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ATO vs. SO: Atmos Energy vs. Southern Company Stock Comparison

How do Atmos Energy (ATO) and Southern Company (SO) stack up? This page sets them side by side across company profile, performance and risk, profitability, growth, financial strength, dividends, and valuation, with selected fundamentals also measured against each stock's industry-group peers.

Company Profile

Atmos Energy (ATO) and Southern Company (SO) both fall under the Utilities industry group, but ATO is classified in Gas Utilities while SO is classified in Electric Utilities.

Company profile comparison for Atmos Energy (ATO) and Southern Company (SO)
Profile ItemATOSO
NameAtmos Energy CorporationThe Southern Company
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorUtilitiesUtilities
GICS Industry GroupUtilitiesUtilities
GICS IndustryGas UtilitiesElectric Utilities
GICS Sub-IndustryGas UtilitiesElectric Utilities
Market Capitalization29.27 billion USD107.51 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateDecember 28, 1983December 31, 1981
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

ATO
SO
GSPC
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Atmos Energy (ATO) vs. Southern Company (SO), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Growth of a $10,000 investment over the past five years. Adjusted for dividends and splits.

Trailing Returns

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Trailing total returns for Atmos Energy (ATO) and Southern Company (SO). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for Atmos Energy (ATO) and Southern Company (SO). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Atmos Energy (ATO) and Southern Company (SO)
MetricATOSO
Total Return (1Y)0.43%6.21%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)18.83%15.28%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)16.10%12.24%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

ATO
SO
GSPC
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Atmos Energy (ATO) vs. Southern Company (SO), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Drawdown from the running peak over the past five years. Each line shows the decline from its prior peak; 0% marks a new high.

Return Distribution

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Distribution of monthly total returns for Atmos Energy (ATO) and Southern Company (SO). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Atmos Energy (ATO) and Southern Company (SO)
MetricATOSO
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)16.06%17.95%
Beta (5Y)0.550.30
Max Drawdown (5Y)-19.08%-23.28%
Avg. Volume (3M)1.03M6.19M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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ATO and SO are plotted by 1-year volatility (risk) and 1-year return. The dashed Capital Allocation Line runs from the risk-free rate through the shared industry median.

Risk-Adjusted Metrics

Risk-adjusted metrics for Atmos Energy (ATO) and Southern Company (SO)
MetricATOSO
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)-0.240.11
Sortino Ratio (1Y)-0.340.16

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Both Atmos Energy (ATO) at 9.79% and Southern Company (SO) at 11.90% land near their industries’ usual ROE ranges, so capital efficiency looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

ATO

Utilities industry group

9.79%

Max
17.99%
Q3
12.01%
ATO
9.79%
Median
9.44%
Q1
7.56%
Min
2.17%

SO

Utilities industry group

11.90%

Max
17.99%
Q3
12.01%
SO
11.90%
Median
9.44%
Q1
7.56%
Min
2.17%
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Atmos Energy (ATO) vs. Southern Company (SO): A comparison of their ROE against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Atmos Energy (ATO) at 28.50% retains a top-quartile share of revenue as profit, ahead of Southern Company (SO) at 16.00%, which keeps about the industry-typical share.

ATO

Utilities industry group

28.50%

Max
28.78%
ATO
28.50%
Q3
17.30%
Median
12.73%
Q1
9.18%
Min
-0.20%

SO

Utilities industry group

16.00%

Max
28.78%
Q3
17.30%
SO
16.00%
Median
12.73%
Q1
9.18%
Min
-0.20%
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Atmos Energy (ATO) vs. Southern Company (SO): A comparison of their net margin against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Both Atmos Energy (ATO) at 37.22% and Southern Company (SO) at 36.92% convert sales into operating profit at a top-quartile rate, pointing to tighter cost discipline before financing and tax.

ATO

Utilities industry group

37.22%

Max
53.83%
ATO
37.22%
Q3
31.12%
Median
23.62%
Q1
15.45%
Min
-4.90%

SO

Utilities industry group

36.92%

Max
53.83%
SO
36.92%
Q3
31.12%
Median
23.62%
Q1
15.45%
Min
-4.90%
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Atmos Energy (ATO) vs. Southern Company (SO): A comparison of their operating margin against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Atmos Energy (ATO) and Southern Company (SO)
MetricATOSO
ROE (TTM)9.79%11.90%
ROA (TTM)3.89%3.36%
Net Margin (TTM)28.50%16.00%
Operating Margin (TTM)37.22%36.92%
Gross Margin (TTM)62.21%48.55%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both Atmos Energy (ATO) at 12.91% and Southern Company (SO) at 10.59% land near their industries' usual revenue growth ranges, so top-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

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Atmos Energy (ATO) vs. Southern Company (SO): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Both Atmos Energy (ATO) at 9.22% and Southern Company (SO) at -1.75% land near their industries' usual EPS growth ranges, so bottom-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

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Atmos Energy (ATO) vs. Southern Company (SO): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Atmos Energy (ATO) and Southern Company (SO)
MetricATOSO
Revenue Growth (YoY)12.91%10.59%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)3.83%0.31%
EPS Growth (YoY)9.22%-1.75%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)10.03%6.34%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Both Atmos Energy (ATO) at 0.81 and Southern Company (SO) at 0.84 carry current ratio within their industries’ typical mid-ranges, suggesting balanced short-term liquidity relative to peers.

ATO

Utilities industry group

0.81

Max
1.90
Q3
1.17
Median
0.88
ATO
0.81
Q1
0.66
Min
0.29

SO

Utilities industry group

0.84

Max
1.90
Q3
1.17
Median
0.88
SO
0.84
Q1
0.66
Min
0.29
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Atmos Energy (ATO) vs. Southern Company (SO): A comparison of their current ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Atmos Energy (ATO) at 0.68 keeps leverage in the lower industry quartile, while Southern Company (SO) at 1.68 runs a more typical debt-to-equity mix.

ATO

Utilities industry group

0.68

Max
2.63
Q3
1.77
Median
1.35
Q1
0.84
ATO
0.68
Min
0.00

SO

Utilities industry group

1.68

Max
2.63
Q3
1.77
SO
1.68
Median
1.35
Q1
0.84
Min
0.00
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Atmos Energy (ATO) vs. Southern Company (SO): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for Atmos Energy (ATO) and Southern Company (SO)
MetricATOSO
Current Ratio (MRQ)0.810.84
Debt / Equity (MRQ)0.681.68
Net Debt / EBITDA3.745.01

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Both Atmos Energy (ATO) at 2.21% and Southern Company (SO) at 3.21% pay solid, industry-typical yields, sitting squarely within their peers’ usual range.

ATO

Utilities industry group

2.21%

Max
6.66%
Q3
3.58%
Median
2.85%
ATO
2.21%
Q1
0.66%
Min
0.00%

SO

Utilities industry group

3.21%

Max
6.66%
Q3
3.58%
SO
3.21%
Median
2.85%
Q1
0.66%
Min
0.00%
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Atmos Energy (ATO) vs. Southern Company (SO): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Both Atmos Energy (ATO) at 46.13% and Southern Company (SO) at 68.49% keep payout ratio within their industries’ typical mid-ranges — dividend policies that share earnings without consuming too much of them.

ATO

Utilities industry group

46.13%

Max
113.04%
Q3
68.72%
Median
56.38%
ATO
46.13%
Q1
32.38%
Min
0.00%

SO

Utilities industry group

68.49%

Max
113.04%
Q3
68.72%
SO
68.49%
Median
56.38%
Q1
32.38%
Min
0.00%
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Atmos Energy (ATO) vs. Southern Company (SO): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Atmos Energy (ATO) and Southern Company (SO)
MetricATOSO
Dividend Yield (TTM)2.21%3.21%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)46.13%68.49%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both Atmos Energy (ATO) at 20.65 and Southern Company (SO) at 21.08 land around their industries’ usual P/E ratio levels — neither is getting a clear earnings-multiple discount or premium versus peers.

ATO

Utilities industry group

20.65

Max
31.22
Q3
23.30
ATO
20.65
Median
19.64
Q1
15.17
Min
3.34

SO

Utilities industry group

21.08

Max
31.22
Q3
23.30
SO
21.08
Median
19.64
Q1
15.17
Min
3.34
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Atmos Energy (ATO) vs. Southern Company (SO): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Southern Company (SO) at 3.45 is priced about in line with its industry on P/S ratio, while Atmos Energy (ATO) at 5.95 sits in the pricier quartile — ATO costs more per dollar of sales.

ATO

Utilities industry group

5.95

Max
6.35
ATO
5.95
Q3
3.63
Median
2.63
Q1
1.52
Min
0.00

SO

Utilities industry group

3.45

Max
6.35
Q3
3.63
SO
3.45
Median
2.63
Q1
1.52
Min
0.00
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Atmos Energy (ATO) vs. Southern Company (SO): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Atmos Energy (ATO) at 1.92 is valued about in line with its industry on P/B ratio, while Southern Company (SO) at 2.56 carries an above-peer premium to book — SO is pricier on assets.

ATO

Utilities industry group

1.92

Max
3.12
Q3
2.21
ATO
1.92
Median
1.83
Q1
1.46
Min
0.34

SO

Utilities industry group

2.56

Max
3.12
SO
2.56
Q3
2.21
Median
1.83
Q1
1.46
Min
0.34
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Atmos Energy (ATO) vs. Southern Company (SO): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Atmos Energy (ATO) and Southern Company (SO)
MetricATOSO
P/E Ratio (TTM)20.6521.08
P/S Ratio (TTM)5.953.45
P/B Ratio (MRQ)1.922.56
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)-7.59%-4.73%