The Southern Company (SO) Cash Flow Statement
Where SO’s cash came from and went, 2025
December 31, 2025 · U.S. dollars- Cash from operations
- $9.80B +0.1% vs 2024
- Capital expenditures
- $12.74B 43.1% of revenue
- Free cash flow
- −$2.94B −9.9% margin
- Returned to shareholders
- $3.02B
- Change in cash
- $539.0M cash at year-end $1.64B
Cash from operations
$9.80B
Capital expenditures
−$12.74B
Acquisitions & other
−$1.21B
Dividends
−$3.02B
Share buybacks (net)
+$1.62B
Net borrowing (repayment)
+$6.79B
Shares issued
+$1.62B
Other financing
−$2.33B
Change in cash
$539.0M
Drawn to scale: where the cash came from and how it was used. Hover for values.
SO operating cash flow, capex and free cash flow
Operating cash flowCapital expendituresFree cash flowFCF margin (right axis)
SO cash flow trends, 2016–2025
| Metric | Trend | Then | Latest | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Operating cash flow | $4.89B2016 | $9.80B2025 | +8.0%/yr | |
| Capital expenditures | $7.31B2016 | $12.74B2025 | +6.4%/yr | |
| Free cash flow | −$2.42B2016 | −$2.94B2025 | — | |
| Free cash flow margin | −12.1%2016 | −9.9%2025 | +2.2 pts | |
| Operating cash flow / net income | 1.942016 | 2.352025 | +0.41 | |
| Stock-based compensation | $121.0M2016 | $136.0M2025 | +1.3%/yr | |
| Dividends paid | $2.10B2016 | $3.02B2025 | +4.1%/yr | |
| Share buybacks (net) | $02016 | $02025 | — | |
| Capex / revenue | 36.7%2016 | 43.1%2025 | +6.4 pts |
Change is the average annual growth (CAGR) or the difference between the first and latest year.
SO cash flow by activity
OperatingInvestingFinancingChange in cash
SO net income vs operating cash flow
Net incomeOperating cash flow
Operating cash flow above net income usually means earnings are backed by cash (depreciation and stock-based pay are non-cash expenses).
SO cash flow statement
| 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Operating activities | ||||||||||
| Net income | $4.17B | $4.26B | $3.98B | $3.43B | $2.31B | $3.10B | $4.74B | $2.30B | $926.0M | $2.53B |
| Depreciation & amortization | $6.03B | $5.27B | $4.99B | $4.06B | $3.97B | $3.90B | $3.33B | $3.55B | $3.46B | $2.92B |
| Stock-based compensation | $136.0M | $132.0M | $137.0M | $127.0M | $144.0M | $113.0M | $107.0M | $125.0M | $109.0M | $121.0M |
| Change in working capital | $399.0M | $1.42B | −$135.0M | $160.0M | −$990.0M | −$389.0M | $162.0M | $276.0M | −$996.0M | $858.0M |
| Other non-cash items | −$934.0M | −$1.29B | −$1.41B | −$1.48B | $733.0M | −$36.0M | −$2.56B | $695.0M | $2.90B | −$1.54B |
| Cash from operating activities | $9.80B | $9.79B | $7.55B | $6.30B | $6.17B | $6.70B | $5.78B | $6.95B | $6.39B | $4.89B |
| Investing activities | ||||||||||
| Capital expenditures | −$12.74B | −$8.96B | −$9.10B | −$7.92B | −$7.24B | −$7.44B | −$7.55B | −$8.00B | −$7.42B | −$7.31B |
| Investments (net) | −$17.0M | −$9.40B | −$9.20B | −$13.0M | −$5.0M | −$86.0M | −$154.0M | −$120.0M | −$158.0M | −$20.05B |
| Acquisitions & other investing | −$1.21B | $8.96B | $8.63B | −$494.0M | −$108.0M | $497.0M | $4.32B | $2.36B | $390.0M | $7.31B |
| Cash from investing activities | −$13.96B | −$9.40B | −$9.67B | −$8.43B | −$7.35B | −$7.03B | −$3.39B | −$5.76B | −$7.19B | −$20.05B |
| Financing activities | ||||||||||
| Dividends paid | −$3.02B | −$2.95B | −$3.04B | −$2.91B | −$2.78B | −$2.69B | −$2.57B | −$2.42B | −$2.30B | −$2.10B |
| Share repurchases & issuance (net) | $1.62B | $143.0M | $10.29B | −$298.0M | $9.12B | $8.66B | $6.21B | −$33.0M | −$658.0M | $17.60B |
| Net borrowing (repayment) | $6.79B | $2.97B | $4.37B | $4.14B | $4.24B | $2.27B | $13.0M | −$2.68B | $3.13B | $13.97B |
| Shares issued | $1.62B | $143.0M | $31.0M | $1.81B | $73.0M | $74.0M | $844.0M | $1.09B | $0 | $0 |
| Other financing | −$2.33B | −$509.0M | −$10.66B | −$404.0M | −$8.70B | −$8.89B | −$6.43B | $2.23B | $782.0M | −$13.74B |
| Cash from financing activities | $4.70B | −$208.0M | $999.0M | $2.34B | $1.95B | −$576.0M | −$1.93B | −$1.81B | $951.0M | $15.72B |
| Summary | ||||||||||
| Net change in cash | $539.0M | $180.0M | −$1.12B | $208.0M | $761.0M | −$910.0M | $459.0M | −$628.0M | $155.0M | $571.0M |
| Cash at end of period | $1.64B | $1.10B | $921.0M | $2.04B | $1.83B | $1.07B | $1.98B | $1.52B | $2.13B | $1.98B |
| Free cash flow | −$2.94B | $833.0M | −$1.54B | −$1.62B | −$1.07B | −$745.0M | −$1.77B | −$1.06B | −$1.03B | −$2.42B |
| Free cash flow margin | −9.9% | 3.1% | −6.1% | −5.5% | −4.6% | −3.7% | −8.3% | −4.5% | −4.5% | −12.1% |
| Capex / revenue | 43.1% | 33.5% | 36.0% | 27.1% | 31.3% | 36.5% | 35.3% | 34.1% | 32.2% | 36.7% |
| Operating cash flow / net income | 2.35 | 2.30 | 1.90 | 1.84 | 2.67 | 2.16 | 1.22 | 3.02 | 6.91 | 1.94 |
| Jun '26 | Mar '26 | Dec '25 | Sep '25 | Jun '25 | Mar '25 | Dec '24 | Sep '24 | Jun '24 | Mar '24 | Dec '23 | Sep '23 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Operating activities | ||||||||||||
| Net income | $1.19B | $1.34B | $416.0M | $1.71B | $853.0M | $1.27B | $466.0M | $1.53B | $1.19B | $1.13B | $796.0M | $1.43B |
| Depreciation & amortization | $1.60B | $1.58B | $1.60B | $1.56B | $1.45B | $1.41B | $1.35B | $1.34B | $1.31B | $1.26B | $1.29B | $1.26B |
| Stock-based compensation | $15.0M | $97.0M | $12.0M | $22.0M | $12.0M | $90.0M | $12.0M | $23.0M | $14.0M | $83.0M | $18.0M | $8.0M |
| Change in working capital | $1.03B | −$1.44B | $516.0M | $1.14B | $88.0M | −$1.34B | $1.16B | $714.0M | $409.0M | −$861.0M | $75.0M | $564.0M |
| Other non-cash items | −$1.18B | −$353.0M | $48.0M | −$657.0M | −$221.0M | −$179.0M | −$814.0M | $0 | −$234.0M | −$301.0M | −$363.0M | −$426.0M |
| Cash from operating activities | $2.65B | $1.23B | $2.60B | $3.77B | $2.18B | $1.25B | $2.17B | $3.62B | $2.69B | $1.31B | $1.81B | $2.84B |
| Investing activities | ||||||||||||
| Capital expenditures | −$2.94B | −$2.94B | −$4.29B | −$3.39B | −$2.94B | −$2.44B | −$2.94B | −$2.47B | −$2.27B | −$1.91B | −$2.53B | −$2.66B |
| Investments (net) | $0 | $0 | −$17.0M | −$3.87B | −$2.90B | −$2.83B | −$2.72B | −$2.46B | −$1.84B | −$2.38B | −$2.95B | −$2.43B |
| Acquisitions & other investing | −$393.0M | −$477.0M | −$58.0M | $3.39B | $2.94B | $2.44B | $2.94B | $2.47B | $2.26B | $1.91B | $2.53B | $2.66B |
| Cash from investing activities | −$3.34B | −$3.42B | −$4.36B | −$3.87B | −$2.90B | −$2.83B | −$2.72B | −$2.46B | −$1.85B | −$2.38B | −$2.95B | −$2.43B |
| Financing activities | ||||||||||||
| Dividends paid | −$803.0M | −$776.0M | −$761.0M | −$760.0M | −$758.0M | −$736.0M | −$734.0M | −$733.0M | −$754.0M | −$733.0M | −$764.0M | −$765.0M |
| Share repurchases & issuance (net) | — | — | $1.62B | $90.0M | $62.0M | $30.0M | $143.0M | $112.0M | — | — | $2.23B | $2.27B |
| Net borrowing (repayment) | $1.10B | $2.02B | −$301.0M | $2.98B | $424.0M | $3.69B | $1.40B | −$538.0M | — | — | — | $81.0M |
| Shares issued | $2.06B | $535.0M | $1.53B | $28.0M | $32.0M | $30.0M | $31.0M | $28.0M | $56.0M | $28.0M | $10.0M | $4.0M |
| Other financing | −$497.0M | −$238.0M | −$2.03B | −$168.0M | −$108.0M | −$200.0M | −$244.0M | −$185.0M | $235.0M | $1.69B | −$1.31B | −$2.35B |
| Cash from financing activities | $1.86B | $1.54B | $61.0M | $2.17B | −$348.0M | $2.81B | $595.0M | −$1.32B | −$463.0M | $985.0M | $165.0M | −$761.0M |
| Summary | ||||||||||||
| Net change in cash | $1.17B | −$653.0M | −$1.70B | $2.08B | −$1.07B | $1.23B | $46.0M | −$156.0M | $379.0M | −$89.0M | −$969.0M | −$354.0M |
| Cash at end of period | $2.16B | $987.0M | $1.64B | $3.34B | $1.26B | $2.33B | $1.10B | $1.05B | $1.21B | $832.0M | $921.0M | $1.89B |
| Free cash flow | $5.59B | −$1.72B | −$1.69B | $384.0M | −$755.0M | −$1.19B | −$764.0M | $1.14B | $419.0M | −$597.0M | −$721.0M | $177.0M |
| Free cash flow margin | 80.2% | −20.5% | −24.2% | 4.9% | −10.8% | −15.3% | −12.0% | 15.7% | 6.5% | −9.0% | −11.9% | 2.5% |
| Capex / revenue | 42.2% | 35.1% | 61.4% | 43.3% | 42.1% | 31.3% | 46.3% | 34.0% | 35.1% | 28.7% | 41.9% | 38.2% |
| Operating cash flow / net income | 2.23 | 0.92 | 6.24 | 2.21 | 2.56 | 0.98 | 4.66 | 2.36 | 2.26 | 1.16 | 2.28 | 1.98 |
Negative numbers are cash paid out. Quarterly columns are labeled by the month the quarter ended. Figures in U.S. dollars as reported; data from EODHD.
SO cash generation
In fiscal 2025 (ended December 31, 2025), Southern Company generated $9.8 billion of cash from operations (up 0.1%) and spent $12.7 billion on capital expenditures, leaving free cash flow of -$2.9 billion, −9.9% of revenue. It returned $3.0 billion to shareholders through dividends ($3.0 billion) and net share buybacks ($0). Cash and equivalents rose by $539.0 million over the year.
Related: SO income statement, SO balance sheet, SO dividend history. See the SO stock overview for the latest quote and news.
SO cash flow FAQ
What is Southern Company's free cash flow?
Southern Company's free cash flow was -$2.9 billion in fiscal 2025: $9.8 billion of operating cash flow minus $12.7 billion of capital expenditures It was $833.0 million a year earlier..
How much cash does Southern Company generate from operations?
Southern Company generated $9.8 billion of cash from operating activities in fiscal 2025, 2.35 times its net income of $4.2 billion.
How much does Southern Company spend on capital expenditures?
Southern Company spent $12.7 billion on capital expenditures in fiscal 2025, 43.1% of revenue, compared with $9.0 billion the year before.
How much does Southern Company pay in dividends?
Southern Company paid $3.0 billion in dividends in fiscal 2025.
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