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SBS vs. SO: Sabesp vs. Southern Company Stock Comparison

How do Sabesp (SBS) 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

Sabesp (SBS) and Southern Company (SO) both fall under the Utilities industry group, but SBS is classified in Water Utilities while SO is classified in Electric Utilities.

Southern Company (SO) trades as ordinary local shares, while Sabesp (SBS) trades as an ADR — compare with FX exposure, depositary-program fees, and dividend-withholding-tax differences in mind.

Company profile comparison for Sabesp (SBS) and Southern Company (SO)
Profile ItemSBSSO
NameCompanhia de Saneamento Básico do Estado de São Paulo - SABESP ADRThe Southern Company
Country/RegionBrazilUnited States
GICS SectorUtilitiesUtilities
GICS Industry GroupUtilitiesUtilities
GICS IndustryWater UtilitiesElectric Utilities
GICS Sub-IndustryWater UtilitiesElectric Utilities
Market Capitalization16.96 billion USD107.51 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateMay 10, 2002December 31, 1981
Security TypeADRCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

SBS
SO
GSPC
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Sabesp (SBS) 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 Sabesp (SBS) and Southern Company (SO). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Sabesp (SBS) and Southern Company (SO)
MetricSBSSO
Total Return (1Y)-3.72%6.21%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)28.33%15.28%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)32.85%12.24%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

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

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Sabesp (SBS) and Southern Company (SO)
MetricSBSSO
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)46.80%17.95%
Beta (5Y)0.760.30
Max Drawdown (5Y)-37.59%-23.28%
Avg. Volume (3M)11.85M6.19M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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SBS 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 Sabesp (SBS) and Southern Company (SO)
MetricSBSSO
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)-0.170.11
Sortino Ratio (1Y)-0.220.16

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Sabesp (SBS) at 16.27% sits in the top ROE quartile, while Southern Company (SO) at 11.90% is closer to the peer norm — stronger capital efficiency for SBS.

SBS

Utilities industry group

16.27%

Max
17.99%
SBS
16.27%
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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Sabesp (SBS) vs. Southern Company (SO): A comparison of their ROE against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Sabesp (SBS) at 17.52% retains a top-quartile share of revenue as profit, ahead of Southern Company (SO) at 16.00%, which keeps about the industry-typical share.

SBS

Utilities industry group

17.52%

Max
28.78%
SBS
17.52%
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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Sabesp (SBS) 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 Sabesp (SBS) at 29.28%, which runs around its industry’s norm.

SBS

Utilities industry group

29.28%

Max
53.83%
Q3
31.12%
SBS
29.28%
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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Sabesp (SBS) vs. Southern Company (SO): A comparison of their operating margin against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Sabesp (SBS) and Southern Company (SO)
MetricSBSSO
ROE (TTM)16.27%11.90%
ROA (TTM)8.08%3.36%
Net Margin (TTM)17.52%16.00%
Operating Margin (TTM)29.28%36.92%
Gross Margin (TTM)36.96%48.55%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both Sabesp (SBS) at 5.39% 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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Sabesp (SBS) vs. Southern Company (SO): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Southern Company (SO) at -1.75% is around its peer norm for EPS growth, while Sabesp (SBS) at -11.79% drops into the bottom quartile, signaling weaker earnings momentum.

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

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Sabesp (SBS) and Southern Company (SO)
MetricSBSSO
Revenue Growth (YoY)5.39%10.59%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)19.98%0.31%
EPS Growth (YoY)-11.79%-1.75%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)40.65%6.34%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Southern Company (SO) at 0.84 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while Sabesp (SBS) at 1.22 sits above its industry’s typical mid-range — comfortable liquidity, though possibly with more idle current assets relative to peers.

SBS

Utilities industry group

1.22

Max
1.90
SBS
1.22
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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Sabesp (SBS) vs. Southern Company (SO): A comparison of their current ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Both Sabesp (SBS) at 0.99 and Southern Company (SO) at 1.68 fund their balance sheets with roughly industry-typical debt-to-equity mixes.

SBS

Utilities industry group

0.99

Max
2.63
Q3
1.77
Median
1.35
SBS
0.99
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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Sabesp (SBS) 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 Sabesp (SBS) and Southern Company (SO)
MetricSBSSO
Current Ratio (MRQ)1.220.84
Debt / Equity (MRQ)0.991.68
Net Debt / EBITDA2.305.01

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Sabesp (SBS) pays no dividend (yield 0.00%) — it may be reinvesting, using buybacks, or simply not returning cash through dividends. Meanwhile Southern Company (SO) reports a yield of 3.21%, ranking against industry peers normally.

SBS

Utilities industry group

0.00%

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

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Both Sabesp (SBS) at 35.95% 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.

SBS

Utilities industry group

35.95%

Max
113.04%
Q3
68.72%
Median
56.38%
SBS
35.95%
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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Sabesp (SBS) vs. Southern Company (SO): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Sabesp (SBS) and Southern Company (SO)
MetricSBSSO
Dividend Yield (TTM)0.00%3.21%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)35.95%68.49%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Sabesp (SBS) at 11.73 sits in the cheaper P/E ratio quartile, while Southern Company (SO) at 21.08 is closer to its industry’s usual earnings multiple — a discount for SBS, though growth and earnings durability still matter.

SBS

Utilities industry group

11.73

Max
31.22
Q3
23.30
Median
19.64
Q1
15.17
SBS
11.73
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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Sabesp (SBS) vs. Southern Company (SO): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Sabesp (SBS) at 0.41 sits in the cheaper P/S ratio quartile while Southern Company (SO) at 3.45 prices around its industry’s middle — SBS costs less per dollar of sales, though read it alongside growth and margins.

SBS

Utilities industry group

0.41

Max
6.35
Q3
3.63
Median
2.63
Q1
1.52
SBS
0.41
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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Sabesp (SBS) vs. Southern Company (SO): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Sabesp (SBS) at 1.84 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.

SBS

Utilities industry group

1.84

Max
3.12
Q3
2.21
SBS
1.84
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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Sabesp (SBS) vs. Southern Company (SO): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Sabesp (SBS) and Southern Company (SO)
MetricSBSSO
P/E Ratio (TTM)11.7321.08
P/S Ratio (TTM)0.413.45
P/B Ratio (MRQ)1.842.56
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)-62.11%-4.73%