Compared to Estimates, Southern Co. (SO) Q4 Earnings: A Look at Key Metrics

Southern Co. (SO) reported $6.98 billion in revenue for the quarter ended December 2025, representing a year-over-year increase of 10.1%. EPS of $0.55 for the same period compares to $0.50 a year ago.The reported revenue compares to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $6.86 billion, representing a surprise of +1.7%. The company delivered an EPS surprise of -1.79%, with the consensus EPS estimate being $0.56.While investors scrutinize revenue and earnings changes year-over-year and how they compare with Wall Street expectations to determine their next move, some key metrics always offer a more accurate picture of a company's financial health.As these metrics influence top- and bottom-line performance, comparing them to the year-ago numbers and what analysts estimated helps investors project a stock's price performance more accurately.Here is how Southern Co. performed in the just reported quarter in terms of the metrics most widely monitored and projected by Wall Street analysts:Operating Revenues- Southern Power: $472 million versus $510.01 million estimated by three analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a +13.2% change.Total retail sales: $35.33 billion versus the three-analyst average estimate of $34.88 billion.Operating Revenues- Southern Company Natural Gas: $1.49 billion versus $1.27 billion estimated by three analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a +20.7% change.Operating Revenues- Natural Gas revenues: $1.49 billion versus the three-analyst average estimate of $1.25 billion. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of +20.7%.Operating Revenues- Georgia Power - Other Revenues: $222 million versus the two-analyst average estimate of $273.36 million. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of -17.5%.Operating Revenues- Mississippi Power - Retail Revenues: $261 million versus $232.24 million estimated by two analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a +15.5% change.Operating Revenues- Southern Company Gas - Gas Distribution Operations: $1.31 billion compared to the $1.1 billion average estimate based on two analysts. The reported number represents a change of +21.9% year over year.Operating Revenues- Southern Company Gas - Gas Marketing Services: $179 million versus $164.98 million estimated by two analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a +13.3% change.Operating Revenues- Retail Electric: $4.27 billion compared to the $4.28 billion average estimate based on two analysts. The reported number represents a change of +6.7% year over year.Operating Revenues- Alabama Power: $1.94 billion versus the two-analyst average estimate of $1.93 billion. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of +10.6%.Operating Revenues- Georgia Power: $2.71 billion compared to the $2.65 billion average estimate based on two analysts. The reported number represents a change of +4.9% year over year.Operating Revenues- Mississippi Power: $394 million compared to the $356.15 million average estimate based on two analysts. The reported number represents a change of +14.2% year over year.View all Key Company Metrics for Southern Co. here>>>Shares of Southern Co. have returned +2.1% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's -0.8% change. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell), indicating that it could underperform the broader market in the near term.Zacks' Research Chief Names "Stock Most Likely to Double"Our team of experts has just released the 5 stocks with the greatest probability of gaining +100% or more in the coming months. Of those 5, Director of Research Sheraz Mian highlights the one stock set to climb highest.This top pick is a little-known satellite-based communications firm. Space is projected to become a trillion dollar industry, and this company's customer base is growing fast. Analysts have forecasted a major revenue breakout in 2025. Of course, all our elite picks aren't winners but this one could far surpass earlier Zacks' Stocks Set to Double like Hims & Hers Health, which shot up +209%.Free: See Our Top Stock And 4 Runners UpWant the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Southern Company (The) (SO): Free Stock Analysis ReportThis article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).Zacks Investment ResearchWeiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Zacks Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Zacks