Southern (NYSE:SO) Announces FY 2026 Earnings Guidance

Southern (NYSE:SO) issued an update on its FY 2026 earnings guidance on Thursday. The company provided earnings per share (EPS) guidance of 4.700-4.700 for the period, compared to the consensus estimate of 4.590. Southern also updated its FY 2028 guidance to 5.250-5.450 EPS.

Southern Trading Down 1.3%

Shares of SO stock opened at $92.16 on Friday. Southern has a 12-month low of $81.69 and a 12-month high of $99.58. The company has a quick ratio of 0.59, a current ratio of 0.79 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.62. The company has a market capitalization of $106.02 billion, a P/E ratio of 20.99, a P/E/G ratio of 2.49 and a beta of 0.30. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of $88.16 and a 200 day moving average price of $92.48.

Southern (NYSE:SO) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, November 5th. The utilities provider reported $1.94 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.71 by $0.23. The firm had revenue of $8.84 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $8.38 billion. Southern had a net margin of 15.43% and a return on equity of 12.93%. The company’s revenue was up 13.0% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $1.54 EPS. Research analysts forecast that Southern will post 4.59 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Southern Announces Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, December 7th. Stockholders of record on Monday, November 16th will be issued a $0.76 dividend. This represents a $3.04 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.3%. The ex-dividend date is Monday, November 16th. Southern’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 69.25%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of brokerages have weighed in on SO. Wall Street Zen cut shares of Southern from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating in a research report on Saturday. Scotiabank cut their price target on shares of Southern from $103.00 to $93.00 and set a “sector perform” rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, September 30th. Jefferies Financial Group decreased their target price on shares of Southern from $96.00 to $95.00 and set a “hold” rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, October 20th. Citigroup decreased their price objective on Southern from $114.00 to $104.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a report on Friday, September 25th. Finally, Weiss Ratings restated a “buy (b)” rating on shares of Southern in a report on Tuesday, October 27th. Eight investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have given a Hold rating and two have issued a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Southern has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $97.24.

Trending Headlines about Southern

Here are the key news stories impacting Southern this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Third-quarter adjusted EPS of $1.94 beat the $1.71 consensus estimate, while revenue rose 13% year over year to $8.84 billion, also ahead of expectations. The company’s earnings release reported $1.77 per share on its stated basis, compared with $1.55 a year earlier. Article: Southern Co. Q3 Earnings and Revenues Surpass Estimates
• Positive Sentiment: Management highlighted surging data-center demand and 21 GW of large-load contracts. Its 2026 EPS guidance of $4.70 is above the $4.59 consensus, and 2028 guidance of $5.25–$5.45 spans from consensus to above it—supporting the longer-term growth outlook. Article: Southern Q3 Earnings Call Highlights Growth and Capital Upside
• Neutral Sentiment: A potential $100 billion capital plan could enable investment to serve rising electricity demand, but its eventual scale and funding needs remain considerations for investors. Article: Southern Q3 Earnings Call Highlights Growth and Capital Upside
• Negative Sentiment: Fourth-quarter 2026 EPS guidance of $0.30 is below analysts’ $0.44 estimate. That near-term shortfall may temper the positive reaction to the quarterly beat and full-year guidance. Article: Southern Company Q3 Earnings Report

About Southern

Southern Company is an energy holding company based in Atlanta, Georgia. Through its subsidiaries, it generates, transmits and distributes electricity and provides natural gas service, primarily across the southeastern United States.

Its electric utility businesses include Alabama Power, Georgia Power and Mississippi Power, which serve customers in their respective states. Southern Company also owns Southern Power, which develops and operates wholesale power generation assets, and Southern Company Gas, whose businesses distribute natural gas to customers in several states.

Formed in 1945, Southern Company has grown from a regional electric utility holding company into a diversified energy provider.