Southern Co (SO)
NYSE:SO
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Earnings Data
Report Date
Jul 30, 2026Before Open (Confirmed)
Period Ending
2026 (Q2)Consensus EPS Forecast
1Last Year’s EPS
0.92Same Quarter Last Year
Moderate Buy
Based on 19 Analysts Ratings
Earnings Call Summary
Earnings Call Sentiment|Positive
The call conveyed a broadly positive outlook: the company beat EPS expectations, reported strong demand growth (notably a 42% increase in data center usage and 2.3% weather-normal sales growth), advanced significant large-load contracts and a sizeable project pipeline, secured a major $26.5 billion DOE loan package projected to save customers $7 billion, and increased the dividend. Offsetting items include higher financing costs, milder weather, a remaining equity need of about $1.8 billion, supply-chain/labor tightness, and the potential for materially higher future capital spending depending on RFP outcomes. On balance, the operational and financial momentum and large-scale financing wins substantially outweigh the execution and financing risks discussed.Company Guidance
Beating Estimates and EPS Growth
Adjusted EPS for Q1 2026 was $1.32, up $0.09 year-over-year and $0.12 above the company estimate.
Strong Retail Sales and Customer Additions
Weather-normalized total retail electricity sales rose 2.3% year-over-year (highest first-quarter growth in recent history); residential additions of 46,000 net new customers.
Data Center and Commercial Demand Surge
Data center usage increased 42% year-over-year; commercial class sales grew 4.5% (weather-adjusted), materially contributing to overall demand.
Large-Load Pipeline and Contracting Momentum
Company reported 23 GW of contracted or late-stage load, a prospective pipeline of well over 75 GW, and more than 11 GW of fully contracted large-load agreements after signing an incremental 1.9 GW in the past two months. Late-stage/contracting advanced by ~2 GW to 12 GW, with roughly 6 GW expected to finalize near term.
Battery Storage and Generation Development
Georgia Power achieved commercial operations for two battery energy storage systems totaling nearly 200 MW; company has a 10 GW portfolio of approved new generation resources in development with additional battery systems and gas turbines targeted for 2026–2027.
Historic DOE Loan Agreements
Announced $26.5 billion in Department of Energy loan agreements for Alabama and Georgia that are projected to generate cumulative customer savings of $7 billion over the ~30-year term.
Dividend Increase and Shareholder Returns
Board approved an $0.08 per share increase in the annual common dividend to $3.04 (25th consecutive annual increase; 79 consecutive years paying a flat-or-higher dividend), underscoring commitment to stable shareholder returns.
Southern Power Growth Opportunities
Southern Power pursuing 400 MW of natural gas turbine uprates (commercial operation projected 2029–2031) that add ~ $700 million to the capital plan; company evaluating an additional ~300 MW of uprates and other growth opportunities.
Economic Development and Regional Growth
First-quarter economic development announcements in the region exceeded $7 billion of capital investment and nearly 4,000 permanent jobs (including a $2 billion biopharmaceutical project with 300+ jobs in Georgia), reinforcing long-term demand visibility.
Proactive Financing and ATM Activity
Sourced $500 million of incremental equity via the ATM program with forward contracts (settling by 2028); company projects a remaining equity/equivalents need of $1.8 billion through 2030 while targeting a 17% FFO-to-debt by 2029.
SO Earnings History
The table shows recent earnings report dates and whether the forecast was beat or missed. See the change in forecast and EPS from the previous year.
Beat
Missed
SO Earnings-Related Price Changes
Report Date | Price 1 Day Before | Price 1 Day After | Percentage Change |
|---|---|---|---|
Apr 30, 2026 | $93.51 | $96.70 | +3.41% |
Feb 19, 2026 | $91.04 | $95.05 | +4.40% |
Oct 30, 2025 | $92.02 | $93.56 | +1.67% |
Jul 31, 2025 | $92.66 | $92.25 | -0.44% |
Earnings announcements can affect a stock’s price. This table shows the stock's price the day before and the day after recent earnings reports, including the percentage change.
FAQ
When does Southern Co (SO) report earnings?
Southern Co (SO) is schdueled to report earning on Jul 30, 2026, Before Open (Confirmed).
What is Southern Co (SO) earnings time?
Southern Co (SO) earnings time is at Jul 30, 2026, Before Open (Confirmed).
Where can I see when companies are reporting earnings?
You can see which companies are reporting today on our designated earnings calendar.
What companies are reporting earnings today?
You can see a list of the companies which are reporting today on TipRanks earnings calendar.
What is SO EPS forecast?
SO EPS forecast for the fiscal quarter 2026 (Q2) is 1.