Southern Company (The) $SO Stock Holdings Increased by Maryland State Retirement & Pension System

Maryland State Retirement & Pension System increased its stake in shares of Southern Company (The) (NYSE:SO) by 16.7% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The firm owned 70,242 shares of the utilities provider’s stock after buying an additional 10,034 shares during the period. Maryland State Retirement & Pension System’s holdings in Southern were worth $5,822,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of the stock. Optivise Advisory Services LLC raised its holdings in Southern by 3.8% in the 3rd quarter. Optivise Advisory Services LLC now owns 3,055 shares of the utilities provider’s stock valued at $253,000 after acquiring an additional 111 shares during the period. KCM Investment Advisors LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Southern by 0.3% during the first quarter. KCM Investment Advisors LLC now owns 34,328 shares of the utilities provider’s stock worth $3,313,000 after acquiring an additional 115 shares during the period. Compass Wealth Management LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Southern by 3.7% during the third quarter. Compass Wealth Management LLC now owns 3,265 shares of the utilities provider’s stock worth $271,000 after acquiring an additional 115 shares during the period. Advisortrust Partners LLC grew its position in shares of Southern by 5.0% in the first quarter. Advisortrust Partners LLC now owns 2,601 shares of the utilities provider’s stock valued at $251,000 after purchasing an additional 125 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Everhart Financial Group Inc. grew its position in shares of Southern by 3.3% in the second quarter. Everhart Financial Group Inc. now owns 4,003 shares of the utilities provider’s stock valued at $383,000 after purchasing an additional 129 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 64.10% of the company’s stock.

Southern Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE:SO opened at $92.32 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.55, a current ratio of 0.84 and a quick ratio of 0.62. The stock has a market capitalization of $107.49 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 19.00, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.44 and a beta of 0.30. Southern Company has a 1 year low of $81.69 and a 1 year high of $99.58. The company’s 50 day simple moving average is $88.57 and its 200 day simple moving average is $92.58.

Southern (NYSE:SO) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, November 5th. The utilities provider reported $1.94 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.71 by $0.23. Southern had a net margin of 16.00% and a return on equity of 13.57%. The company had revenue of $8.84 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $8.38 billion. During the same period last year, the company posted $1.54 EPS. The firm’s quarterly revenue was up 13.0% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, research analysts predict that Southern Company will post 4.65 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Southern Announces Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, December 7th. Shareholders of record on Monday, November 16th will be given a $0.76 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Monday, November 16th. This represents a $3.04 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.3%. Southern’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 69.25%.

Insider Activity at Southern

In other news, EVP Sterling Spainhour, Jr. sold 3,333 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, November 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $91.81, for a total transaction of $306,002.73. Following the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 31,886 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,927,453.66. The trade was a 9.46% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. Insiders own 0.16% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several analysts recently weighed in on the company. Barclays dropped their price target on Southern from $101.00 to $92.00 and set an “equal weight” rating for the company in a report on Friday, October 16th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. decreased their price objective on Southern from $101.00 to $94.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, October 13th. Capital One Financial set a $99.00 target price on Southern in a report on Monday. Ladenburg Thalmann & Co. Inc. reduced their target price on shares of Southern from $96.50 to $85.50 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a research report on Monday, September 28th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group decreased their price target on shares of Southern from $103.00 to $101.00 in a research note on Thursday, October 15th. Eight analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have given a Hold rating and two have issued a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $97.32.

Southern Profile

Southern Company is an energy holding company based in Atlanta, Georgia. Through its subsidiaries, it generates, transmits and distributes electricity and provides natural gas service, primarily across the southeastern United States. Its electric utility businesses include Alabama Power, Georgia Power and Mississippi Power, which serve customers in their respective states. Southern Company also owns Southern Power, which develops and operates wholesale power generation assets, and Southern Company Gas, whose businesses distribute natural gas to customers in several states.