Liberty One Investment Management LLC Has $32.36 Million Stake in Southern Company (The) $SO

Key Points

• Liberty One Investment Management LLC holds a $32.36 million stake in Southern Company, which makes up approximately 3.3% of its investment portfolio.
• Southern Company reported $0.91 earnings per share in its latest quarter, falling short of the analysts' consensus estimate of $0.99.
• The company has announced a quarterly dividend of $0.74 per share, reflecting a 3.0% dividend yield, with the ex-dividend date set for November 17th.

Liberty One Investment Management LLC trimmed its position in shares of Southern Company (The) (NYSE:SO - Free Report) by 3.9% during the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 352,336 shares of the utilities provider's stock after selling 14,224 shares during the period. Southern comprises 3.3% of Liberty One Investment Management LLC's investment portfolio, making the stock its 3rd largest position. Liberty One Investment Management LLC's holdings in Southern were worth $32,355,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other large investors have also bought and sold shares of the company. Equitable Trust Co. increased its stake in shares of Southern by 24.7% during the second quarter. Equitable Trust Co. now owns 34,527 shares of the utilities provider's stock valued at $3,171,000 after buying an additional 6,843 shares during the period. Klein Pavlis & Peasley Financial Inc. bought a new stake in Southern in the second quarter worth $2,352,000. Investors Research Corp boosted its holdings in Southern by 1,982.6% in the second quarter. Investors Research Corp now owns 5,623 shares of the utilities provider's stock worth $516,000 after acquiring an additional 5,353 shares in the last quarter. Intech Investment Management LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Southern by 35.8% during the first quarter. Intech Investment Management LLC now owns 116,059 shares of the utilities provider's stock valued at $10,672,000 after purchasing an additional 30,618 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Czech National Bank lifted its holdings in shares of Southern by 6.8% during the second quarter. Czech National Bank now owns 268,648 shares of the utilities provider's stock valued at $24,670,000 after purchasing an additional 17,111 shares in the last quarter. 64.10% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Southern Trading Up 0.0%

Shares of NYSE:SO opened at $97.80 on Tuesday. Southern Company has a 12-month low of $80.46 and a 12-month high of $100.83. The business's fifty day simple moving average is $94.06 and its 200-day simple moving average is $92.05. The company has a current ratio of 0.74, a quick ratio of 0.54 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.69. The company has a market capitalization of $107.59 billion, a PE ratio of 25.14, a P/E/G ratio of 3.46 and a beta of 0.43.

Southern (NYSE:SO - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data 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 analyst estimates of $6.70 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $1.10 earnings per share. The firm's revenue for the quarter was up 7.9% on a year-over-year basis. Southern has set its Q3 2025 guidance at 1.500-1.500 EPS. FY 2025 guidance at 4.200-4.300 EPS. As a group, equities research analysts predict that Southern Company will post 4.29 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Southern Dividend Announcement

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, December 8th. Stockholders of record on Monday, November 17th will be given a $0.74 dividend. This represents a $2.96 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.0%. The ex-dividend date is Monday, November 17th. Southern's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 76.09%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of research analysts have weighed in on the company. Evercore ISI assumed coverage on Southern in a report on Monday, October 6th. They issued an "in-line" rating and a $103.00 target price on the stock. Mizuho increased their target price on Southern from $93.00 to $95.00 and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a research report on Friday, August 1st. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their price target on Southern from $97.00 to $98.00 and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a research note on Thursday, August 21st. Cowen started coverage on Southern in a report on Wednesday, October 15th. They set a "buy" rating for the company. Finally, TD Cowen started coverage on Southern in a report on Thursday, October 16th. They issued a "buy" rating and a $112.00 target price for the company. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, five have issued a Buy rating, ten have issued a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of "Hold" and a consensus price target of $98.83.

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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