AEP vs. SO: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
UpdatedHere’s a clear look at AEP and SO, comparing key factors like performance, valuation metrics, dividends, and financial strength. It’s built for investors or anyone curious to see how these two stocks match up.
Company Overview
SO stands out with 98.54 billion USD in market value—about 1.79× AEP’s market cap of 54.98 billion USD.
With betas of 0.43 for AEP and 0.38 for SO, both show similar volatility profiles relative to the overall market.
| Symbol | AEP | SO |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | American Electric Power Company, Inc. | The Southern Company |
| Country | US | US |
| Sector | Utilities | Utilities |
| Industry | Regulated Electric | Regulated Electric |
| CEO | Mr. William J. Fehrman | Mr. Christopher C. Womack |
| Price | 102.93 USD | 89.66 USD |
| Market Cap | 54.98 billion USD | 98.54 billion USD |
| Beta | 0.43 | 0.38 |
| Exchange | NASDAQ | NYSE |
| IPO Date | January 2, 1962 | December 31, 1981 |
| ADR | No | No |
Performance Comparison
This chart compares the performance of AEP and SO over the past year by tracking the growth of an initial $10,000 investment in each (starting one year ago).
Hover over the lines to see the investment’s value and total return (%) at specific dates.
Data is adjusted for dividends and splits.
Valuation Metrics Comparison
The section examines key financial ratios to assess the valuation of AEP and SO based on earnings, cash flow, sales, and book value. Pay attention to the following notable points where extreme values stand out.
- AEP and SO both consumed more free cash flow than they generated last year—P/FCF of -42.33 and -2526.71, respectively—highlighting persistent liquidity pressure.
| Symbol | AEP | SO |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (P/E, TTM) | 19.86 | 21.41 |
| Forward PEG Ratio (TTM) | 2.92 | 3.14 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (P/S, TTM) | 2.73 | 3.54 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (P/B, TTM) | 2.01 | 2.91 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (P/FCF, TTM) | -42.33 | -2526.71 |
| EV-to-EBITDA (TTM) | 13.99 | 14.02 |
| EV-to-Sales (TTM) | 5.04 | 6.06 |
| EV-to-Free Cash Flow (TTM) | -78.25 | -4324.66 |
Dividend Comparison
Both AEP and SO offer similar dividend yields (3.57% vs. 3.23%), indicating comparable approaches to balancing income and growth.
| Symbol | AEP | SO |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 3.57% | 3.23% |
Financial Strength Metrics Comparison
This section dives into the financial resilience of AEP and SO, spotlighting key metrics like liquidity, leverage, and debt coverage. Check out the standout observations below where notable differences or extremes pop up.
- With current ratios of 0.42 and 0.00, both AEP and SO have less current assets than short-term liabilities, which could strain their working capital and force reliance on additional financing.
- Both AEP (quick ratio 0.31) and SO (quick ratio 0.00) fall below 0.8, meaning their most liquid assets—excluding inventory—aren’t enough to meet short-term obligations. This could force them to rely on receivables, inventory turn, or external financing.
| Symbol | AEP | SO |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (TTM) | 0.42 | 0.00 |
| Quick Ratio (TTM) | 0.31 | 0.00 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (TTM) | 1.72 | 2.07 |
| Debt-to-Assets Ratio (TTM) | 0.45 | 0.00 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | 2.30 | 3.53 |