Southern Co. (SO) Rises As Market Takes a Dip: Key Facts

Southern Co. (SO) closed the latest trading day at $92.70, indicating a +0.44% change from the previous session's end. The stock outpaced the S&P 500's daily loss of 0.02%. Meanwhile, the Dow experienced a rise of 0.38%, and the technology-dominated Nasdaq saw an increase of 0.04%.Heading into today, shares of the power company had gained 3.68% over the past month, outpacing the Utilities sector's loss of 0.69% and lagging the S&P 500's gain of 3.77% in that time.The investment community will be paying close attention to the earnings performance of Southern Co. in its upcoming release. The company is slated to reveal its earnings on October 31, 2024. The company is forecasted to report an EPS of $1.32, showcasing a 7.04% downward movement from the corresponding quarter of the prior year. In the meantime, our current consensus estimate forecasts the revenue to be $7.14 billion, indicating a 2.33% growth compared to the corresponding quarter of the prior year.For the full year, the Zacks Consensus Estimates project earnings of $4.02 per share and a revenue of $26.47 billion, demonstrating changes of +10.14% and +4.8%, respectively, from the preceding year.Investors should also note any recent changes to analyst estimates for Southern Co. Recent revisions tend to reflect the latest near-term business trends. As a result, upbeat changes in estimates indicate analysts' favorable outlook on the company's business health and profitability.Our research shows that these estimate changes are directly correlated with near-term stock prices. To exploit this, we've formed the Zacks Rank, a quantitative model that includes these estimate changes and presents a viable rating system.The Zacks Rank system ranges from #1 (Strong Buy) to #5 (Strong Sell). It has a remarkable, outside-audited track record of success, with #1 stocks delivering an average annual return of +25% since 1988. Over the last 30 days, the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate has moved 0.15% higher. Southern Co. is currently sporting a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold).Investors should also note Southern Co.'s current valuation metrics, including its Forward P/E ratio of 22.96. This valuation marks a premium compared to its industry's average Forward P/E of 17.8.We can also see that SO currently has a PEG ratio of 3.3. This popular metric is similar to the widely-known P/E ratio, with the difference being that the PEG ratio also takes into account the company's expected earnings growth rate. The Utility - Electric Power industry currently had an average PEG ratio of 2.8 as of yesterday's close.The Utility - Electric Power industry is part of the Utilities sector. Currently, this industry holds a Zacks Industry Rank of 58, positioning it in the top 24% of all 250+ industries.The strength of our individual industry groups is measured by the Zacks Industry Rank, which is calculated based on the average Zacks Rank of the individual stocks within these groups. Our research shows that the top 50% rated industries outperform the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1.Be sure to use Zacks.com to monitor all these stock-influencing metrics, and more, throughout the forthcoming trading sessions.Only $1 to See All Zacks' Buys and SellsWe're not kidding.Several years ago, we shocked our members by offering them 30-day access to all our picks for the total sum of only $1. No obligation to spend another cent.Thousands have taken advantage of this opportunity. Thousands did not - they thought there must be a catch. Yes, we do have a reason. We want you to get acquainted with our portfolio services like Surprise Trader, Stocks Under $10, Technology Innovators,and more, that closed 228 positions with double- and triple-digit gains in 2023 alone.See Stocks Now >>Want 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 ReportTo read this article on Zacks.com click here.Zacks Investment ResearchWeiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Zacks Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Zacks