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LNT vs. SO: Alliant Energy vs. Southern Company Stock Comparison

How do Alliant Energy (LNT) 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

Alliant Energy (LNT) 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 Alliant Energy (LNT) and Southern Company (SO)
Profile ItemLNTSO
NameAlliant Energy CorporationThe Southern Company
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorUtilitiesUtilities
GICS Industry GroupUtilitiesUtilities
GICS IndustryElectric UtilitiesElectric Utilities
GICS Sub-IndustryElectric UtilitiesElectric Utilities
Market Capitalization18.85 billion USD107.51 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNasdaqNYSE
Listing DateFebruary 21, 1973December 31, 1981
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

LNT
SO
GSPC
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Alliant Energy (LNT) 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 Alliant Energy (LNT) and Southern Company (SO). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Alliant Energy (LNT) and Southern Company (SO)
MetricLNTSO
Total Return (1Y)12.31%6.21%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)18.55%15.28%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)9.28%12.24%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

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

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Alliant Energy (LNT) and Southern Company (SO)
MetricLNTSO
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)17.65%17.95%
Beta (5Y)0.500.30
Max Drawdown (5Y)-25.59%-23.28%
Avg. Volume (3M)2.73M6.19M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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LNT 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 Alliant Energy (LNT) and Southern Company (SO)
MetricLNTSO
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)0.460.11
Sortino Ratio (1Y)0.660.16

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Alliant Energy (LNT) at 12.36% sits in the top ROE quartile, while Southern Company (SO) at 11.90% is closer to the peer norm — stronger capital efficiency for LNT.

LNT

Utilities industry group

12.36%

Max
17.99%
LNT
12.36%
Q3
12.01%
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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Alliant Energy (LNT) vs. Southern Company (SO): A comparison of their ROE against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Alliant Energy (LNT) at 20.74% retains a top-quartile share of revenue as profit, ahead of Southern Company (SO) at 16.00%, which keeps about the industry-typical share.

LNT

Utilities industry group

20.74%

Max
28.78%
LNT
20.74%
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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Alliant Energy (LNT) 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 Alliant Energy (LNT) at 30.27%, which runs around its industry’s norm.

LNT

Utilities industry group

30.27%

Max
53.83%
Q3
31.12%
LNT
30.27%
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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Alliant Energy (LNT) vs. Southern Company (SO): A comparison of their operating margin against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Alliant Energy (LNT) and Southern Company (SO)
MetricLNTSO
ROE (TTM)12.36%11.90%
ROA (TTM)2.47%3.36%
Net Margin (TTM)20.74%16.00%
Operating Margin (TTM)30.27%36.92%
Gross Margin (TTM)45.05%48.55%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both Alliant Energy (LNT) at 9.57% 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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Alliant Energy (LNT) vs. Southern Company (SO): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Both Alliant Energy (LNT) at 16.73% 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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Alliant Energy (LNT) vs. Southern Company (SO): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Alliant Energy (LNT) and Southern Company (SO)
MetricLNTSO
Revenue Growth (YoY)9.57%10.59%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)1.23%0.31%
EPS Growth (YoY)16.73%-1.75%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)4.77%6.34%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Southern Company (SO) at 0.84 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while Alliant Energy (LNT) at 0.51 runs in the tighter-liquidity quartile — a thinner cushion against current liabilities for LNT.

LNT

Utilities industry group

0.51

Max
1.90
Q3
1.17
Median
0.88
Q1
0.66
LNT
0.51
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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Alliant Energy (LNT) vs. Southern Company (SO): A comparison of their current ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Both Alliant Energy (LNT) at 1.61 and Southern Company (SO) at 1.68 fund their balance sheets with roughly industry-typical debt-to-equity mixes.

LNT

Utilities industry group

1.61

Max
2.63
Q3
1.77
LNT
1.61
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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Alliant Energy (LNT) 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 Alliant Energy (LNT) and Southern Company (SO)
MetricLNTSO
Current Ratio (MRQ)0.510.84
Debt / Equity (MRQ)1.611.68
Net Debt / EBITDA6.675.01

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Both Alliant Energy (LNT) at 2.88% and Southern Company (SO) at 3.21% pay solid, industry-typical yields, sitting squarely within their peers’ usual range.

LNT

Utilities industry group

2.88%

Max
6.66%
Q3
3.58%
LNT
2.88%
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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Alliant Energy (LNT) vs. Southern Company (SO): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Both Alliant Energy (LNT) at 58.84% 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.

LNT

Utilities industry group

58.84%

Max
113.04%
Q3
68.72%
LNT
58.84%
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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Alliant Energy (LNT) vs. Southern Company (SO): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Alliant Energy (LNT) and Southern Company (SO)
MetricLNTSO
Dividend Yield (TTM)2.88%3.21%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)58.84%68.49%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both Alliant Energy (LNT) at 20.24 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.

LNT

Utilities industry group

20.24

Max
31.22
Q3
23.30
LNT
20.24
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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Alliant Energy (LNT) 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 Alliant Energy (LNT) at 4.18 sits in the pricier quartile — LNT costs more per dollar of sales.

LNT

Utilities industry group

4.18

Max
6.35
LNT
4.18
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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Alliant Energy (LNT) vs. Southern Company (SO): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Both Alliant Energy (LNT) at 2.41 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.

LNT

Utilities industry group

2.41

Max
3.12
LNT
2.41
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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Alliant Energy (LNT) vs. Southern Company (SO): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Alliant Energy (LNT) and Southern Company (SO)
MetricLNTSO
P/E Ratio (TTM)20.2421.08
P/S Ratio (TTM)4.183.45
P/B Ratio (MRQ)2.412.56
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)-8.11%-4.73%