SO Stock - SOUTHERN COFundamentals & Analysis

Electric Services

Southern Co. (SO) Executive Summary Southern Co. is a regulated electric utility serving the southeastern U.S., with a financial profile that combines strong operating cash generation and high reported margins alongside capital-intensive investing outflows and some near-term liquidity pressure. Financial Performance Highlights The company’s operating cash flow has trended higher, with trailing twe

SOUTHERN CO

Electric Services
Stock Price
$87.00
$-0.17 (-0.20%)
Sep 14, 2026
Debt to Equity
182.3%
ROE
17.2%
PE Ratio
14.34
EPS (Diluted)
N/A

Southern Co (SO) Fundamental Analysis

Southern Co. (SO) Executive Summary

Southern Co. is a regulated electric utility serving the southeastern U.S., with a financial profile that combines strong operating cash generation and high reported margins alongside capital-intensive investing outflows and some near-term liquidity pressure.

Financial Performance Highlights

The company’s operating cash flow has trended higher, with trailing twelve-month operating cash flow rising to $9.80B (from $7.55B at 2023-12-31 to $9.79B at 2024-12-31), supporting ongoing operations and capital work. Profitability metrics remain elevated: average net margin is about 22.15% and gross margin is 84.8%, while reported Return on Equity is 17.2%, indicating historically strong returns on shareholder capital. Revenue-per-share also shows a sharp recent recovery, rebounding to $8.34 at 2024-12-31 after a trough of -$16.97 in 2023 and recording a 1-year Rev/Share growth of 149.2%.

Areas of Concern

  • Liquidity on the balance sheet is thin, with a current ratio below 1.0 at 0.9201, which could constrain short-term flexibility.
  • The business is capital intensive: investing cash flow remains a large outflow at -$9.40B (TTM).
  • Cash-flow patterns have been volatile — operating margin swung from -267.8% in 2021 to 214.3% in 2023 and then to 11.4% in 2024, while quarterly revenue shows wide swings (e.g., a one-quarter outlier of -$23.20B at 2023-12-31 and a recent quarter of $3.12B at 2024-12-31), underscoring variability in reported results.

Key Fundamentals to Watch

Key factors include the sustainability of operating cash flow versus investing outlays (Operating Cash Flow TTM $9.80B and Investing Cash Flow TTM -$9.40B) and short-term liquidity (Current Ratio 0.9201) — see Strategic Capital Allocation and Earnings Quality Analysis. Also monitor revenue and net income trends and quarter-to-quarter variability (most recent quarterly revenue $3.12B) at Revenue & Net Income, the trajectory of revenue-per-share ($8.34) and any updated EPS data at EPS Diluted & Revenue per Share and Revenue & EPS Growth, operating margin (11.4%) in Profit Margin Trends, ROE (17.2%) in Return on Equity (ROE), and the reported P/E of 14.3x in Price-to-Earnings (PE) Ratio Trend.

Revenue and Growth

Revenue Trend

Revenue & Net Income

The foundation of business quality and long-term value creation

Revenue & Net Income Growth

SOUTHERN CO's revenue series in the chart shows substantial variability across the reported periods. In the most recent sequence, revenue was $5.79B for the quarter ending 2024-06-30 and declined to $3.12B for the quarter ending 2024-12-31. A pronounced inflection appears at 2023-12-31 when revenue is recorded at -$23.20B, a clear outlier compared with adjacent quarters of positive revenue (for example $5.07B at 2023-06-30). Earlier observations include larger year-end totals (e.g., $23.03B at 2017-12-31 and $21.42B at 2019-12-31), indicating variability in reporting levels over the sample.

Net income data are sparser and the latest reported net income in the dataset is $991.0M for the quarter ending 2022-03-31. Earlier net income points include $4.74B at 2019-12-31 and several quarters in the $600M$900M range in prior years, showing fluctuation over time. The most recent quarterly revenue was $3.12B. The most recent reported net income was $991.0M.

Why Growth Matters

Consistent revenue and earnings growth are the lifeblood of successful long-term investments. Companies that can grow their top line (revenue) and bottom line (net income) over many years demonstrate they have products or services customers value and are willing to pay for repeatedly.

Revenue Growth shows whether the company is expanding its market reach, gaining market share, or successfully launching new products.Net Income Growth demonstrates the company can convert that revenue into actual profits while managing costs effectively.

Look for steady, sustainable growth rather than erratic spikes. The best businesses compound earnings year after year, creating tremendous value for shareholders over time. Companies that can grow earnings faster than revenue are improving their profitability—a sign of operational excellence and competitive strength.

SOUTHERN CO (SO) quarterly revenue and net income trend analysis showing historical financial performance over multiple years. Interactive chart displaying revenue growth, net income trends, and profitability patterns for SO stock with quarterly and annual data points.

EPS Diluted & Revenue per Share

Per-share earnings and revenue — the shareholder's view of growth

Why Per-Share Metrics Matter

Total revenue and net income can grow simply because a company issues more shares or makes acquisitions. Per-share metrics cut through that noise — they show how much value each single share of stock is generating, which is what actually matters to shareholders.

Revenue per Share (split-adjusted) tells you how much revenue the business generates for every share outstanding. Growing revenue per share means the company is either expanding the business or shrinking the share count — both shareholder-friendly signals.EPS Diluted (split-adjusted) captures bottom-line earnings per share after accounting for all dilutive instruments such as stock options and convertible debt.

The most powerful signal is when both lines rise together over many years. If revenue per share grows but EPS lags, margins are being squeezed. If EPS grows faster than revenue per share, the company is becoming more profitable — a hallmark of businesses with durable competitive advantages. Watch for share buybacks, which can mechanically lift EPS even if total earnings are flat.

SOUTHERN CO (SO) EPS diluted and revenue per share trend showing historical per-share earnings and revenue performance over time.

Revenue & EPS Growth

Year-over-year growth rates for revenue and earnings per share

Reading the Growth Rate Chart

This chart converts the absolute per-share figures into year-over-year percentage changes, making it easy to see whether growth is accelerating, decelerating, or reverting to trend — regardless of the company's absolute size.

Revenue per Share Growth (1-year, split-adjusted) measures how quickly the top line is expanding on a per-share basis. Sustained positive growth signals that the company continues to win customers and grow its addressable market.EPS Diluted Growth (1-year, split-adjusted) measures how quickly earnings are compounding for each shareholder. When EPS growth consistently outpaces revenue growth, operating leverage and margin expansion are at work.

Look for consistency, not just magnitude. A company that reliably grows EPS 10–15% per year is far more valuable than one that alternates between 50% spikes and deep contractions. Negative EPS growth during a period of positive revenue growth is a red flag — costs are rising faster than sales. Quarters where both lines converge near zero or go negative deserve close scrutiny.

SOUTHERN CO (SO) year-over-year revenue per share and EPS diluted growth rate trend analysis showing historical growth performance.

Revenue Analysis

Revenue Waterfall Analysis

How revenue converts to net income for the most recent annual period

SOUTHERN CO (SO) revenue waterfall chart showing the breakdown from total revenue to net income. Displays cost of goods sold, operating expenses, selling and administrative costs, research and development expenses, tax expenses, and final net income for SO. Annual financial statement waterfall analysis showing profit margin components and expense structure.

Period Information

Report Type: Annual (10-K)

Period: Jan 2024 to Dec 2024

Profitability

Profit Margins

Earnings Quality

Earnings Quality Analysis

Comparing reported earnings to actual cash generation

Earnings Quality Analysis — Net Income vs Operating Cash Flow (TTM)

SOUTHERN CO’s operating cash flow (TTM) shows a multi-year upward trend, rising from about $3.99B in 2010 to a sustained level near $9.79–$9.80B in 2024–2025. The most notable inflection occurred between the 2023 TTM of $7.55B and the 2024 TTM of $9.79B, after which the series remained essentially flat through the 2025 year-end.

The net income (TTM) values shown in the dataset are recorded at $4.74B for the 2019 year-end and no later net income TTM entries appear in the chart. In the available records, the most recent operating cash flow TTM substantially exceeds that 2019 net income figure. The latest Operating Cash Flow (TTM) observed was $9.80B (period end 2025-12-31). The latest Net Income (TTM) shown was $4.74B (period end 2019-12-31).

The Earnings vs. Cash Flow Gap

Reported earnings (Net Income) doesn't always reflect actual cash generation. Companies use accrual accounting, which recognizes revenue when earned and expenses when incurred—not when cash actually changes hands. This creates timing differences and opportunities for accounting discretion that can mask underlying business health.

Net Income (the "earnings" number) can be influenced by non-cash items like depreciation, stock-based compensation, and changes in accounting estimates.Operating Cash Flow, however, shows the actual cash the business generates from its core operations—a harder number to manipulate.

What to Look For

  • Consistent Alignment: High-quality earnings show operating cash flow tracking closely with or exceeding net income over time. This indicates the company is actually collecting cash from its reported profits.
  • Warning Sign - Divergence: If net income consistently exceeds cash flow, the company may be reporting earnings that aren't translating to cash. This could indicate aggressive revenue recognition, growing receivables that may not be collected, or inventory building up.
  • Positive Sign - Cash Exceeds Earnings: When cash flow exceeds net income, it often reflects conservative accounting (like accelerated depreciation) or strong working capital management. This is generally a sign of high earnings quality.
  • Quarterly Volatility is Normal: Some variation is expected due to timing of collections, seasonal factors, and one-time items. Focus on the trend over multiple quarters rather than any single period.

Key Insight: Companies with durable competitive advantages typically show operating cash flow that meets or exceeds net income over time, demonstrating they convert accounting profits into actual cash that can be returned to shareholders or reinvested in the business.

Return on Equity

Return on Equity (ROE)

Measuring management's efficiency at generating profits from shareholder capital

Return on Equity (ROE)

The chart for SOUTHERN CO contains a single reported trailing twelve-month Return on Equity (ROE) data point for the period ending 2019-12-31. Because only one observation is provided, no multi-period trend or inflection points can be identified from the dataset.

Latest ROE level

The most recent trailing twelve-month ROE for SOUTHERN CO was 17.2%.

The Gold Standard of Profitability

Return on Equity (ROE) is a powerful measure of how effectively a company's management is using the money shareholders have invested. Calculated by dividing Net Income by Shareholders' Equity, it reveals how much profit is generated for every dollar of equity capital.

A consistently high ROE (typically above 15-20%) is often the signature of a "quality" business with a durable competitive advantage. It indicates that the company can generate high returns on its own capital, which it can then reinvest at these high rates to compound value over time.

What to Look For:

  • Consistency: Look for an ROE that is stable or rising over time. Erratic ROE can signal cyclicality or inconsistent management.
  • Quality vs. Leverage: While a high ROE is generally positive, it can sometimes be artificially inflated by high debt (leverage). Always cross-reference ROE with the company's Debt-to-Equity ratio to ensure the profitability is coming from operational excellence rather than excessive borrowing.
  • Comparison: ROE is most meaningful when compared against industry peers or the company's own historical average.
SOUTHERN CO (SO) Return on Equity (ROE) historical trend analysis. Quarterly chart showing the company's return on equity over time, reflecting management's efficiency in using shareholder capital.

Capital Allocation & Cash Flow

Capital Strategy

Strategic Capital Allocation

How the company generates and deploys its cash

Strategic Capital Allocation — Cash Flow Allocation Trend (TTM)

Overview of Cash Flow Trends

SOUTHERN CO's trailing twelve-month (TTM) operating cash flow has risen over recent years, increasing from $7.55B at 2023-12-31 to $9.79B at 2024-12-31 and reaching $9.80B at 2025-12-31. This indicates a marked improvement in cash generated from operations with stabilization at the higher level.

Investing cash flow has remained consistently negative, reflecting ongoing outflows. There was an inflection toward slightly smaller outflows between 2023 and 2024, from -$9.67B at 2023-12-31 to -$9.40B at 2024-12-31.

Financing cash flow shows a material reduction in net outflows compared to earlier years, moving from -$1.93B at 2019-12-31 to -$208.0M at 2024-12-31.

Latest TTM Values

  • Operating Cash Flow (TTM): $9.80B
  • Investing Cash Flow (TTM): -$9.40B
  • Financing Cash Flow (TTM): -$208.0M

Understanding Company Strategy

Capital allocation refers to how management decides to spend and invest the company's cash. Analyzing the three primary categories of cash flow reveals a company's true operational strategy:

  • Operating Cash Flow: The engine of the business. This shows how much cash is generated from core operations. Sustainable businesses should ideally fund their growth and shareholder returns primarily from this source.
  • Investing Cash Flow: The future of the business. This includes spending on new equipment, R&D, and acquisitions. Consistent negative values are normal for growing companies as they reinvest in their future.
  • Financing Cash Flow: The funding of the business. This reflects capital raising (issuing stock or debt) versus returning capital to shareholders (dividends and buybacks) or repaying debt.

What to look for: Is the company bootstrapping (funding growth solely from operating cash)? Are they borrowing to fund aggressive expansion or dividends? Or are they capital raising by issuing new shares, potentially diluting your ownership? A healthy, mature company typically generates strong operating cash, moderately invests in growth, and returns the surplus to shareholders through financing activities.

SOUTHERN CO (SO) cash flow allocation analysis. Quarterly chart displaying the three pillars of cash flow: net cash from operating activities, investing activities, and financing activities, providing insight into the company's capital allocation strategy.

Balance Sheet

Book Value per Share

Book Value per Share

Net assets attributable to each share — the accounting floor of intrinsic value

Why Book Value per Share Matters

Book value per share is the net worth of the company — total assets minus total liabilities — divided by shares outstanding (split-adjusted). It represents the theoretical liquidation value per share if every asset were sold and every liability repaid at balance-sheet carrying values. It is the accounting foundation upon which much of equity valuation is built.

A steadily rising book value per share is one of the most reliable signals of compounding wealth creation. It means the company is retaining earnings and building net worth faster than it is returning capital or eroding it. Warren Buffett famously tracked Berkshire Hathaway's book value per share for decades as his primary measure of intrinsic value growth.

Context is essential. Asset-heavy businesses (banks, manufacturers, utilities) should be judged by book value more directly than asset-light businesses (software, consumer brands), where intangible assets like intellectual property and customer loyalty may far exceed their balance-sheet carrying values. A company trading at a large premium to book value is not necessarily overvalued — it may simply possess competitive advantages that accounting rules do not capture. Conversely, a declining book value per share — especially over multiple years — is a serious warning sign of capital destruction.

SOUTHERN CO (SO) book value per share trend showing historical net asset value per share over time, split-adjusted.

Debt to Equity

Debt-to-Equity Ratio

How much of the company is financed by debt versus shareholders' equity

Reading the Debt-to-Equity Ratio

The debt-to-equity (D/E) ratio compares total financial debt to shareholders' equity. A ratio of 1.0 means the company has borrowed one dollar for every dollar of equity; a ratio of 2.0 means it has borrowed twice as much as it owns. Financial leverage amplifies both returns and risk: in good times, debt turbocharges equity returns; in bad times, it accelerates losses and can threaten solvency.

Trends matter more than a single number. A rising D/E ratio can mean the company is taking on debt to fund growth — potentially value-creating if returns exceed the cost of capital. But it can also mean equity is being eroded through losses or that the business is borrowing simply to sustain operations. A falling D/E ratio generally reflects strengthening financial health: earnings are being retained, debt maturities are being paid down, or both.

Industry norms vary enormously. Capital-intensive sectors (utilities, real estate, financials) routinely carry high D/E ratios that would be alarming in, say, a technology company. Always compare against sector peers. As a rough rule of thumb, a D/E above 2× in a cyclical business warrants careful scrutiny of interest coverage and refinancing risk.

SOUTHERN CO (SO) debt-to-equity ratio trend showing the historical balance between financial leverage and shareholders' equity.

Current Ratio

Current Ratio

Short-term liquidity — can the company cover its near-term obligations?

Liquidity: Can the Business Pay Its Bills?

The current ratio is calculated as current assets divided by current liabilities. A ratio of 1.5 means the company has $1.50 of short-term assets — cash, receivables, inventory — for every $1.00 of obligations due within the next twelve months. It is the most direct measure of near-term financial resilience: can the business meet its obligations without needing to raise new capital or sell long-term assets at a discount?

A ratio above 1.0 is generally healthy, meaning current assets exceed current liabilities. A ratio consistently above 2.0 may indicate the company is holding excess cash or inventory that could be deployed more productively. A ratio below 1.0 is a warning sign — the company is relying on future cash generation or external financing to cover its near-term obligations, which is manageable in normal conditions but dangerous during a downturn.

Trends and context matter.A declining current ratio isn't always alarming — highly efficient businesses (e.g., large retailers with reliable daily cash flows) often run leaner balance sheets intentionally. Conversely, a rapidly rising current ratio can signal slowing sales causing inventory to build, or customers taking longer to pay. Always compare the trend against industry peers and cross-reference with the cash flow statement to assess whether the business is genuinely liquid or just holding non-cash current assets.

SOUTHERN CO (SO) current ratio trend showing the ratio of current assets to current liabilities over time, a measure of short-term liquidity.

Valuation

PE Ratio

Price-to-Earnings (PE) Ratio Trend

How much the market is paying for each dollar of company earnings

Price-to-Earnings (PE) Ratio

The chart contains a single quarterly observation for SOUTHERN CO's trailing twelve-month Price-to-Earnings ratio, recorded at the period ending 2019-12-31 with a value of 14.3x. With only one data point available, no multi-quarter trend, re-rating/de-rating pattern, or inflection points can be identified from the chart.

Key Findings

Current reported P/E level: 14.3x

Most recent Price-to-Earnings ratio: 14.3x

What Is the PE Ratio?

The Price-to-Earnings (PE) ratio is one of the most widely used valuation metrics in investing. It divides the current stock price by the company's earnings per share (EPS), revealing how much investors are willing to pay for each dollar of earnings. A high PE can signal that the market expects strong future growth, while a low PE may suggest undervaluation—or reflect genuine concerns about the company's prospects.

Context matters:PE ratios vary significantly across industries. High-growth technology companies routinely trade at PE ratios above 30x or 40x, while mature, low-growth sectors like utilities or financials often trade closer to 10–15x. Always compare a company's PE to its own history and its industry peers, not just an absolute number.

What to Look For:

  • Expanding PE (Re-rating):If the PE is rising while earnings are also growing, the market is assigning increasing confidence in the company's future. If PE rises while earnings stagnate, it may signal speculative excess.
  • Contracting PE (De-rating): A falling PE can indicate the market is losing confidence in growth prospects. If earnings grow but the PE shrinks, total returns may be muted.
  • Negative PE: When a company is loss-making, the PE ratio is negative or undefined. In these cases, investors typically use other metrics such as Price-to-Sales (P/S) or EV/EBITDA.
  • Spikes and Troughs: Sudden PE spikes often occur when earnings temporarily collapse (making the divisor small) rather than when the stock price surges. Context is key.

Key Insight:The PE ratio is a snapshot of market sentiment and expectations. Tracking it over time alongside earnings trends reveals whether the market's valuation has expanded or contracted—and whether that change is justified by fundamentals.

SOUTHERN CO (SO) Price-to-Earnings (PE) ratio historical trend analysis. Quarterly chart showing how the market has valued the company's earnings over time.