SO
Southern Company
$93.43
▲ 0.4%Updated Today 7:15 PM ET
▲ Up 5.0% over the last 12 months
Market Cap
$104.94B
P/E
24x
Forward P/E (est.)
25.62x
ROE
12.3%
Revenue Growth
8.7%
EPS Growth
-6.3%
Profit Margin
15.1%
FCF Yield
7.4%
Debt / Equity
2.02x
ROIC
16.0%
Interest Coverage
—
Current Ratio
0.65x
Dividend Yield
3.2%
Implied Growth (rev. DCF)
—
Rating Score
48/100
Technical analysis reads price and volume to judge momentum and timing. It complements the fundamentals above — it does not replace them. Here is what SO's chart says today, with each tool explained.
Trend — moving averages. A moving average is the average closing price over a window, which smooths out daily noise. SO trades near $93.43, around its 50-day average ($93.73) and 200-day average ($92.51). Price tangled in its moving averages means there is no clear trend — the stock is ranging.
Momentum — RSI. The Relative Strength Index runs 0–100 and measures how strong recent gains are versus losses. Above 70 is "overbought", below 30 "oversold". At 50 it is in neutral territory — neither stretched nor washed out.
MACD. MACD compares two moving averages to flag shifts in momentum. Its histogram is currently positive — short-term momentum is improving.
Volatility — ATR. Average True Range is the typical daily move. SO's is $1.95 (~2.1% of price), so swings of about that size each day are normal — handy for setting a stop that isn't too tight.
Support & resistance. Over the last month SO found buyers near $89.02 (support) and sellers near $95.29 (resistance); its 52-week range is $83.80–$100.84. A decisive break beyond either edge often marks the next move.
Volume. The latest session traded 1.2× the 20-day average — about normal. Rising volume on up-days suggests real buying; on down-days, real selling.
Educational information to help you read a chart — not a recommendation or a forecast. It updates daily as the price and indicators change.
Southern Company (SO) is a large-cap company in the Electric Utilities industry, part of the Utilities sector of the S&P 500, with a market value around $104.94B.
In its latest reported year it generated about $29.55B in revenue and $4.34B in net profit.
Our model rates SO Neutral (48/100) on growth, profitability, financial health, and valuation. The summary below is built from its filed financials and current ratios and refreshes automatically.
4Y CAGR
6.3%
Revenue moved from $23.11B in 2021 to $29.55B in 2025, a 6.3% compound annual growth rate. The most recent year grew a steady 8.7% year over year. Slower, mature growth is common for established businesses.
Gross Margin
40.0%
Operating Margin
24.7%
Net Margin
14.7%
ROE
12.3%
Southern Company keeps about 15.1% of each sales dollar as net profit, with a 40.0% gross margin and 24.7% operating margin. Return on equity is 12.3% and return on invested capital about 16.0%. Margins this wide usually signal pricing power or a cost advantage.
Total Debt
—
Net Debt
—
Net Debt / EBITDA
—
Debt / Equity
2.02x
Leverage: debt-to-equity is 2.0x, with a current ratio of 0.7x. That is elevated leverage, which raises risk if earnings or rates move against it.
Operating CF
$9.80B
Free Cash Flow
-$2.94B
FCF Margin
-9.9%
In the latest year Southern Company produced about $9.80B of operating cash flow but negative free cash flow as it invested heavily. That is a free-cash-flow yield of about 7.4% on today's price. Strong cash generation funds dividends, buybacks, and reinvestment.
P/E
24x
P/S
3.75x
P/B
2.63x
EV / EBITDA
7.91x
SO trades at 24.0x trailing earnings (about 25.6x on estimated forward earnings), 3.8x sales, and 2.6x book value. That is a fairly typical valuation for a profitable company.
Where this stock sits versus what most companies trade at.
Typical ranges are general references (e.g., many stocks trade at ~18–26x earnings), not hard rules. Context only — not investment advice.
How SO stacks up against its Utilities peers — valuation, profitability, and growth versus the sector median.
In the Utilities sector (31 S&P 500 companies), SO ranks #23 of 31 by our overall rating. It trades at roughly in line versus the sector on earnings (24x P/E vs. 21.8x median) with a higher return on equity (12.3% vs. 10.4%) and slower revenue growth (8.7% vs. 9.0%).
P/E vs sector
24x
median 21.8x
ROE vs sector
12.3%
median 10.4%
Growth vs sector
8.7%
median 9.0%
Sector rank
#23
of 31 by rating
Valuation vs. quality map
The sweet spot is upper-left: more profitable (higher ROE) for a lower P/E. Dashed lines mark the sector median.
Peers are the closest Utilities companies by sub-industry and size. Sector median is across all 31 S&P 500 names in the sector. Educational, not a recommendation.
Project revenue → earnings → price. Edit the assumptions to build your own case.
2030 price target (Base Case)
$84.71 – $145.21
vs. $93.43 today · expected CAGR -2% – 9%
| Metric | 2026 | 2027 | 2028 | 2029 | 2030 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue | $32.21B | $35.11B | $38.27B | $41.72B | $45.47B |
| Net income | $4.83B | $5.27B | $5.74B | $6.26B | $6.82B |
| EPS | $4.29 | $4.67 | $5.09 | $5.55 | $6.05 |
| Share price (low) | $60.01 | $65.41 | $71.30 | $77.71 | $84.71 |
| Share price (high) | $102.87 | $112.13 | $122.22 | $133.22 | $145.21 |
| CAGR (low–high) | -36% / 10% | -16% / 10% | -9% / 9% | -5% / 9% | -2% / 9% |
Educational model on sample fundamentals — not a forecast or investment advice. Outputs are only as good as your assumptions.
The case for SO:
- High net margins (15.1%) point to pricing power or efficiency.
- Healthy free-cash-flow yield (~7.4%) funds buybacks and dividends.
- Pays a 3.2% dividend on top of any price gains.
The case against SO:
- Elevated leverage (debt/equity 2.0x) adds financial risk.
- Like any single stock, it is exposed to competition, the economic cycle, and shifts in its end markets.
Balance-sheet risk — debt/equity of 2.0x magnifies the impact of higher rates or weaker earnings.
Market risk — sector rotation, the economic cycle, and broad sentiment move the stock regardless of fundamentals.
On balance, the picture is mixed: Southern Company is a large-cap utilities business growing at a mature pace, with solid profitability, and a heavier debt load to watch. It trades at 24.0x earnings, which our model scores Neutral (48/100). Weigh this against your own goals and time horizon — this is educational information, not a recommendation.
Data notice. Fundamentals and financial statements are sourced from company filings (SEC EDGAR) and market-data providers; prices and market caps refresh on trading days and may be delayed. Ratings, projections, technical signals, and written summaries are model- or rule-generated for education and may simplify or lag the latest filings.
Not advice. Nothing on this page is investment advice or a recommendation to buy, hold, or sell any security. Do your own research and consult a licensed financial professional before investing.