Insight Inv LLC Sells 185 Shares of Southern Company (The) $SO

Insight Inv LLC trimmed its stake in shares of Southern Company (The) (NYSE:SO) by 2.0% in the second quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The fund owned 8,845 shares of the utilities provider’s stock after selling 185 shares during the quarter. Insight Inv LLC’s holdings in Southern were worth $812,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in SO. GAMMA Investing LLC raised its position in shares of Southern by 23.2% during the first quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 21,253 shares of the utilities provider’s stock worth $1,954,000 after acquiring an additional 4,005 shares during the last quarter. Simplicity Wealth LLC bought a new position in shares of Southern during the first quarter worth about $363,000. Sonora Investment Management Group LLC raised its position in shares of Southern by 5.1% during the first quarter. Sonora Investment Management Group LLC now owns 7,640 shares of the utilities provider’s stock worth $702,000 after acquiring an additional 368 shares during the last quarter. Assenagon Asset Management S.A. increased its holdings in Southern by 2,780.2% in the first quarter. Assenagon Asset Management S.A. now owns 700,628 shares of the utilities provider’s stock worth $64,423,000 after purchasing an additional 676,302 shares in the last quarter. Finally, CX Institutional increased its holdings in Southern by 8.5% in the first quarter. CX Institutional now owns 8,109 shares of the utilities provider’s stock worth $746,000 after purchasing an additional 634 shares in the last quarter. 64.10% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Southern Stock Down 0.3%

Shares of NYSE SO opened at $96.17 on Thursday. Southern Company has a one year low of $80.46 and a one year high of $96.79. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.69, a current ratio of 0.74 and a quick ratio of 0.54. The business’s fifty day moving average price is $93.52 and its 200-day moving average price is $91.59. The stock has a market capitalization of $105.79 billion, a PE ratio of 24.72, a P/E/G ratio of 3.33 and a beta of 0.43.

Southern (NYSE:SO) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, July 31st. The utilities provider reported $0.91 EPS 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 for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $6.70 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the company earned $1.10 EPS. The firm’s quarterly revenue 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. On average, equities research analysts anticipate that Southern Company will post 4.29 EPS for the current year.

Southern Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, September 8th. Investors of record on Monday, August 18th were paid a dividend of $0.74 per share. 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 presently 76.09%.

Insider Activity

In related news, CEO Kimberly S. Greene sold 13,158 shares of the business’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 sale, the chief executive officer directly owned 93,661 shares in the company, valued at approximately $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 can be accessed through this hyperlink. Insiders own 0.16% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of equities research analysts have weighed in on the company. Barclays lifted their target price on Southern from $90.00 to $91.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a report on Wednesday, July 16th. Scotiabank reiterated a “sector perform” rating and issued a $99.00 target price on shares of Southern in a report on Friday, October 3rd. Mizuho lifted their target price on Southern from $93.00 to $95.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a report on Friday, August 1st. Evercore ISI began coverage on Southern in a report on Monday. They set an “in-line” rating and a $103.00 price objective for the company. Finally, Wall Street Zen downgraded Southern from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating in a report on Saturday, August 2nd. Four analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, nine have assigned a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Southern presently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $95.77.

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.