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ED vs. SO: Consolidated Edison vs. Southern Company Stock Comparison

How do Consolidated Edison (ED) 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

Consolidated Edison (ED) and Southern Company (SO) both fall under the Utilities industry group, but ED is classified in Multi-Utilities while SO is classified in Electric Utilities.

Company profile comparison for Consolidated Edison (ED) and Southern Company (SO)
Profile ItemEDSO
NameConsolidated Edison Inc.The Southern Company
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorUtilitiesUtilities
GICS Industry GroupUtilitiesUtilities
GICS IndustryMulti-UtilitiesElectric Utilities
GICS Sub-IndustryMulti-UtilitiesElectric Utilities
Market Capitalization44.00 billion USD107.51 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateJanuary 2, 1962December 31, 1981
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

ED
SO
GSPC
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Consolidated Edison (ED) 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 Consolidated Edison (ED) and Southern Company (SO). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Consolidated Edison (ED) and Southern Company (SO)
MetricEDSO
Total Return (1Y)24.62%6.21%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)13.82%15.28%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)12.66%12.24%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

ED
SO
GSPC
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Consolidated Edison (ED) 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 Consolidated Edison (ED) and Southern Company (SO). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Consolidated Edison (ED) and Southern Company (SO)
MetricEDSO
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)17.94%17.95%
Beta (5Y)0.230.30
Max Drawdown (5Y)-22.03%-23.28%
Avg. Volume (3M)2.21M6.19M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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ED 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 Consolidated Edison (ED) and Southern Company (SO)
MetricEDSO
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)1.130.11
Sortino Ratio (1Y)1.740.16

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Both Consolidated Edison (ED) at 9.10% 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.

ED

Utilities industry group

9.10%

Max
17.99%
Q3
12.01%
Median
9.44%
ED
9.10%
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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Consolidated Edison (ED) vs. Southern Company (SO): A comparison of their ROE against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Both Consolidated Edison (ED) at 12.70% and Southern Company (SO) at 16.00% keep about the typical share of revenue as profit for their industries — neither bottom line stands out from peers.

ED

Utilities industry group

12.70%

Max
28.78%
Q3
17.30%
Median
12.73%
ED
12.70%
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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Consolidated Edison (ED) vs. Southern Company (SO): A comparison of their net margin against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Southern Company (SO) at 36.92% operates in the top operating margin quartile, ahead of Consolidated Edison (ED) at 26.28%, which runs around its industry’s norm.

ED

Utilities industry group

26.28%

Max
53.83%
Q3
31.12%
ED
26.28%
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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Consolidated Edison (ED) vs. Southern Company (SO): A comparison of their operating margin against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Consolidated Edison (ED) and Southern Company (SO)
MetricEDSO
ROE (TTM)9.10%11.90%
ROA (TTM)3.33%3.36%
Net Margin (TTM)12.70%16.00%
Operating Margin (TTM)26.28%36.92%
Gross Margin (TTM)53.72%48.55%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both Consolidated Edison (ED) at 10.89% 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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Consolidated Edison (ED) vs. Southern Company (SO): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Both Consolidated Edison (ED) at 7.63% 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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Consolidated Edison (ED) vs. Southern Company (SO): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Consolidated Edison (ED) and Southern Company (SO)
MetricEDSO
Revenue Growth (YoY)10.89%10.59%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)2.59%0.31%
EPS Growth (YoY)7.63%-1.75%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)6.57%6.34%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Southern Company (SO) at 0.84 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while Consolidated Edison (ED) at 1.18 sits above its industry’s typical mid-range — comfortable liquidity, though possibly with more idle current assets relative to peers.

ED

Utilities industry group

1.18

Max
1.90
ED
1.18
Q3
1.17
Median
0.88
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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Consolidated Edison (ED) vs. Southern Company (SO): A comparison of their current ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Both Consolidated Edison (ED) at 1.06 and Southern Company (SO) at 1.68 fund their balance sheets with roughly industry-typical debt-to-equity mixes.

ED

Utilities industry group

1.06

Max
2.63
Q3
1.77
Median
1.35
ED
1.06
Q1
0.84
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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Consolidated Edison (ED) 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 Consolidated Edison (ED) and Southern Company (SO)
MetricEDSO
Current Ratio (MRQ)1.180.84
Debt / Equity (MRQ)1.061.68
Net Debt / EBITDA4.425.01

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Both Consolidated Edison (ED) at 2.89% and Southern Company (SO) at 3.21% pay solid, industry-typical yields, sitting squarely within their peers’ usual range.

ED

Utilities industry group

2.89%

Max
6.66%
Q3
3.58%
ED
2.89%
Median
2.85%
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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Consolidated Edison (ED) vs. Southern Company (SO): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Both Consolidated Edison (ED) at 56.38% 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.

ED

Utilities industry group

56.38%

Max
113.04%
Q3
68.72%
ED
56.38%
Median
56.38%
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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Consolidated Edison (ED) vs. Southern Company (SO): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Consolidated Edison (ED) and Southern Company (SO)
MetricEDSO
Dividend Yield (TTM)2.89%3.21%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)56.38%68.49%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both Consolidated Edison (ED) at 19.03 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.

ED

Utilities industry group

19.03

Max
31.22
Q3
23.30
Median
19.64
ED
19.03
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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Consolidated Edison (ED) vs. Southern Company (SO): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

On P/S ratio, both Consolidated Edison (ED) at 2.43 and Southern Company (SO) at 3.45 are priced roughly in line with their industries — neither looks cheap nor rich on a sales basis.

ED

Utilities industry group

2.43

Max
6.35
Q3
3.63
Median
2.63
ED
2.43
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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Consolidated Edison (ED) vs. Southern Company (SO): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Consolidated Edison (ED) at 1.67 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.

ED

Utilities industry group

1.67

Max
3.12
Q3
2.21
Median
1.83
ED
1.67
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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Consolidated Edison (ED) vs. Southern Company (SO): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Consolidated Edison (ED) and Southern Company (SO)
MetricEDSO
P/E Ratio (TTM)19.0321.08
P/S Ratio (TTM)2.433.45
P/B Ratio (MRQ)1.672.56
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)-3.05%-4.73%