 12 full years on file, its median worst-drawdown-in-a-year was -14.1%, and the deepest was -38.9% in 2020. The current drawdown is already deeper than this stock's typical annual low point, which puts it in the part of its range where past recoveries began — and where past declines also continued.

Price sits -9.1% from its 200-day moving average. Against every other day in its history, that gap ranks at the 5th percentile — a narrower gap than it typically runs. Over the past year SO closed higher on 49% of sessions, and it is currently 3 sessions into a rising streak.

On October specifically: over 13 years of records, SO finished the month higher 10 of 13 times, with a median return of +1.7% and an average of +2.1%. Its strongest month historically has been March at +3.0% on average, its weakest August at -2.1%. Seasonality is a weak signal on its own — a decade is a small sample and regimes change — but it is a real distribution rather than a rule of thumb.

Overnight risk is measurable too: SO has opened more than 2% away from the prior close in 33 of 3,267 sessions (1.0% of the time), with the largest gaps running +4.9% and -3.1%. For anyone holding through an event, that rate is a better guide to overnight exposure than the intraday range.

Across the last 3 dated reports on file, SO moved an average of 0.8% in the session after earnings, closing higher 2 of those 3 times, with a median move of +0.1% and a largest of -1.3%.

All figures computed from 3,268 daily closes between 2013-10-07 and 2026-10-05, split-adjusted, recomputed daily. Percentiles are against SO's own 13-year history, not a peer group or index.

Sector Rotation

Is money rotating into or out of SO's sector?

The Southern Company sits in the Utilities sector, currently ranked 9th of 12 GICS sectors by relative-strength rotation score (improving).

Sector rank
#9 of 12
Sector state
Improving
Sector rotation score
64

Options Market

What is the options market pricing for SO?

CallsPuts

For The Southern Company's nearest expiry (2026-10-09, 2 days out), open interest is call-heavy, a bullish tilt (put/call ratio of 0.28), with at-the-money implied volatility around 20.7%. The options market is pricing roughly a ±1.5% move by that expiry — a range of about $84.46–$86.96.

Put/call ratio (2026-10-09)
0.28
ATM implied volatility
20.7%
Total open interest
2,958
Expected move by 2026-10-09
±1.5% ($84.46–$86.96)

Analyst Rating Changes

Are analysts turning bullish or bearish on SO?

Citigroup most recently reiterated its rating on The Southern Company to Buy on Sep 25, 2026 with a price target of $104 (from $114). Over the last 90 days, coverage has run 0 upgrades against 1 downgrade, a net bearish lean.

Latest action
Citigroup — Buy
90-day upgrades
0
90-day downgrades
1
Net rating momentum
-1
DateFirmActionRatingPrice target
Sep 25, 2026CitigroupMaintainedBuy$114 → $104
Sep 18, 2026Morgan StanleyMaintainedUnderweight$89 → $85
Aug 21, 2026Morgan StanleyMaintainedUnderweight$92 → $89
Aug 13, 2026Truist SecuritiesMaintainedHold$100 → $97
Jul 27, 2026BMO CapitalMaintainedOutperform$102 → $104
Jul 23, 2026KeybancDowngradeSector Weight → Underweight$79
Jul 22, 2026BMO CapitalMaintainedOutperform$105 → $102
Jul 16, 2026JP MorganMaintainedNeutral$101 → $104
Jun 18, 2026BarclaysMaintainedEqual-Weight$99 → $98
May 29, 2026Truist SecuritiesMaintainedHold$103 → $100
Apr 21, 2026Morgan StanleyMaintainedUnderweight$94 → $92
Apr 21, 2026Truist SecuritiesInitiatedHold$103

SO Competitive Positioning

The Southern Company (SO) is tracked alongside these names in Utilities - Regulated Electric on DailyIQ — ranked by market cap, with today's move alongside.

News Sentiment Analysis

Sentiment gathered from recent headlines

58/100
Strong NegativeNeutralStrong Positive
MODERATELY BULLISH

Recent News Coverage

Most recent articles, ranked by recency (click to expand).

10+ articles
What did this article say?
On October 6, Southern Co. (SO) closed at $85.44, up 1.97% from the prior day, outperforming the S&P 500, Dow, and Nasdaq. The gain followed a 4.9% decline earlier in the month, narrowing the Utilities sector’s loss. Investors noted the upcoming earnings release on November 5, 2026, with analysts projecting modest EPS and revenue growth. The positive market movement reflects short‑term momentum rather than a fundamental shift.
What did this article say?
The article compared Southern Company (SO) and Duke Energy, noting both utilities offer yields near 4% and have increased dividends by 2 cents per quarter since 2020. Southern projects 8%‑9% earnings growth through 2028, while Duke expects 5%‑7% through 2030. Southern plans to raise $1.1 billion in capital expenditures by 2030, whereas Duke intends to issue $10 billion of new stock between 2027 and 2030. Both companies maintain dividend payout ratios of roughly two‑thirds of adjusted earnings, a typical practice for utilities. The comparison suggests no significant material difference between the two for income‑focused investors.
What did this article say?
Southern Energy Corp. announced that its annual general and special meeting was held on September 30, 2026, and all shareholder resolutions were approved. The company elected Paul Baay and Danny Labelle to the Board of Directors and re‑elected existing directors Ian Atkinson, Steven Smith, and John Joseph Nally. Both new directors were appointed as non‑executive members effective September 30, 2026, while former chair Bruce Beynon retired from the board. The changes represent routine governance updates with no immediate operational impact.
What did this article say?
The article compared Southern Company (SO) and NextEra Energy (NEE) as retirement income options, noting SO’s higher current yield of 3.6% versus NEE’s 3.15%. It highlighted SO’s lower beta and locked-in base rates through 2029 as factors that could make its payout more reliable. Conversely, NEE’s guidance for 10% annual dividend growth was presented as a stronger long‑term growth driver. The piece concluded that while SO offers a more stable income stream, NEE’s growth potential may appeal to wealth builders. No material corporate action or earnings surprise was reported.
What did this article say?
Scotiabank reduced its price target for Southern Company (SO) from $103 to $93, signaling a more cautious outlook. The bank maintained a sector perform rating, indicating it still views the company as a solid investment relative to peers. The downgrade reflects concerns about Southern’s earnings trajectory and competitive pressures in the utility sector. Analysts noted that the new target aligns with a more conservative earnings forecast for the upcoming fiscal year. This adjustment may influence investor sentiment and trading activity for SO shares.
What did this article say?
Southern Co. (SO) closed at $83.45 on September 29, up 1.34% from the prior day, outperforming the S&P 500’s 0.17% decline. The power company’s shares had previously fallen 6.42% before narrowing the gap with the Utilities sector’s 7.05% loss. Investors are anticipating the company’s earnings announcement on November 5, 2026, where analysts forecast earnings of $1.65 per share and revenue of $8.34 billion for the quarter. Consensus estimates project a 3.13% year‑over‑year earnings growth and a 6.56% revenue increase. The market’s modest upside for SO reflects a cautious yet positive outlook as the company prepares to report its financial results.
What did this article say?
Southern Company (SO) fell to a new 52‑week low, reflecting broader market pressure on dividend‑growth stocks. The company’s dividend yield remains attractive, but the price decline signals short‑term weakness. Investors noted that the low price may present a buying opportunity for long‑term holders. The drop is consistent with a broader trend of dividend‑growth names trading at lower multiples.
What did this article say?
President Donald Trump filed purchases of Southern Company (SO) in July, marking a pure buy without any accompanying sell activity. In contrast, billionaire-led funds reduced their holdings in SO during the same period, with the number of funds holding the stock falling from 22 to 17 and the combined dollar value declining from $1.08 billion to $624 million. The net effect suggests a bullish signal from a high-profile investor while institutional sellers retreat. This juxtaposition may signal a potential short-term upside for SO, though the magnitude remains modest.
What did this article say?
Ladenburg Thalmann reduced its price target for Southern Co. from $96.50 to $85.50 while maintaining a neutral rating. The downgrade reflects concerns about the company’s earnings outlook and competitive pressures in the energy sector. The analyst noted that the new target still aligns with the broader market consensus of a hold rating. This adjustment signals a modest negative view but does not indicate a severe or immediate threat to the company’s valuation.
What did this article say?
The article explains how many Southern Company shares are required to generate $300 in monthly dividend income, based on the company’s 3.7% annualized yield. It calculates that 1,188 shares would produce $3,600 in yearly dividends, equivalent to about $98,485 at current prices. The piece notes that Southern Company pays dividends quarterly, so the monthly cash flow would be split accordingly. No new guidance, contracts, or material events are discussed, making the information purely educational.

Technical Analysis

Real-time indicators across multiple timeframes

27
BEARISH
Technical indicators reflect the latest computed signal mix for this timeframe.
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Congressional Trading Activity
10 disclosed trades · ~$80.0K est. traded value · 4 buys, 6 sells
MemberChamberStateTypeAmountTradedFiled
Valerie HoyleHouseOR04▼ Sell$1K - $15K2025-09-232025-10-10
Marjorie Taylor GreeneHouseGA14▲ Buy$1K - $15K2025-08-282025-08-29
Jared MoskowitzHouseFL23▲ Buy$1K - $15K2025-04-072025-05-09
Shelley Moore CapitoSenateWV▼ Sell$1K - $15K2017-08-182017-09-11
Patty MurraySenateWA▼ Sell$1K - $15K2017-06-152017-06-22
Bill CassidySenateLA▼ Sell$1K - $15K2017-03-292017-04-26
Patty MurraySenateWA▲ Buy$1K - $15K2017-03-162017-03-21
Sheldon WhitehouseSenateRI▼ Sell$1K - $15K2016-09-222016-10-07
Bill CassidySenateLA▼ Sell$1K - $15K2016-07-152016-07-27
Bill CassidySenateLA▲ Buy$1K - $15K2016-03-312017-12-06