SO (Southern Co) 5-Year Yield-on-Cost %: 3.51 (As of Jul. 07, 2026) — 25% Below Median


SO Southern Co SO
79 GF Score
Price $98.18
GF Value $94.21
Valuation Fairly Valued
! 12 Warning Signs
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What is Southern Co 5-Year Yield-on-Cost %?

Southern Co SO +2.28% 79 5-Year Yield-on-Cost % is 3.51 as of Jul. 07, 2026, which is 25% below its 10-year median of 4.70. GuruFocus rates SO with a GF Score™ of 79/100 and a GF Value™ of $94.21 (Fairly Valued). The stock has 12 warning signs investors should review. Among 432 Utilities - Regulated companies, Southern Co ranks worse than 63.66% on this metric.

Southern Co's yield on cost for the quarter that ended in Mar. 2026 was 3.51.


The historical rank and industry rank for Southern Co's 5-Year Yield-on-Cost % or its related term are showing as below:

SO' s 5-Year Yield-on-Cost % Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: 3.44   Med: 4.7   Max: 6.29
Current: 3.51


During the past 13 years, Southern Co's highest Yield on Cost was 6.29. The lowest was 3.44. And the median was 4.70.


SO's 5-Year Yield-on-Cost % is ranked worse than
63.66% of 432 companies
in the Utilities - Regulated industry
Industry Median: 4.215 vs SO: 3.51

Southern Co  (NYSE:SO) 5-Year Yield-on-Cost % Explanation

Of course the risk here is that the company may not raise its dividends as it did before. The key is to select the companies that can consistently raise its dividends. Usually companies with long history of raising dividends tend to do so.


Southern Co 5-Year Yield-on-Cost % Related Terms


SO vs DUK, AEP, D: 5-Year Yield-on-Cost % Comparison

For the Utilities - Regulated Electric subindustry, Southern Co's 5-Year Yield-on-Cost %, along with its competitors' market caps and 5-Year Yield-on-Cost % 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 5-Year Yield-on-Cost % vs Utilities - Regulated Industry

For the Utilities - Regulated industry and Utilities sector, Southern Co's 5-Year Yield-on-Cost % distribution charts can be found below:

* The bar in red indicates where Southern Co's 5-Year Yield-on-Cost % falls into.


SO
79GF Score
Southern Co SO
5-Year Yield-on-Cost % is just one metric. See GF Score™, valuation, warning signs, and more.
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Southern Co 5-Year Yield-on-Cost % Calculation

Dividend Yield % and dividend growth of a stock is an important factor for income investors. But if company A raises its dividend constantly faster than company B, company A's future dividend yield might be much higher than Company B's even if their yields are the same now and their stock prices do not change.

Yield on Cost assumes that you buy and the stock today, and hold it for 5 years. If the company raises it dividends at the same rate as it did over the past 5 years, the dividends investors receive annually in 5 years relative to the stock price today.

Therefore, Yield-on-Cost of Southern Co is calculated as

Yield-on-Cost=Dividend Yield %*(1+Dividend Growth Rate)^5
Frequently Asked Questions Learn more about 5-Year Yield-on-Cost % →
What does a 5-Year Yield-on-Cost % of 3.51 mean?
Southern Co (SO) has a 5-Year Yield-on-Cost % of 3.51 as of Jul. 07, 2026. 5-Year Yield on Cost measures the expected yield based on a company's current yield and 5-year dividend growth. View historical data on Southern Co and its competitors. This is 25% below median its historical median of 4.70. Over the past decade, Southern Co's 5-Year Yield-on-Cost % has ranged from 3.44 to 6.29. According to the industry distribution chart, Southern Co ranks #275 out of 432 companies in the Utilities - Regulated industry, placing it in the top 63.7%.
Is Southern Co's 5-Year Yield-on-Cost % too high?
Southern Co's current 5-Year Yield-on-Cost % of 3.51 is 25% below median its 10-year median of 4.70. Over the past 10 years, this metric has ranged from a low of 3.44 to a high of 6.29. The Utilities - Regulated industry median 5-Year Yield-on-Cost % is 4.22. Southern Co's value of 3.51 is 16.7% below this industry median. Based on the distribution chart, Southern Co ranks #275 out of 432 companies in the Utilities - Regulated industry, which is below the industry midpoint. Overall, Southern Co has a GF Score™ of 79/100 and is considered Fairly Valued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Southern Co's 5-Year Yield-on-Cost % compare to DUK and AEP?
According to the Utilities - Regulated industry distribution chart, Southern Co ranks #275 out of 432 companies for 5-Year Yield-on-Cost %. This places Southern Co in the lower half of its industry. The industry median 5-Year Yield-on-Cost % is 4.22. Southern Co's value of 3.51 is 16.7% below this benchmark. Historically, Southern Co's own 5-Year Yield-on-Cost % has ranged from 3.44 to 6.29 over the past decade. While the company's 10-year median is 4.70 vs. the industry median of 4.22, Southern Co has consistently been below 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 5-Year Yield-on-Cost % for an Utilities - Regulated company?
The median 5-Year Yield-on-Cost % among Utilities - Regulated companies is 4.22, based on 432 companies in the industry. Companies in the top quartile (top 25%) have a 5-Year Yield-on-Cost % significantly above this median, while those in the bottom quartile fall well below. However, 5-Year Yield-on-Cost % should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. Southern Co's current 5-Year Yield-on-Cost % of 3.51 is 16.7% below 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 5-Year Yield-on-Cost % mean?
A high 5-Year Yield-on-Cost % can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. 5-Year Yield on Cost measures the expected yield based on a company's current yield and 5-year dividend growth. View historical data on Southern Co and its competitors. For the Utilities - Regulated industry, the median 5-Year Yield-on-Cost % is 4.22 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. Southern Co's current 5-Year Yield-on-Cost % is 3.51, which is 25% below median its own 10-year median of 4.70. 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 $94.21, compared to a current price of $98.18 — trading 4.2% above its estimated fair value. The current 5-Year Yield-on-Cost % is 3.51, which is 25% below median its 10-year median of 4.70 and 16.7% below the Utilities - Regulated industry median of 4.22. Southern Co's overall GF Score™ is 79/100 with 12 warning signs to review. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is 5-Year Yield-on-Cost % calculated?
5-Year Yield-on-Cost % is calculated from a company's financial statements. For Southern Co (SO), the current 5-Year Yield-on-Cost % is 3.51 as of Jul. 07, 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 $98.18 is trading 4.2% above its estimated GF Value™ of $94.21. GuruFocus considers Southern Co to be Fairly Valued.

Key valuation signals for SO:

  • 5-Year Yield-on-Cost %: 3.51 (25% below median its 10-year median of 4.70)
  • GF Value™: $94.21 vs. price of $98.18 (4.2% above fair value)
  • GF Score™: 79/100 with 12 warning signs
  • Industry Position: 16.7% below the Utilities - Regulated median (#275 of 432)

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.
79GF Score

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5-Year Yield-on-Cost % is just one metric. See GF Value™, 30-year financials, guru trades, warning signs, and more.

$98.18
Price
$94.21
GF Value