The Southern Company (SOMN) AI Stock Analysis

NYSE: SOMNAI research summary: business, growth, valuation, analysts, bull and bear case.

SOMN AI stock analysis summary

AI Research

The Southern Company (SOMN) provides electricity and natural gas services across multiple US markets. Over the trailing twelve months, the company generated $30.18B in revenue with an operating margin of 29.6%. It carries $77.09B in total debt and generated operating cash flow of $9.80B in FY2025.

Market cap
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Revenue (TTM)
$30.18B
P/E
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1Y return
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S&P 500 16.8%
Avg. target
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Bull case

  • Operating margin reached 29.6% over the trailing twelve months, exceeding the peer group median of 22.6%.
  • Quarterly earnings grew 30.4% year-over-year in the latest quarter ending June 30, 2026.
  • Operating cash flow reached $9.80B in FY2025, supporting substantial business operations.

Bear case

  • Free cash flow remained negative at -$2.94B in FY2025 due to $12.74B in capital expenditures.
  • The balance sheet carries $77.09B in total debt against $2.98B in cash and short-term investments as of June 30, 2026.
  • The current ratio sits at 0.79 as of June 30, 2026, indicating short-term obligations exceed current assets.

What Southern does

The Southern Company, through its subsidiaries, engages in the sale of electricity to retail and wholesale customers, alongside energy-related products and services in natural gas choice markets. The company develops, constructs, acquires, owns, operates, and manages power generation assets and battery energy storage projects. It also sells wholesale electricity at market-based rates and deploys microgrids for commercial, industrial, governmental, and utility customers. In addition, it distributes natural gas across Illinois, Georgia, Virginia, and Tennessee, provides energy and resilience solutions, and invests in telecommunications.

Growth and profitability

Revenue grew at a 5-year CAGR of 7.7% from FY2020 to FY2025. Annual revenue expanded from $23.11B in FY2021 to $29.28B in FY2022, declined 13.8% to $25.25B in FY2023, reached $26.72B in FY2024, and rose 10.6% to $29.55B in FY2025. Operating margin was 16.0% in FY2021, 18.3% in FY2022, 23.1% in FY2023, 26.4% in FY2024, and 24.6% in FY2025. Annual net income increased from $2.41B in FY2021 to $4.34B in FY2025. For the trailing twelve months ending June 30, 2026, revenue stood at $30.18B with quarterly revenue growth of 0.1% and quarterly earnings growth of 30.4%.

SOMN income statement →

Balance sheet and cash flow

As of June 30, 2026, the company held $2.98B in cash and short-term investments against $77.09B in total debt, resulting in net debt of $74.10B. Shareholders' equity was $39.57B, yielding a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.95 and a current ratio of 0.79. In FY2025, operating cash flow reached $9.80B while capital expenditures totaled $12.74B, resulting in free cash flow of -$2.94B. Capital deployment in FY2025 also included $3.02B in dividends paid, while the 5-year share count change was 7.4%.

SOMN balance sheet →

Valuation and performance

The Southern Company carries an enterprise value of $132.21B. Multiple sector benchmarks for the median of its US-listed Utilities peers show a trailing P/E of 20.6x, a forward P/E of 17.2x, a price-to-sales of 2.4x, and an EV-to-EBITDA of 12.1x. The company's TTM operating margin of 29.6% compares to the peer median operating margin of 22.6%. The stock closed at $48.10 on October 16, 2026, delivering a year-to-date return of 1.5%. By comparison, the S&P 500 (SPY) returned 16.8% over one year and 83.0% over five years.

SOMN key metrics →

What analysts expect

Consensus analyst estimates project revenue of $30.92B for the current fiscal year ending December 31, 2026. For the following fiscal year, analysts estimate revenue of $32.76B, representing an expected annual revenue growth rate of 6.0%. These projections compare to the company's trailing twelve months revenue of $30.18B and its FY2025 revenue of $29.55B, which previously grew 10.6%. The company closed at $48.10 on October 16, 2026, trading 0.5% below its 200-day moving average.

SOMN forecast and price target →

Key risks and what to watch

  • High leverage is reflected by a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.95 and net debt of $74.10B as of June 30, 2026.
  • Heavy annual capital expenditures of $12.74B in FY2025 continue to pressure free cash flow generation.
  • Revenue growth slowed to 0.1% year-over-year in the latest quarter ending June 30, 2026.

AI-generated research summary. Written with AI from Quotelinks data as of October 16, 2026 and checked so every figure matches that data. For information only, not investment advice. Disclaimer

About this SOMN AI stock analysis

This page is an AI-written research summary of The Southern Company (SOMN). The text was generated on October 30, 2026 from Quotelinks data as of October 16, 2026 (company profile, annual results, latest balance sheet, valuation, price performance and analyst estimates). An automatic check rejects any draft that contains a figure not found in that data. It is not investment advice; verify figures on the linked tabs before making decisions.

Related: SOMN income statement, SOMN balance sheet, SOMN key metrics, SOMN analyst forecast, SOMN chart. See the SOMN stock overview for the latest quote and news.

SOMN AI stock analysis FAQ

What are The Southern Company's revenue expectations for FY2026 and FY2027?

Analysts estimate revenue of $30.92B for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2026. For the following fiscal year, revenue is projected to reach $32.76B, representing an estimated growth of 6.0%.

How much debt does The Southern Company hold?

As of June 30, 2026, the company held $77.09B in total debt and $2.98B in cash and short-term investments, resulting in net debt of $74.10B. Its debt-to-equity ratio was 1.95.

How much did The Southern Company spend on capex and dividends in FY2025?

In FY2025, the company spent $12.74B on capital expenditures and paid $3.02B in dividends. Operating cash flow of $9.80B resulted in free cash flow of -$2.94B for the year.

How has SOMN stock performed relative to the broader market?

SOMN had a year-to-date return of 1.5% as of October 16, 2026, closing at $48.10. Over one year and five years, the S&P 500 (SPY) returned 16.8% and 83.0%, respectively.

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