Southern Company Rose 9% Year to Date. Here’s Where the Stock Could Go in 2026

Nikko Henson4 minute read
Reviewed by: Thomas Richmond
Last updated Mar 26, 2026

Key Stats for SO Stock

  • Year-to-Date Performance: 9%
  • 52-Week Range: $83 to $101
  • Valuation Model Target Price: $116
  • Implied Upside: 22%

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What Happened?

Southern Company is benefiting from renewed investor interest in utility stocks in 2026 as electricity demand rises due to AI data centers, electrification, and long-term population growth, with the company emerging as a key beneficiary alongside peers like NextEra Energy and Duke Energy, which are also seeing improving demand visibility across regulated power markets.

Southern Company stock is up about 9% year to date, recently trading near $95 per share, because investors are pricing in sustained growth in its regulated rate base driven by higher electricity demand, which allows the company to invest more capital into infrastructure and earn predictable returns that translate into steady earnings growth.

This week, Southern Company highlighted continued expansion in its renewable strategy, with Georgia Power planning to grow its renewable portfolio to 10,000 MW by 2032 while adding more than 110 MW of distributed solar through recently approved contracts.

The company also outlined plans to procure an additional 100+ MW of solar over the next two years and priced $1.3 billion of 6.00% junior subordinated notes due 2058, reinforcing its ability to fund long-term infrastructure investments tied to rising electricity demand.

Recent institutional activity showed active repositioning across large holders, similar to trends seen across the regulated utility sector.

Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services increased its stake by 2.8% to 681,942 shares worth about $59.7 million, while Brevan Howard Capital Management boosted its position by 251.8% to 87,982 shares and Bollard Group increased its holdings by 5.7% to 450,621 shares.

New positions from firms like Union Bancaire Privée and Kettle Hill Capital were partially offset by reductions from Confluence Investment Management, which trimmed its stake by 4.1%, and the California Public Employees Retirement System, which reduced holdings by 17.9%.

At the same time, insider selling added some pressure, with EVP Christopher Cummiskey selling 6,669 shares at about $97 per share, while institutional ownership remains high at about 64.1%, reinforcing continued demand for stable utility earnings.

The Southern Company stock
SO Guided Valuation Model

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Is SO Undervalued?

Under valuation assumptions, the stock is modeled using:

  • Revenue Growth (CAGR): 5.6%
  • Operating Margins: 29.2%
  • Exit P/E Multiple: 19.4x

Revenue growth is expected to remain in the mid-single-digit range, driven by continued expansion of Southern Company’s regulated rate base as it invests in grid infrastructure, renewable generation, and capacity to meet rising electricity demand across its core southeastern markets.

SO Revenue & Analyst Growth Estimates Over Five Years

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Margin stability is supported by cost recovery mechanisms built into the regulated model, allowing the company to earn returns on invested capital as projects are approved and added to the rate base, which reduces earnings volatility compared to unregulated power producers.

Compared to peers like NextEra Energy and Duke Energy, Southern Company’s growth profile is more tied to steady rate base expansion rather than large-scale renewable development, which supports a more stable but slightly slower earnings trajectory.

Based on these inputs, the model estimates a target price of $116, implying about 22% total upside over the next few years, suggesting the stock appears modestly undervalued at current levels.

Over the next 12 months, results are likely to be driven by the pace of rate case approvals, accelerating electricity demand from data centers and electrification, and continued investment in renewable and grid infrastructure that expands the regulated asset base and supports consistent earnings growth.

How Much Upside Does SO Stock Have From Here?

Investors can estimate The Southern Company potential share price, or what any stock could be worth, in under a minute using TIKR’s New Valuation Model tool.

All it takes is three simple inputs:

  1. Revenue Growth
  2. Operating Margins
  3. Exit P/E Multiple

From there, TIKR calculates the potential share price and total returns under Bull, Base, and Bear scenarios so you can quickly see whether a stock looks undervalued or overvalued.

If you’re not sure what to enter, TIKR automatically fills in each input using analysts’ consensus estimates, giving you a quick, reliable starting point.

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