Truist Financial Corp Cuts Position in Southern Company (The) $SO

Truist Financial Corp decreased its holdings in Southern Company (The) (NYSE:SO) by 1.7% during the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The firm owned 739,044 shares of the utilities provider’s stock after selling 12,724 shares during the period. Truist Financial Corp owned approximately 0.07% of Southern worth $67,866,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Cheviot Value Management LLC purchased a new position in Southern in the first quarter valued at approximately $28,000. Financial Connections Group Inc. purchased a new position in Southern in the first quarter valued at approximately $33,000. Accredited Wealth Management LLC acquired a new position in Southern during the 1st quarter worth approximately $36,000. Rossby Financial LCC acquired a new position in Southern during the 1st quarter worth approximately $39,000. Finally, Saudi Central Bank acquired a new position in Southern during the 1st quarter worth approximately $40,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 64.10% of the company’s stock.

Southern Stock Performance

Shares of SO opened at $94.79 on Thursday. Southern Company has a 52-week low of $80.46 and a 52-week high of $96.44. The company has a quick ratio of 0.54, a current ratio of 0.74 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.69. The firm has a market cap of $104.27 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 24.37, a PEG ratio of 3.28 and a beta of 0.43. The business’s 50 day moving average is $93.49 and its two-hundred day moving average is $91.40.

Southern (NYSE:SO) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, July 31st. The utilities provider reported $0.91 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.99 by ($0.08). Southern had a net margin of 15.10% and a return on equity of 12.09%. The firm had revenue of $6.97 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $6.70 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $1.10 earnings per share. Southern’s revenue was up 7.9% compared to the same quarter last year. Southern has set its Q3 2025 guidance at 1.500-1.500 EPS. FY 2025 guidance at 4.200-4.300 EPS. Analysts forecast that Southern Company will post 4.29 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Southern Dividend Announcement

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, September 8th. Stockholders of record on Monday, August 18th were issued a $0.74 dividend. This represents a $2.96 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.1%. The ex-dividend date was Monday, August 18th. Southern’s payout ratio is 76.09%.

Insider Buying and Selling at Southern

In related news, CEO Kimberly S. Greene sold 13,158 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Monday, July 21st. The stock was sold at an average price of $95.00, for a total transaction of $1,250,010.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer directly owned 93,661 shares in the company, valued at $8,897,795. This represents a 12.32% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. Company insiders own 0.16% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Ratings Changes

SO has been the topic of several recent research reports. Scotiabank boosted their price target on Southern from $98.00 to $99.00 and gave the stock a “sector outperform” rating in a research report on Friday, August 1st. Jefferies Financial Group raised Southern from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and reduced their price target for the stock from $102.00 to $100.00 in a research report on Thursday, June 5th. Mizuho boosted their price target on Southern from $93.00 to $95.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research report on Friday, August 1st. Wall Street Zen lowered Southern from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating in a research report on Saturday, August 2nd. Finally, BMO Capital Markets boosted their price target on Southern from $98.00 to $102.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Tuesday, July 22nd. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eight have assigned a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $95.08.

Southern Profile

The Southern Company, through its subsidiaries, engages in the generation, transmission, and distribution of electricity. The company also develops, constructs, acquires, owns, and manages power generation assets, including renewable energy projects and sells electricity in the wholesale market; and distributes natural gas in Illinois, Georgia, Virginia, and Tennessee, as well as provides gas marketing services, gas distribution operations, and gas pipeline investments operations.