The Southern Company

(New York Stock Exchange)
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Somewhat Bullish +35

Southern Company (The) $SO Shares Acquired by Cornerstone Wealth Group ...

AI-generated analysis

πŸ“ˆ Cornerstone Wealth Group increased its Southern Company holdings by 8.8% in Q1 2026, acquiring an additional 8,487 shares.

🏦 Vanguard Group boosted its stake by 1.5% in Q4, now owning over 108 million shares valued at $9.4 billion.

πŸ“‰ Capital World Investors raised their position by 22.6% in the fourth quarter to own 41.1 million shares.

πŸ›οΈ Norges Bank acquired a new position in Southern Company valued at $1.11 billion during Q4.

πŸ“Š Hedge funds and other institutional investors collectively own 64.10% of the company's stock.

πŸ“‰ Morgan Stanley reaffirmed an 'underweight' rating with a price target of $89.00 on Wednesday.

πŸ“‰ Truist Financial reduced its price target from $103.00 to $100.00 and set a 'hold' rating.

πŸ“‰ Seaport Research Partners downgraded Southern Company from 'buy' to 'neutral' in April.

πŸ“ˆ Mizuho set a $105.00 price objective for the stock in a May report.

πŸ“ˆ Wall Street Zen upgraded Southern Company from 'sell' to 'hold' in late June.

πŸ‘” CEO Kimberly S. Greene sold 25,000 shares in March for $2.4 million, reducing her ownership by 19.44%.

πŸ’° The company paid a quarterly dividend of $0.76 on June 8th, increasing the annualized yield to 3.1%.

πŸ“ˆ Southern Company reported Q1 revenue of $8.4 billion, an 8% increase year-over-year.

πŸ“ˆ Earnings per share reached $1.32, beating analyst consensus estimates of $1.21 by $0.11.

πŸ’΅ The firm achieved a net margin of 14.46% and a return on equity of 12.64% for the quarter.

πŸ“‰ Analysts predict an average EPS of $4.58 for the current year.

πŸ“Š Southern Company has a market capitalization of $109.35 billion and a P/E ratio of 24.68.

πŸ“‰ The stock trades at a beta of 0.34 with a 50-day moving average of $93.49.

⚑ Principal subsidiaries include Georgia Power, Alabama Power, and Mississippi Power serving the Southeast.

🏒 Founded in 1945, the company operates regulated electric utilities generating and distributing power.

Bullish Signals
  • Southern Company reported Q1 revenue of $8.4 billion, representing an 8% year-over-year increase compared to analyst expectations of $8.07 billion.
  • The company beat earnings estimates with EPS of $1.32 versus the consensus of $1.21, demonstrating strong operational performance.
  • Southern Company increased its quarterly dividend to $0.76, raising the annualized yield to 3.1% and signaling confidence in cash flow generation.
  • Major institutional investors including Vanguard Group, Capital World Investors, and Cornerstone Wealth Group significantly increased their stakes in Q4 and Q1.
  • Norges Bank established a new position valued at $1.11 billion, indicating strong international institutional interest in the utility stock.
  • The company achieved a net margin of 14.46% and a return on equity of 12.64%, reflecting efficient capital deployment.
Risk Factors
  • Morgan Stanley maintains an 'underweight' rating with a price target of $89.00, which is significantly below the current trading price.
  • Truist Financial reduced its price target from $103.00 to $100.00 and downgraded sentiment to a 'hold' rating.
  • Seaport Research Partners downgraded the stock from 'buy' to 'neutral', reflecting cautious analyst sentiment.
  • CEO Kimberly S. Greene sold 25,000 shares for $2.4 million in March, reducing her direct ownership by nearly 20%.
  • The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.68 and a current ratio of 0.65, indicating elevated leverage relative to liquidity.
Full Analysis
Southern Company (NYSE: SO) saw increased institutional interest in the first quarter of 2026, with Cornerstone Wealth Group raising its stake by 8.8% to own 104,443 shares valued at $9.6 million. Major investors including Vanguard Group, Capital World Investors, and Price T Rowe Associates also boosted their holdings during the fourth quarter, while Norges Bank established a new position worth over $1.1 billion. Hedge funds collectively hold 64.10% of the company's outstanding stock. Analyst sentiment remains mixed with an average rating of 'Hold' and a consensus target price of $99.26. While Morgan Stanley maintains an 'underweight' rating with an $89 target, Mizuho set a $105 objective, and Wall Street Zen upgraded the stock to 'hold.' Notably, CEO Kimberly S. Greene sold 25,000 shares in March for approximately $2.4 million, reducing her direct ownership by nearly 20%. Financially, Southern Company reported strong quarterly results with revenue of $8.4 billion, an 8% year-over-year increase, and EPS of $1.32, which beat analyst estimates. The company maintains a solid dividend yield of 3.1% after increasing the quarterly payout to $0.76. Key financial metrics include a market cap of $109.35 billion, a P/E ratio of 24.68, and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.68. Operating as an Atlanta-based energy holding company founded in 1945, Southern Company provides electric and gas utility services through regulated subsidiaries like Georgia Power, Alabama Power, and Mississippi Power. These entities serve large portions of the southeastern United States, generating, transmitting, and distributing electricity to residential, commercial, and industrial customers across the region.