Exchange Traded Concepts LLC Has $27.82 Million Stake in Southern Company (The) $SO

Key Points

• Exchange Traded Concepts LLC increased its stake in Southern Company by 2.8%, owning 302,992 shares valued at $27.82 million as of the latest SEC filing.
• Southern Company announced a quarterly dividend of $0.74 per share, resulting in an annualized dividend of $2.96 with a yield of 3.2%.
• Despite posting a revenue of $6.97 billion, Southern missed earnings expectations, reporting $0.91 EPS compared to the consensus estimate of $0.99.

Exchange Traded Concepts LLC lifted its position in Southern Company (The) (NYSE:SO - Free Report) by 2.8% in the second quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 302,992 shares of the utilities provider's stock after purchasing an additional 8,165 shares during the quarter. Exchange Traded Concepts LLC's holdings in Southern were worth $27,824,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Miracle Mile Advisors LLC raised its stake in Southern by 0.7% during the first quarter. Miracle Mile Advisors LLC now owns 15,928 shares of the utilities provider's stock worth $1,465,000 after acquiring an additional 110 shares in the last quarter. Keudell Morrison Wealth Management raised its stake in Southern by 1.1% during the first quarter. Keudell Morrison Wealth Management now owns 10,032 shares of the utilities provider's stock worth $922,000 after acquiring an additional 110 shares in the last quarter. West Branch Capital LLC raised its stake in Southern by 23.0% during the first quarter. West Branch Capital LLC now owns 616 shares of the utilities provider's stock worth $57,000 after acquiring an additional 115 shares in the last quarter. PFW Advisors LLC raised its stake in Southern by 1.9% during the first quarter. PFW Advisors LLC now owns 6,114 shares of the utilities provider's stock worth $562,000 after acquiring an additional 116 shares in the last quarter. Finally, McGlone Suttner Wealth Management Inc. raised its stake in Southern by 1.4% during the first quarter. McGlone Suttner Wealth Management Inc. now owns 8,565 shares of the utilities provider's stock worth $788,000 after acquiring an additional 116 shares in the last quarter. 64.10% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Insider Activity

In other news, CEO Kimberly S. Greene sold 13,158 shares of Southern stock in a transaction dated 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 transaction, the chief executive officer owned 93,661 shares in the company, valued at $8,897,795. The trade was a 12.32% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Insiders own 0.16% of the company's stock.

Southern Price Performance

Shares of SO opened at $91.49 on Thursday. The stock has a market cap of $100.64 billion, a P/E ratio of 23.52, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.16 and a beta of 0.41. Southern Company has a 1 year low of $80.46 and a 1 year high of $96.44. The stock's 50-day moving average price is $93.54 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $91.17. The company has a current ratio of 0.74, a quick ratio of 0.54 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.69.

Southern (NYSE:SO - Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, July 31st. The utilities provider reported $0.91 earnings per share (EPS) 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 analyst estimates of $6.70 billion. Southern had a return on equity of 12.09% and a net margin of 15.10%.Southern's quarterly revenue was up 7.9% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $1.10 earnings per share. 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 analysts predict that Southern Company will post 4.29 earnings per share for the current year.

Southern Announces Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, September 8th. Stockholders of record on Monday, August 18th were given a dividend of $0.74 per share. This represents a $2.96 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.2%. The ex-dividend date was Monday, August 18th. Southern's payout ratio is presently 76.09%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

SO has been the subject of several recent analyst reports. BMO Capital Markets increased their price objective on Southern from $98.00 to $102.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a research note on Tuesday, July 22nd. Mizuho raised their target price on Southern from $93.00 to $95.00 and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a research note on Friday, August 1st. Barclays lifted their price objective on Southern from $90.00 to $91.00 and gave the stock an "equal weight" rating in a research report on Wednesday, July 16th. Wall Street Zen lowered Southern from a "hold" rating to a "sell" rating in a research report on Saturday, August 2nd. Finally, Raymond James Financial began coverage on Southern in a research report on Friday, June 13th. They issued an "outperform" rating and a $98.00 price objective for the company. Five analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, seven have given a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of "Hold" and an average price target of $94.92.

About Southern

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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