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ETR vs. SO: Entergy vs. Southern Company Stock Comparison

How do Entergy (ETR) 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

Entergy (ETR) and Southern Company (SO) are both classified in the Electric Utilities sub-industry within the broader Electric Utilities industry, placing them in the closest GICS peer bucket.

Company profile comparison for Entergy (ETR) and Southern Company (SO)
Profile ItemETRSO
NameEntergy Corporation Common StockThe Southern Company
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorUtilitiesUtilities
GICS Industry GroupUtilitiesUtilities
GICS IndustryElectric UtilitiesElectric Utilities
GICS Sub-IndustryElectric UtilitiesElectric Utilities
Market Capitalization52.82 billion USD107.51 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateJune 1, 1972December 31, 1981
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

ETR
SO
GSPC
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Entergy (ETR) 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 Entergy (ETR) and Southern Company (SO). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Entergy (ETR) and Southern Company (SO)
MetricETRSO
Total Return (1Y)18.08%6.21%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)36.61%15.28%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)21.12%12.24%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

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

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Entergy (ETR) and Southern Company (SO)
MetricETRSO
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)20.53%17.95%
Beta (5Y)0.440.30
Max Drawdown (5Y)-25.12%-23.28%
Avg. Volume (3M)2.75M6.19M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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ETR 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 Entergy (ETR) and Southern Company (SO)
MetricETRSO
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)0.670.11
Sortino Ratio (1Y)0.990.16

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Both Entergy (ETR) at 11.02% 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.

ETR

Utilities industry group

11.02%

Max
17.99%
Q3
12.01%
ETR
11.02%
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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Entergy (ETR) vs. Southern Company (SO): A comparison of their ROE against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Both Entergy (ETR) at 14.56% 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.

ETR

Utilities industry group

14.56%

Max
28.78%
Q3
17.30%
ETR
14.56%
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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Entergy (ETR) vs. Southern Company (SO): A comparison of their net margin against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Both Entergy (ETR) at 34.20% 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.

ETR

Utilities industry group

34.20%

Max
53.83%
ETR
34.20%
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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Entergy (ETR) vs. Southern Company (SO): A comparison of their operating margin against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Entergy (ETR) and Southern Company (SO)
MetricETRSO
ROE (TTM)11.02%11.90%
ROA (TTM)2.89%3.36%
Net Margin (TTM)14.56%16.00%
Operating Margin (TTM)34.20%36.92%
Gross Margin (TTM)47.93%48.55%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both Entergy (ETR) at 8.98% 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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Entergy (ETR) vs. Southern Company (SO): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Entergy (ETR) at 59.59% sits in the top EPS growth quartile, while Southern Company (SO) at -1.75% is closer to the peer norm — faster per-share earnings growth for ETR.

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Entergy (ETR) vs. Southern Company (SO): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Entergy (ETR) and Southern Company (SO)
MetricETRSO
Revenue Growth (YoY)8.98%10.59%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)-2.02%0.31%
EPS Growth (YoY)59.59%-1.75%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)13.35%6.34%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

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

ETR

Utilities industry group

1.18

Max
1.90
ETR
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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Entergy (ETR) vs. Southern Company (SO): A comparison of their current ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Both Entergy (ETR) at 1.73 and Southern Company (SO) at 1.68 fund their balance sheets with roughly industry-typical debt-to-equity mixes.

ETR

Utilities industry group

1.73

Max
2.63
Q3
1.77
ETR
1.73
Median
1.35
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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Entergy (ETR) 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 Entergy (ETR) and Southern Company (SO)
MetricETRSO
Current Ratio (MRQ)1.180.84
Debt / Equity (MRQ)1.731.68
Net Debt / EBITDA5.175.01

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Both Entergy (ETR) at 2.32% and Southern Company (SO) at 3.21% pay solid, industry-typical yields, sitting squarely within their peers’ usual range.

ETR

Utilities industry group

2.32%

Max
6.66%
Q3
3.58%
Median
2.85%
ETR
2.32%
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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Entergy (ETR) vs. Southern Company (SO): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Both Entergy (ETR) at 58.58% 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.

ETR

Utilities industry group

58.58%

Max
113.04%
Q3
68.72%
ETR
58.58%
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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Entergy (ETR) vs. Southern Company (SO): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Entergy (ETR) and Southern Company (SO)
MetricETRSO
Dividend Yield (TTM)2.32%3.21%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)58.58%68.49%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Southern Company (SO) at 21.08 is near its industry’s usual P/E ratio, while Entergy (ETR) at 25.30 sits in the richer quartile — ETR needs stronger growth or earnings quality to justify the premium.

ETR

Utilities industry group

25.30

Max
31.22
ETR
25.30
Q3
23.30
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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Entergy (ETR) 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 Entergy (ETR) at 3.76 sits in the pricier quartile — ETR costs more per dollar of sales.

ETR

Utilities industry group

3.76

Max
6.35
ETR
3.76
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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Entergy (ETR) vs. Southern Company (SO): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Both Entergy (ETR) at 2.67 and Southern Company (SO) at 2.56 carry a premium to book value versus peers, sitting in the upper P/B ratio quartile of their industries.

ETR

Utilities industry group

2.67

Max
3.12
ETR
2.67
Q3
2.21
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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Entergy (ETR) vs. Southern Company (SO): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Entergy (ETR) and Southern Company (SO)
MetricETRSO
P/E Ratio (TTM)25.3021.08
P/S Ratio (TTM)3.763.45
P/B Ratio (MRQ)2.672.56
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)-9.65%-4.73%