Confluence Investment Management LLC Sells 24,280 Shares of Southern Company (The) $SO

Key Points

• Confluence Investment Management LLC reduced its holdings in Southern Company by 1.5%, selling 24,280 shares and retaining approximately 1.58 million shares, which are now valued at around $145 million.
• Southern Company reported $0.91 earnings per share for the most recent quarter, falling short of the consensus estimate of $0.99, while revenues reached $6.97 billion, surpassing expectations.
• The company has announced a quarterly dividend of $0.74 per share, with an annualized dividend yield of 3.2% and a current dividend payout ratio of 76.09%.

Confluence Investment Management LLC cut its holdings in Southern Company (The) (NYSE:SO - Free Report) by 1.5% in the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 1,579,454 shares of the utilities provider's stock after selling 24,280 shares during the period. Southern accounts for 2.0% of Confluence Investment Management LLC's investment portfolio, making the stock its 11th biggest position. Confluence Investment Management LLC owned approximately 0.14% of Southern worth $145,041,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently bought and sold shares of the company. GAMMA Investing LLC boosted its holdings in Southern by 23.2% in the 1st quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 21,253 shares of the utilities provider's stock worth $1,954,000 after buying an additional 4,005 shares during the period. Oppenheimer Asset Management Inc. lifted its stake in Southern by 4.1% in the 1st quarter. Oppenheimer Asset Management Inc. now owns 4,645 shares of the utilities provider's stock worth $427,000 after purchasing an additional 182 shares in the last quarter. Coastal Bridge Advisors LLC lifted its stake in Southern by 0.4% in the 1st quarter. Coastal Bridge Advisors LLC now owns 32,627 shares of the utilities provider's stock worth $3,000,000 after purchasing an additional 119 shares in the last quarter. Summit Financial LLC lifted its stake in Southern by 39.1% in the 1st quarter. Summit Financial LLC now owns 80,214 shares of the utilities provider's stock worth $7,376,000 after purchasing an additional 22,546 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Banque Cantonale Vaudoise purchased a new stake in Southern in the 1st quarter worth approximately $945,000. 64.10% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Southern Stock Performance

Southern stock opened at $92.27 on Friday. The firm's fifty day moving average price is $93.53 and its 200-day moving average price is $91.11. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.69, a quick ratio of 0.54 and a current ratio of 0.74. The stock has a market cap of $101.50 billion, a P/E ratio of 23.72, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.18 and a beta of 0.41. Southern Company has a fifty-two week low of $80.46 and a fifty-two week high of $96.44.

Southern (NYSE:SO - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, July 31st. The utilities provider reported $0.91 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.99 by ($0.08). The company had revenue of $6.97 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $6.70 billion. Southern had a net margin of 15.10% and a return on equity of 12.09%. The business's quarterly revenue was up 7.9% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $1.10 EPS. Southern has set its Q3 2025 guidance at 1.500-1.500 EPS. FY 2025 guidance at 4.200-4.300 EPS. On average, equities research analysts expect that Southern Company will post 4.29 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Southern Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, September 8th. Investors of record on Monday, August 18th were issued a dividend of $0.74 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, August 18th. This represents a $2.96 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.2%. Southern's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 76.09%.

Insider Activity at Southern

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

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several analysts have issued reports on SO shares. Jefferies Financial Group upgraded shares of Southern from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating and lowered their target price for the stock from $102.00 to $100.00 in a research note on Thursday, June 5th. Morgan Stanley reiterated an "outperform" rating on shares of Southern in a research note on Thursday, August 21st. Raymond James Financial started coverage on shares of Southern in a research note on Friday, June 13th. They issued an "outperform" rating and a $98.00 target price on the stock. Mizuho increased their target price on shares of Southern from $93.00 to $95.00 and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a research note on Friday, August 1st. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their target price on shares of Southern from $97.00 to $98.00 and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a research note on Thursday, August 21st. Five investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, seven have given a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of "Hold" and a consensus price target of $94.92.

Southern Company 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.

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