Southern (SO) Stock Forecast & Price Target

$90.70

-0.89 (-0.97%)

(As of 04:33 PM ET)

Southern - Analysts' Recommendations and Stock Price Forecast (2024)

MarketBeat calculates consensus analyst ratings for stocks using the most recent rating from each Wall Street analyst that has rated a stock within the last twelve months. Each analyst's rating is normalized to a standardized rating score of 1 (sell), 2 (hold), 3 (buy) or 4 (strong buy). Analyst consensus ratings scores are calculated using the mean average of the number of normalized sell, hold, buy and strong buy ratings from Wall Street analysts. Each stock's consensus analyst rating is derived from its calculated consensus ratings score (0 to .5 = Strong Sell, .5 to 1 = Sell, 1 to 1.5 = Reduce, 1.5 to 2.5 = Hold, 2.5 to 3.0 = Moderate Buy, 3.0 to 3.5 = Buy, >3.5 = Strong Buy). MarketBeat's consensus price targets are a mean average of the most recent available price targets set by each analyst that has set a price target for the stock in the last twelve months. MarketBeat's consensus ratings and consensus price targets may differ from those calculated by other firms due to differences in methodology and available data.

Consensus Rating

Hold

Based on 16 Analyst Ratings

Sell
1

Hold
8

Buy
7

Based on 16 Wall Street analysts who have issued ratings for Southern in the last 12 months, the stock has a consensus rating of "Hold." Out of the 16 analysts, 1 has given a sell rating, 8 have given a hold rating, and 7 have given a buy rating for SO.

Consensus Price Target

$88.27
-2.68% Downside

According to the 16 analysts' twelve-month price targets for Southern, the average price target is $88.27. The highest price target for SO is $97.00, while the lowest price target for SO is $71.00. The average price target represents a forecasted downside of -2.68% from the current price of $90.70.

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SO Analyst Ratings Over Time

Type	Current Forecast 10/4/23 to 10/3/24	1 Month Ago 9/4/23 to 9/3/24	3 Months Ago 7/6/23 to 7/5/24	1 Year Ago 10/4/22 to 10/4/23
Strong Buy	0 Strong Buy rating(s)	0 Strong Buy rating(s)	0 Strong Buy rating(s)	1 Strong Buy rating(s)
Buy	7 Buy rating(s)	7 Buy rating(s)	7 Buy rating(s)	5 Buy rating(s)
Hold	8 Hold rating(s)	6 Hold rating(s)	5 Hold rating(s)	5 Hold rating(s)
Sell	1 Sell rating(s)	1 Sell rating(s)	1 Sell rating(s)	2 Sell rating(s)
Consensus Price Target	$88.27	$83.71	$76.14	$73.27
Forecasted Upside	-2.68% Downside	-5.84% Downside	-2.43% Downside	13.43% Upside
Consensus Rating	Hold	Hold	Hold	Hold

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SO Analyst Recommendations By Month

The chart below shows how a company's ratings by analysts have changed over time. Each bar represents the previous year of ratings for that month. Within each bar, the sell ratings are shown in red, the hold ratings are shown in yellow, the buy ratings are shown in green, and the strong buy ratings are shown in dark green.

SO Price Targets by Month

The chart below shows how a company's share price and consensus price target have changed over time. The dark blue line represents the company's actual price. The lighter blue line represents the stock's consensus price target. The even lighter blue range in the background of the two lines represents the low price target and the high price target for each stock.

Southern Stock vs. The Competition

Type	Southern	Utilities Companies	S&P 500
Consensus Rating Score	2.38	2.47	2.50
Consensus Rating	Hold	Hold	Hold
Predicted Upside	-2.64% Downside	16.70% Upside	7.89% Upside
News Sentiment Rating	Positive News See Recent SO News	Positive News	Positive News

Recent Analyst Forecasts and Stock Ratings

Rating

Upside/Downside

Action

Time Frame

Start Date

End Date

Show

Export to Excel

Date	Brokerage	Analyst Name	Action	Rating	Price Target	Upside/Downside on Report Date
10/2/2024	Guggenheim 3 of 5 stars		Boost Target	Buy ➝ Buy	$93.00 ➝ $97.00	+6.22%
9/25/2024	Morgan Stanley 3 of 5 stars		Boost Target	Equal Weight ➝ Equal Weight	$78.00 ➝ $82.00	-8.37%
9/20/2024	UBS Group 4 of 5 stars		Boost Target	Neutral ➝ Neutral	$90.00 ➝ $91.00	+1.84%
9/20/2024	Jefferies Financial Group Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the recommendation accuracy rating		Initiated Coverage	Hold	$94.00	+5.77%
9/16/2024	Mizuho Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the recommendation accuracy rating	A. Crowdell Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the recommendation accuracy rating	Downgrade	Outperform ➝ Neutral	$90.00 ➝ $90.00	+0.63%
8/29/2024	Bank of America Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the recommendation accuracy rating		Boost Target	Neutral ➝ Neutral	$86.00 ➝ $87.00	+1.78%
Get the Latest News and Ratings for SO and Related Stocks Enter your email address below to receive the latest news and analysts' ratings for Southern and its competitors with MarketBeat's FREE daily newsletter.
8/20/2024	Scotiabank Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the recommendation accuracy rating		Boost Target	Sector Outperform ➝ Sector Outperform	$87.00 ➝ $96.00	+9.99%
8/12/2024	JPMorgan Chase & Co. Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the recommendation accuracy rating		Boost Target	Underweight ➝ Underweight	$80.00 ➝ $87.00	+0.16%
8/2/2024	Wells Fargo & Company Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the recommendation accuracy rating		Boost Target	Equal Weight ➝ Equal Weight	$77.00 ➝ $89.00	+1.49%
8/2/2024	The Goldman Sachs Group Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the recommendation accuracy rating		Boost Target	Buy ➝ Buy	$83.00 ➝ $94.00	+7.27%
8/2/2024	BMO Capital Markets Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the recommendation accuracy rating		Boost Target	Outperform ➝ Outperform	$87.00 ➝ $94.00	+7.27%
8/2/2024	Wolfe Research Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the recommendation accuracy rating	S. Fleishman Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the recommendation accuracy rating	Downgrade	Outperform ➝ Peer Perform
7/9/2024	Barclays Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the recommendation accuracy rating		Boost Target	Equal Weight ➝ Equal Weight	$66.00 ➝ $71.00	-8.81%
5/15/2024	Argus Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the recommendation accuracy rating		Boost Target	Buy ➝ Buy	$75.00 ➝ $90.00	+13.42%
2/21/2024	Royal Bank of Canada Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the recommendation accuracy rating		Reiterated Rating	Outperform ➝ Outperform	$80.00	+18.82%
12/8/2023	Citigroup Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the recommendation accuracy rating		Initiated Coverage	Buy	$82.00	+14.45%
8/9/2023	LADENBURG THALM/SH SH Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the recommendation accuracy rating		Initiated Coverage	Buy	$72.00	+4.64%
4/28/2023	VNET Group Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the recommendation accuracy rating		Reiterated Rating	Maintains
1/18/2023	Credit Suisse Group Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the recommendation accuracy rating		Boost Target	Underperform	$60.00 ➝ $70.00	-0.07%
10/24/2022	Bank Of America (Bofa) Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the recommendation accuracy rating		Downgrade	Underperform
10/20/2022	KeyCorp Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the recommendation accuracy rating		Upgrade	Sector Weight ➝ Overweight	$70.00	+8.21%

Analyst ratings data on MarketBeat is provided by Benzinga and other data providers. This page was last refreshed on Thursday at 05:33 PM ET.

Should I Buy Southern Stock? SO Pros and Cons Explained

These pros and cons were generated based on recent news and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest and most accurate insights. They were last updated on Tuesday, October 1, 2024. Please send any questions or comments about these Southern pros and cons to contact@marketbeat.com.

Southern
Bull Case

Here are some ways that investors could benefit from investing in The Southern Company:

The Southern Company has consistently paid dividends, with a current annualized dividend of $2.88 per share, providing a steady income stream for investors.
Analysts have given The Southern Company an average rating of "Hold" with a consensus price target of $86.33, indicating potential for stock price appreciation.
The company's dividend yield of 3.21% is attractive compared to other investment options, offering a competitive return for investors.
Recent analyst reports have shown positive sentiment towards The Southern Company, with several analysts issuing "buy" ratings, suggesting growth potential.
The Southern Company's business model in electricity generation, transmission, and distribution provides essential services, making it a stable investment option.

Southern
Bear Case

Investors should be bearish about investing in The Southern Company for these reasons:

The company's payout ratio of 74.42% indicates that a significant portion of earnings is being distributed as dividends, potentially limiting reinvestment for future growth.
While some analysts have issued "buy" ratings, others have rated the stock as "hold" or even "sell," reflecting mixed opinions on the company's performance.
Market conditions and regulatory changes in the energy sector could impact The Southern Company's operations and financial performance, leading to uncertainty for investors.
Competitive pressures in the energy industry may affect The Southern Company's market position and profitability, posing risks to investor returns.
Fluctuations in interest rates and energy prices can influence the company's revenue and profitability, potentially affecting stock performance and dividend payouts.

SO Forecast - Frequently Asked Questions

: According to the research reports of 16 Wall Street equities research analysts, the average twelve-month stock price forecast for Southern is $88.27, with a high forecast of $97.00 and a low forecast of $71.00.
: 16 Wall Street analysts have issued "buy," "hold," and "sell" ratings for Southern in the last year. There is currently 1 sell rating, 8 hold ratings and 7 buy ratings for the stock. The consensus among Wall Street analysts is that investors should "hold" SO shares. A hold rating indicates that analysts believe investors should maintain any existing positions they have in SO, but not buy additional shares or sell existing shares.
: According to analysts, Southern's stock has a predicted downside of -2.68% based on their 12-month stock forecasts.
: Over the previous 90 days, Southern's stock had 2 downgrades by analysts.
: Southern has been rated by research analysts at Bank of America, Barclays, BMO Capital Markets, Guggenheim, Jefferies Financial Group, JPMorgan Chase & Co., Mizuho, Morgan Stanley, Scotiabank, The Goldman Sachs Group, UBS Group, Wells Fargo & Company, and Wolfe Research in the past 90 days.
: Analysts like Southern less than other "utilities" companies. The consensus rating score for Southern is 2.38 while the average consensus rating score for "utilities" companies is 2.47. Learn more on how SO compares to other companies.