Southern CoWBO:SOUT +1.49%60 ROA % is 3.49% as of Mar. 2026, which is 31% above its 10-year median of 2.67. GuruFocus rates WBO:SOUT with a GF Score™ of 60/100 and a GF Value™ of €82.47 (Fairly Valued). The stock has 12 warning signs investors should review. Among 511 Utilities - Regulated companies, Southern Co ranks worse than 52.64% on this metric.
ROA % is calculated as Net Income divided by its average Total Assets over a certain period of time. Southern Co's annualizedNet Income for the quarter that ended in Mar. 2026 was €4,692 Mil.
Southern Co's average Total Assets over the quarter that ended in Mar. 2026 was €134,408 Mil. Therefore, Southern Co's annualized ROA % for the quarter that ended in Mar. 2026 was 3.49%.
The historical rank and industry rank for Southern Co's ROA % or its related term are showing as below:
WBO:SOUT'
s ROA % Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: 0.8 Med: 2.67 Max: 4.04
Current: 2.86
During the past 13 years, Southern Co's highest ROA % was 4.04%. The lowest was 0.80%. And the median was 2.67%.
WBO:SOUT's ROA % is ranked worse than 52.64% of 511
companies
in the Utilities - Regulated industry
Industry Median: 3.02
vs WBO:SOUT: 2.86
Southern Co (WBO:SOUT) ROA % Explanation
ROA % measures the rate of return on the total assets (shareholder equity plus liabilities). It measures a firm's efficiency at generating profits from shareholders' equity plus its liabilities. ROA % shows how well a company uses what it has to generate earnings. ROA %s can vary drastically across industries. Therefore, ROA % should not be used to compare companies in different industries. For retailers, a ROA % of higher than 5% is expected. For example, Wal-Mart (WMT) has a ROA % of about 8% as of 2012. For banks, ROA % is close to their interest spread. A banks ROA % is typically well under 2%.
Similar to ROE, ROA % is affected by profit margins and asset turnover. This can be seen from the Du Pont Formula:
Note:
The Net Income data used here is four times the quarterly (Mar. 2026) net income data. The Revenue data used here is four times the quarterly (Mar. 2026) revenue data.
* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD. * For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.
Be Aware
Like ROE, ROA % is calculated with only 12 months data. Fluctuations in the company's earnings or business cycles can affect the ratio drastically. It is important to look at the ratio from a long term perspective. ROA % can be affected by events such as stock buyback or issuance, and by goodwill, a company's tax rate and its interest payment. ROA % may not reflect the true earning power of the assets. A more accurate measurement is ROC % (ROC).
Many analysts argue the higher return the better. Buffett states that really high ROA % may indicate vulnerability in the durability of the competitive advantage.
E.g. Raising $43b to take on KO is impossible, but $1.7b to take on Moody's is. Although Moody's ROA % and underlying economics is far superior to Coca Cola, the durability is far weaker because of lower entry cost.
Southern Co ROA % Related Terms
Southern Co ROA % Historical Data
* Premium members only.
The historical data trend for Southern Co's ROA % can be seen below:
* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD. * For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.
For the Utilities - Regulated Electric subindustry, Southern Co's ROA %, along with its competitors' market caps and ROA % 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 ROA % vs Utilities - Regulated Industry
For the Utilities - Regulated industry and Utilities sector, Southern Co's ROA % distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where Southern Co's ROA % falls into.
* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD. * For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.
In the calculation of annual ROA %, the net income of the last fiscal year and the average total assets over the fiscal year are used. In calculating the quarterly data,
the Net Income data used here is four times the quarterly (Mar. 2026) net income data.
ROA % is displayed in the 30-year financial page.
Southern Co (WBO:SOUT) has a ROA % of 3.49% as of Mar. 2026. Return on assets is the ratio of current-period net income to average two-period total assets. View historical data on Southern Co and its competitors. This is 31% above median its historical median of 2.67. Over the past decade, Southern Co's ROA % has ranged from 0.80 to 4.04. According to the industry distribution chart, Southern Co ranks #269 out of 511 companies in the Utilities - Regulated industry, placing it in the top 52.6%.
Is Southern Co's ROA % too high?
Southern Co's current ROA % of 3.49% is 31% above median its 10-year median of 2.67. Over the past 10 years, this metric has ranged from a low of 0.80 to a high of 4.04. The Utilities - Regulated industry median ROA % is 3.02. Southern Co's value of 3.49% is 15.6% above this industry median. Based on the distribution chart, Southern Co ranks #269 out of 511 companies in the Utilities - Regulated industry, which is below the industry midpoint. Overall, Southern Co has a GF Score™ of 60/100 and is considered Fairly Valued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Southern Co's ROA % compare to DUK and AEP?
According to the Utilities - Regulated industry distribution chart, Southern Co ranks #269 out of 511 companies for ROA %. This places Southern Co in the lower half of its industry. The industry median ROA % is 3.02. Southern Co's value of 3.49% is 15.6% above this benchmark. Historically, Southern Co's own ROA % has ranged from 0.80 to 4.04 over the past decade. While the company's 10-year median is 2.67 vs. the industry median of 3.02, Southern Co has consistently been above the industry average. See the competitive comparison table and distribution chart on this page for a detailed peer-by-peer breakdown.
What is a good ROA % for an Utilities - Regulated company?
The median ROA % among Utilities - Regulated companies is 3.02, based on 511 companies in the industry. Companies in the top quartile (top 25%) have a ROA % significantly above this median, while those in the bottom quartile fall well below. However, ROA % should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. Southern Co's current ROA % of 3.49% is 15.6% above the industry median. Use the industry distribution chart on this page to see where any company falls relative to its peers.
What does a high ROA % mean?
A high ROA % can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. Return on assets is the ratio of current-period net income to average two-period total assets. View historical data on Southern Co and its competitors. For the Utilities - Regulated industry, the median ROA % is 3.02 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. Southern Co's current ROA % is 3.49%, which is 31% above median its own 10-year median of 2.67. 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 (WBO:SOUT) is currently considered Fairly Valued. The stock's GF Value™ is €82.47, compared to a current price of €83.16 — trading 0.8% above its estimated fair value. The current ROA % is 3.49%, which is 31% above median its 10-year median of 2.67 and 15.6% above the Utilities - Regulated industry median of 3.02. Southern Co's overall GF Score™ is 60/100 with 12 warning signs to review. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is ROA % calculated?
ROA % is calculated from a company's financial statements. For Southern Co (WBO:SOUT), the current ROA % is 3.49% as of Mar. 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 (WBO:SOUT) Overvalued in 2026?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Southern Co stock appears to be overvalued.
The current stock price of €83.16 is trading 0.8% above its estimated GF Value™ of €82.47.
GuruFocus considers Southern Co to be Fairly Valued.
Key valuation signals for WBO:SOUT:
ROA %: 3.49% (31% above median its 10-year median of 2.67)
GF Value™: €82.47 vs. price of €83.16 (0.8% above fair value)
Industry Position: 15.6% above the Utilities - Regulated median (#269 of 511)
No single metric tells the full story. See the WBO:SOUT stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.
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.
60GF Score
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