Southern Company (The)NYSE: SO
Utilities · Electric Utilities
$97.02
+0.33%
Vol: 5.9M
Research Digest
Friday, May 1, 2026
Q1 2026 adj EPS $1.32 beats by 7%, data center sales up 17% YoY positions for $1.7T data center buildout.
Southern Company Q1 2026 adjusted EPS $1.32 vs $1.23 forecast (7% beat), revenue $8.4B vs $8.22B est. Operating revenues grew 8% YoY. Declared $0.76 quarterly dividend payable June 8, 2026, 25th consecutive yearly increase (+2.7%). Data center sales rose 17% YoY for second straight year. Forecasting electricity sales to grow 10% annually through 2030. Wells Fargo raised PT to $99 from $96.
Previous Market Intelligence
13 daysApr 30Southern Company reports Q1 2026 earnings of $1.21 per share matching prior year; increases dividend 8 cents on annualized basis.Neutral▶
Southern Company reported Q1 2026 earnings of $1.21 per share (matching Q1 2025) with operating revenues of $8.4 billion, up 8% YoY, beating analyst estimates. Company increased annualized dividend by 8 cents per share to $3.04 rate, demonstrating confidence in earnings power. Wells Fargo raised price target to $99 from $96 on April 21 while maintaining Equal Weight; Truist initiated coverage with Hold rating and $103 target. Analysts maintain Hold consensus with $99.68 average target. Company positioned for growth given rising southeast energy demand and infrastructure upgrade needs.
Apr 16Citi raises PT to $114; Barclays raises PT to $99; Q1 earnings due April 30Positive▶
Southern Company received analyst upgrades in early April as confidence in regulated utility model strengthened. Citi raised PT to $114 from $107 with Buy rating on April 10. Barclays raised PT to $99 from $88 on April 9. Company serves 9M customers across Southeast; Vogtle nuclear plant positions for low-carbon baseload power. Q1 2026 earnings due April 30 at 7:30 a.m. ET. Strategic focus on energy transition and merger activities ongoing. Stock trading ~$95.93 with strong dividend yield support. Consensus: Buy rating with analyst support for operational transition.
Apr 15Southern Company Q1 earnings set for April 30; Citi upgrades price target to $114 citing dividend growth.Positive▶
Southern Company announced Q1 2026 earnings will be released April 30 at 7:30 AM ET with an analyst conference call at 1 PM ET. Citi raised price target to $114 from $107 and maintains a Buy rating. Analysts project Q1 EPS of $1.22 (down 0.81% YoY) and revenue of $8.11B (up 4.36% YoY). Southern Company is expected to become a Dividend Aristocrat with a 3.14% dividend yield. The stock trades around $95.93.
Apr 14Citi raises target to $114; capex plan increased to $81B (2026-2030); dividend raised to $0.74/quarter.Positive▶
Southern Company raised its 5-year capex plan to $81 billion targeting 9% CAGR for rate base. Citi raised price target from $107 to $114 on April 10; Barclays increased target from $88 to $99. Named to FORTUNE World's Most Admired Companies for 2026, ranking No. 1 in electric and gas utilities. Quarterly dividend increased to $0.74. FY25 EPS reported at $3.94.
Apr 13Southern Company to report Q1 2026 earnings April 30; stock at $97.60 amid grid investment and regulatory focus.Neutral▶
Southern Company will report first-quarter 2026 earnings on April 30, 2026. The company continues navigating regulatory scrutiny on dam safety while investing in grid reliability through its Grid Investment Program, including battery storage expansion. Barclays raised its price target to $99 from $88 while maintaining Equal Weight.
Apr 10Southern Company files Q1 earnings for April 30 release and pursues historic DOE $26.5 billion loan guarantee.Positive▶
Southern Company will release Q1 2026 earnings on April 30 at 7:30 a.m. ET with analyst call at 1 p.m. ET. The 2026 annual shareholder meeting is scheduled for May 13 in virtual-only format. The company received historic Department of Energy $26.5 billion loan guarantees to increase grid reliability and invest in infrastructure. RBC Capital analyst raised price target to $105 from $99. The stock trades near $97.60 with 3.14% dividend yield and is positioning as a Dividend Aristocrat.
Apr 9Southern Company receives historic $26.5 billion DOE loan guarantee and confirms April 30 Q1 2026 earnings releasePositive▶
Southern Company's subsidiaries Georgia Power and Alabama Power received a historic $26.54 billion loan package from the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Energy Dominance Financing. Over approximately 30 years, customers are expected to realize estimated savings of $7 billion from this financing. Southern Company will release Q1 2026 earnings April 30, 2026 at 7:30 a.m. ET with management discussion at 1 p.m. ET. The company holds its 2026 annual stockholder meeting May 13 with proposals to expand authorized common shares and preferred stock. Southern announced a regular quarterly dividend of $0.74 per share, maintaining 78 consecutive years of equal or increased quarterly dividends. Analysts assigned a Hold consensus rating based on 16 analysts; the stock price currently hovers near $97.18. Battery storage initiatives include a 260 MW system in Jefferson County, Georgia, and two additional planned systems.
Apr 8RBC Capital raises Southern Company price target to $105; dividend aristocrat status and grid investments ongoingPositive▶
RBC Capital analyst Stephen D'Ambrisi raised the firm's price target on Southern Company to $105 from $99 in April 2026. Georgia Power, a Southern subsidiary, recently began construction on a 260 MW battery energy storage system in Jefferson County, Georgia, as part of grid reliability investments. Southern Company is poised to become a Dividend Aristocrat with an April dividend hike and currently pays a 3.14% dividend yield. The company is positioned to benefit from increasing electricity demand driven by AI data centers while investing significantly in battery storage and solar energy.
Apr 7Southern Company secures $26.54B DOE loan; TD Cowen and Evercore raise price targetsPositive▶
Southern Company received the largest Department of Energy loan in history at $26.54 billion to finance grid modernization, battery storage, and solar investments. TD Cowen raised its price objective from $108 to $112 with a Buy rating, while Evercore upgraded from In-line to Outperform with a $111 target. Southern Company announced a dividend increase and positions itself to benefit from AI data center electricity demand. Shareholders received a $0.74 dividend in March with a 3.1% yield. The stock trades with a price target of $105 from RBC Capital.
Apr 6Southern Company secures $26.54 billion DOE loan to drive growth in battery storage and solar investmentsPositive▶
Southern Company received significant $26.54 billion loan from U.S. Department of Energy, positioning it to benefit from increasing electricity demand driven by AI data centers. Company stands to become Dividend Aristocrat with April dividend hike. Paying 3.14% dividend yield. Insider activity on March 31, 2026 with management selling shares. Analysts suggest stock may be undervalued by 51.8% based on DCF analysis amid sector volatility.
Apr 3Southern Company scheduled to report Q1 2026 earnings on April 30; stock closed near 52-week highs with strong institutional buying.Neutral▶
Southern Company (SO) will release Q1 2026 earnings on April 30, 2026 before market open, with guidance expected to show $1.22 EPS and $8.11B revenue. On April 2, the stock closed up 0.53% trading near its 52-week high of $100.83. HF Advisory Group increased its SO holdings by 57.4% during Q4. No material operational news in last 48 hours beyond earnings anticipation and insider activity.
Apr 2U.S. Energy Department awards Southern Co. $26.54B loan for grid reliability; Q1 earnings set for April 30.Positive▶
Southern Company received a record $26.54 billion loan from the U.S. Department of Energy to increase grid reliability, the largest such financing in the agency's history. The company raised its five-year capital expenditure plan to $81 billion (2026-2030) and is targeting 9% compound annual growth rate for its rate base. Southern plans to add over 110 MW of new solar generation in Georgia. TD Cowen upgraded its rating and raised price target to $112 (from $108). The company pays a 3.14% dividend yield and will release Q1 2026 earnings on April 30 at 7:30 a.m. ET. Analyst consensus is Hold with a $97.28 price target.
Apr 1Southern Company secures $26.54 billion DOE loan and targets 8-9% EPS growth; poised for dividend aristocrat status.Mixed▶
Southern Company received a landmark $26.54 billion loan from the U.S. Department of Energy to support its $103 billion regulated capital plan through 2028. The utility has signed 26 large load contracts representing 10 gigawatts of data center demand, targeting 8-9% EPS growth through 2028. Morgan Stanley issued Sell at $94, though overall average target is $98.78.
Sector Peers
| Company | Price | Day | 1M | Fwd P/E | Beta | Mkt Cap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CEGCONSTELLATION | $308.34 | -1.49% | +13.8% | 22.8x | 1.19 | $113.4B |
| SOSOUTHERN | $97.02 | +0.33% | -0.3% | 19.6x | 0.41 | $109.0B |
| DUKDUKE | $128.89 | -0.51% | -1.4% | 18.1x | 0.45 | $100.8B |
| AEPAMERICAN | $137.20 | +0.06% | +3.6% | 19.9x | 0.57 | $74.5B |
| ETRENTERGY | $116.83 | -0.92% | +2.9% | 23.6x | 0.56 | $54.0B |
| VSTVISTRA | $155.54 | -1.46% | +4.1% | 14.2x | 1.50 | $53.4B |
Key Fundamentals
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Price above both MAs — bullish structure.