SO (Southern Co) Moat Score: 7/10 (As of Jul. 03, 2026)


SO Southern Co SO
76 GF Score
Price $97.98
GF Value $94.19
Valuation Fairly Valued
! 12 Warning Signs
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What is Southern Co Moat Score?

Southern Co SO +3.01% 76 Moat Score is 7 as of Jul. 03, 2026. GuruFocus rates SO with a GF Score™ of 76/100 and a GF Value™ of $94.19 (Fairly Valued). The stock has 12 warning signs investors should review. Among 545 Utilities - Regulated companies, Southern Co ranks better than 99.08% on this metric.

Southern Co has the Moat Score of 7, which implies that the company might have Wide Moat - Entry-level wide moat, clearly possessing durable advantages.

Southern Co has Wide Moat: Southern Co benefits from significant regulatory barriers and exclusive licenses in the utility sector, providing a stable market position. It has a strong distribution network and durable cost advantages due to economies of scale. The company's pricing power is supported by regulatory frameworks, and it maintains a strong brand with customer loyalty in its service areas.

Moat Score is a ranking system developed by GuruFocus to assess a company's ability to sustain a competitive advantage, rated on a scale from 0 to 10. It takes into account key factors such as market leadership, cost advantages, network effects, customer switching costs, and more.

The company's Moat Score is based on these criteria:

1. Market leadership and sustainable market share
2. Network effects and significant customer switching costs
3. Valuable intellectual property and patents
4. Strong brand strength and deep customer loyalty
5. Durable cost advantages (e.g., economies of scale, proprietary technology)
6. Significant regulatory barriers and exclusive licenses
7. Superior distribution network
8. Strong and sustainable pricing power
9. Consistent and impactful innovation and R&D capabilities

Based on the research, GuruFocus believes Southern Co might have Wide Moat - Entry-level wide moat, clearly possessing durable advantages.

Southern Co  (NYSE:SO) Moat Score Explanation

The Moat Score ranges from 0 to 10, with 10 as the highest. GuruFocus divided Moat Score into following 8 categories:

Moat Score Moat Level
10Wide Moat - Exceptionally dominant and durable wide moat
8 - 9Wide Moat - Clear and robust wide moat
7Wide Moat - Entry-level wide moat, clearly possessing durable advantages
6Narrow Moat - Strong narrow moat, clearly distinguishable but not wide
5Narrow Moat - Solid narrow moat
4Narrow Moat - Discernible but modest moat
1 - 3No Moat - Very weak/transient advantages
0No Moat - No discernible moat

Southern Co Moat Score Related Terms

SO vs DUK, AEP, D: Moat Score Comparison

For the Utilities - Regulated Electric subindustry, Southern Co's Moat Score, along with its competitors' market caps and Moat Score data, can be viewed below:

* Competitive companies are chosen from companies within the same industry, with headquarter located in same country, with closest market capitalization; x-axis shows the market cap, and y-axis shows the term value; the bigger the dot, the larger the market cap. Note that "N/A" values will not show up in the chart.

Southern Co Moat Score vs Utilities - Regulated Industry

For the Utilities - Regulated industry and Utilities sector, Southern Co's Moat Score distribution charts can be found below:

* The bar in red indicates where Southern Co's Moat Score falls into.


SO
76GF Score
Southern Co SO
Moat Score is just one metric. See GF Score™, valuation, warning signs, and more.
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Frequently Asked Questions Learn more about Moat Score →
What does a Moat Score of 7 mean?
Southern Co (SO) has a Moat Score of 7 as of Jul. 03, 2026. Moat Score is a ranking system developed by GuruFocus to assess a company's ability to sustain a competitive advantage, rated on a scale from 0 to 10. It takes into account key factors such as market leadership, cost advantages, network effects, customer switching costs, and more. According to the industry distribution chart, Southern Co ranks #5 out of 545 companies in the Utilities - Regulated industry, placing it in the top 0.90000000000001%.
Is Southern Co's Moat Score too high?
Southern Co's current Moat Score is 7. Based on the distribution chart, Southern Co ranks #5 out of 545 companies in the Utilities - Regulated industry, which is in the top quartile — a strong position relative to peers. Overall, Southern Co has a GF Score™ of 76/100 and is considered Fairly Valued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Southern Co's Moat Score compare to DUK and AEP?
According to the Utilities - Regulated industry distribution chart, Southern Co ranks #5 out of 545 companies for Moat Score. This places Southern Co in the top 1% of its industry — outperforming the majority of peers. See the competitive comparison table and distribution chart on this page for a detailed peer-by-peer breakdown.
What is a good Moat Score for an Utilities - Regulated company?
A good Moat Score depends on the Utilities - Regulated industry context. However, Moat Score should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. Use the industry distribution chart on this page to see where any company falls relative to its peers.
What does a high Moat Score mean?
A high Moat Score can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. Moat Score is a ranking system developed by GuruFocus to assess a company's ability to sustain a competitive advantage, rated on a scale from 0 to 10. It takes into account key factors such as market leadership, cost advantages, network effects, customer switching costs, and more. Southern Co's current Moat Score is 7. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is Southern Co stock overvalued right now?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Southern Co (SO) is currently considered Fairly Valued. The stock's GF Value™ is $94.19, compared to a current price of $97.98 — trading 4% above its estimated fair value. The current Moat Score is 7. Southern Co's overall GF Score™ is 76/100 with 12 warning signs to review. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is Moat Score calculated?
Moat Score is calculated from a company's financial statements. For Southern Co (SO), the current Moat Score is 7 as of Jul. 03, 2026. GuruFocus calculates this using data sourced from SEC filings and annual reports. See the calculation section and 30-year financial data on this page for the full breakdown.

Is Southern Co (SO) Overvalued in 2026?

Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Southern Co stock appears to be overvalued. The current stock price of $97.98 is trading 4% above its estimated GF Value™ of $94.19. GuruFocus considers Southern Co to be Fairly Valued.

Key valuation signals for SO:

  • Moat Score: 7
  • GF Value™: $94.19 vs. price of $97.98 (4% above fair value)
  • GF Score™: 76/100 with 12 warning signs

No single metric tells the full story. See the SO stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.

Southern Co Business Description

Address 30 Ivan Allen Jr. Boulevard, Northwest, Atlanta, GA, USA, 30308
Southern is one of the largest utilities in the US. The company serves 9 million customers with vertically integrated electric utilities in three states and natural gas distribution utilities in four states. It owns 46 gigawatts of rate-regulated generating capacity, primarily for serving customers in Georgia, Alabama, and Mississippi. Subsidiary Southern Power owns 13 gigawatts of natural gas generation and renewable energy across the US and sells the electricity primarily under long-term contracts.
76GF Score

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$97.98
Price
$94.19
GF Value