Southern Company (SO)

In the past six months (July 2025 - January 2026), Southern Co. (SO) stock has trended down by 5.38%. In October 2025, Southern reported Q3 earnings of $1.60 EPS, beating analysts' consensus. In December 2025, the company paid a quarterly dividend of $0.74 per share. Mizuho and UBS Group cut their price targets on Southern, maintaining a neutral rating. An article highlighted Southern Company as a high-yield dividend stock. In January 2026, Southern Co. shares closed down as multiple analysts downgraded or maintained cautious stances. The stock price was $87.55 on January 13, 2026. SO stock has trended up by 4.81% in the past year.

Demand for The Southern Co.'s products and services exhibits seasonality, particularly for electricity and natural gas. Electricity sales are influenced by weather conditions, with higher demand during extreme temperatures. The company also experiences consistent demand from economic development in its service territories, including a significant increase in demand from hyperscale data centers and industrial growth.

The Southern Co. is an energy company operating as a holding company primarily engaged in the generation and sale of electricity and the distribution of natural gas. It operates within the Utilities sector, specifically in the Electric Utilities industry. Its business is structured into three main segments: Traditional Electric Operating Companies, Southern Power, and Southern Company Gas. Traditional Electric Operating Companies are vertically integrated utilities that own generation, transmission, and distribution facilities, supplying electric services. Southern Power focuses on constructing, acquiring, owning, and managing generation assets, including renewable energy projects, and sells electricity in the wholesale market. Southern Company Gas distributes natural gas through its distribution facilities and provides gas marketing services. The company's major products include electricity generated from a diverse portfolio of sources and natural gas distribution services, as well as wholesale electricity, telecommunications, and fiber optics services.

The Southern Co. serves approximately 9 million gas and electric utility customers across six states. Its Traditional Electric Operating Companies provide electric services in Alabama, Georgia, Florida, and Mississippi. Southern Company Gas distributes natural gas in Illinois, Georgia, Virginia, New Jersey, Florida, Tennessee, and Maryland. Southern Power's wholesale electricity operations extend across 15 states with 55 facilities. The company's regulated regional electric utilities cover a 120,000-square-mile territory.

The Southern Co. has maintained a strong brand reputation in the past year, receiving several accolades in 2024. It was ranked the #1 most admired electric and gas utility company worldwide by Fortune Magazine. Georgia Power, a subsidiary, was recognized by J.D. Power as the leading utility in the South for Electric Utility Business Customer Satisfaction. Southern Company received a top score on the Disability Equality Index and was recognized as a Military Friendly® Employer. It also earned a score of 100 on the Corporate Equality Index. The Southern Company system reliably served a historic amount of electricity and demonstrated resilience during Hurricane Helene in 2024. Mississippi Power announced that 95% of its customers are now served by a self-healing network.

Institutional investors hold a significant majority of The Southern Co.'s shares, ranging from 54.30% to 71% as of August 2025. Major institutional owners include Vanguard Group Inc., BlackRock, Inc., JPMorgan Chase & Co., State Street Corp, Capital World Investors, Geode Capital Management, Llc, and Price T Rowe Associates Inc /md/. Individual insider ownership remains below 1%, although board members hold substantial personal investments. The general public holds approximately 29% to 30% ownership.