Southern Company Stock Gains As Q4 Revenue Tops Estimates, Retail Investors Remain Bullish

Southern Company (SO) shares climbed 3% in afternoon trading on Friday after the utility reported mixed fourth-quarter results, with revenue exceeding expectations while earnings came in slightly below estimates.

The Atlanta-based energy provider posted adjusted earnings per share (EPS) of $0.50 for the quarter, narrowly missing analyst projections of $0.51. 

However, revenue for the period came in at $6.34 billion, surpassing Wall Street’s estimate of $5.9 billion and reflecting a 4.9% increase from the same quarter last year.

For the full year, Southern Company’s operating revenues totaled $26.7 billion, up 5.8% from $25.3 billion in 2023. 

The company attributed the growth to higher utility revenues, which were partially offset by increased non-fuel operations and maintenance expenses, higher interest costs, depreciation, and income taxes.

On Stocktwits, retail sentiment around the stock remained ‘bullish’ accompanied by ‘high’ levels of retail chatter. 

User commentary on Stocktwits indicated a positive reaction to the earnings, with one trader forecasting that the company may even venture into nuclear energy with the rising demand for energy from data centers. 

Southern Company’s stock has gained 32% over the past year, with gains of over 6% this year. 

For updates and corrections, email newsroom[at]stocktwits[dot]com.

Read also: EPAM Systems Stock Plunges After Weak Guidance Overshadows Earnings Beat, Denting Retail Optimism