Southern (NYSE:SO) Issues FY 2028 Earnings Guidance

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

Southern Stock Performance

SO opened at $93.50 on Friday. Southern has a 1 year low of $81.69 and a 1 year high of $99.58. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.62, a current ratio of 0.79 and a quick ratio of 0.59. The firm has a fifty day moving average price of $88.09 and a 200 day moving average price of $92.46. The stock has a market cap of $107.56 billion, a P/E ratio of 22.42, a P/E/G ratio of 2.45 and a beta of 0.30.

Southern (NYSE:SO) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, November 5th. The utilities provider reported $1.94 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.71 by $0.23. Southern had a net margin of 15.43% and a return on equity of 12.93%. The business had revenue of $8.84 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $8.38 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $1.54 earnings per share. The company’s revenue was up 13.0% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities research analysts anticipate that Southern will post 4.59 earnings per share for the current year.

Southern Dividend Announcement

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, December 7th. Shareholders of record on Monday, November 16th will be issued a $0.76 dividend. This represents a $3.04 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.3%. The ex-dividend date is Monday, November 16th. Southern’s dividend payout ratio is presently 72.90%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

SO has been the subject of several recent analyst reports. HSBC initiated coverage on shares of Southern in a research report on Thursday, October 22nd. They set a “buy” rating and a $99.50 price objective for the company. Citigroup lowered their price objective on shares of Southern from $114.00 to $104.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research note on Friday, September 25th. Truist Financial reduced their price target on Southern from $97.00 to $93.00 and set a “hold” rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, October 15th. Morgan Stanley decreased their price objective on shares of Southern from $85.00 to $84.00 and set an “underweight” rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, October 21st. Finally, LADENBURG THALM/SH SH dropped their price target on shares of Southern from $96.50 to $85.50 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, September 28th. Eight equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have assigned a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $97.24.

Southern News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting Southern this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Southern’s adjusted third-quarter EPS of $1.94 beat the $1.71 consensus estimate, while revenue of $8.84 billion exceeded expectations of $8.38 billion and rose 13% year over year. The company also reported higher earnings for the quarter than a year earlier. Southern Co. Q3 Earnings and Revenues Surpass Estimates
• Positive Sentiment: FY 2026 EPS guidance of $4.70 was above the $4.59 consensus estimate. The company’s 2028 guidance range of $5.25–$5.45 also places its midpoint above the $5.25 consensus, supporting the longer-term outlook.
• Negative Sentiment: Fourth-quarter 2026 EPS guidance of $0.30 was below analysts’ $0.44 estimate, a near-term forecast shortfall that could offset some of the earnings and longer-term guidance optimism.

Southern Company Profile

Southern Company (NYSE: SO) is an energy holding company headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. Through its subsidiaries, the company generates, transmits, distributes and sells electricity, while also providing natural gas distribution and related energy services.

Southern’s electric utility operations include Alabama Power, Georgia Power and Mississippi Power, which serve customers across Alabama, Georgia and Mississippi. The company’s generation portfolio includes nuclear, natural gas, coal, hydroelectric and renewable energy resources.