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SO vs. SRE: Southern Company vs. Sempra Stock Comparison

How do Southern Company (SO) and Sempra (SRE) 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

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

Company profile comparison for Southern Company (SO) and Sempra (SRE)
Profile ItemSOSRE
NameThe Southern CompanySempra
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorUtilitiesUtilities
GICS Industry GroupUtilitiesUtilities
GICS IndustryElectric UtilitiesMulti-Utilities
GICS Sub-IndustryElectric UtilitiesMulti-Utilities
Market Capitalization107.51 billion USD51.13 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateDecember 31, 1981June 29, 1998
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

SO
SRE
GSPC
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Southern Company (SO) vs. Sempra (SRE), 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 Southern Company (SO) and Sempra (SRE). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Southern Company (SO) and Sempra (SRE)
MetricSOSRE
Total Return (1Y)6.21%-13.10%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)15.28%7.68%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)12.24%8.14%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

SO
SRE
GSPC
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Southern Company (SO) vs. Sempra (SRE), 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 Southern Company (SO) and Sempra (SRE). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Southern Company (SO) and Sempra (SRE)
MetricSOSRE
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)17.95%21.00%
Beta (5Y)0.300.57
Max Drawdown (5Y)-23.28%-31.62%
Avg. Volume (3M)6.19M3.90M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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SO and SRE 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 Southern Company (SO) and Sempra (SRE)
MetricSOSRE
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)0.11-0.83
Sortino Ratio (1Y)0.16-1.07

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Both Southern Company (SO) at 11.90% and Sempra (SRE) at 8.73% land near their industries’ usual ROE ranges, so capital efficiency looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

SO

Utilities industry group

11.90%

Max
17.99%
Q3
12.01%
SO
11.90%
Median
9.44%
Q1
7.56%
Min
2.17%

SRE

Utilities industry group

8.73%

Max
17.99%
Q3
12.01%
Median
9.44%
SRE
8.73%
Q1
7.56%
Min
2.17%
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Southern Company (SO) vs. Sempra (SRE): A comparison of their ROE against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Sempra (SRE) at 22.53% retains a top-quartile share of revenue as profit, ahead of Southern Company (SO) at 16.00%, which keeps about the industry-typical share.

SO

Utilities industry group

16.00%

Max
28.78%
Q3
17.30%
SO
16.00%
Median
12.73%
Q1
9.18%
Min
-0.20%

SRE

Utilities industry group

22.53%

Max
28.78%
SRE
22.53%
Q3
17.30%
Median
12.73%
Q1
9.18%
Min
-0.20%
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Southern Company (SO) vs. Sempra (SRE): 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 Sempra (SRE) at 21.06%, which runs around its industry’s norm.

SO

Utilities industry group

36.92%

Max
53.83%
SO
36.92%
Q3
31.12%
Median
23.62%
Q1
15.45%
Min
-4.90%

SRE

Utilities industry group

21.06%

Max
53.83%
Q3
31.12%
Median
23.62%
SRE
21.06%
Q1
15.45%
Min
-4.90%
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Southern Company (SO) vs. Sempra (SRE): A comparison of their operating margin against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Southern Company (SO) and Sempra (SRE)
MetricSOSRE
ROE (TTM)11.90%8.73%
ROA (TTM)3.36%1.99%
Net Margin (TTM)16.00%22.53%
Operating Margin (TTM)36.92%21.06%
Gross Margin (TTM)48.55%44.81%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both Southern Company (SO) at 10.59% and Sempra (SRE) at 3.92% 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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Southern Company (SO) vs. Sempra (SRE): 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 Sempra (SRE) at -37.78% drops into the bottom quartile, signaling weaker earnings momentum.

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

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Southern Company (SO) and Sempra (SRE)
MetricSOSRE
Revenue Growth (YoY)10.59%3.92%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)0.31%-1.73%
EPS Growth (YoY)-1.75%-37.78%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)6.34%-5.99%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Southern Company (SO) at 0.84 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while Sempra (SRE) at 1.61 sits above its industry’s typical mid-range — comfortable liquidity, though possibly with more idle current assets relative to peers.

SO

Utilities industry group

0.84

Max
1.90
Q3
1.17
Median
0.88
SO
0.84
Q1
0.66
Min
0.29

SRE

Utilities industry group

1.61

Max
1.90
SRE
1.61
Q3
1.17
Median
0.88
Q1
0.66
Min
0.29
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Southern Company (SO) vs. Sempra (SRE): A comparison of their current ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Both Southern Company (SO) at 1.68 and Sempra (SRE) at 0.85 fund their balance sheets with roughly industry-typical debt-to-equity mixes.

SO

Utilities industry group

1.68

Max
2.63
Q3
1.77
SO
1.68
Median
1.35
Q1
0.84
Min
0.00

SRE

Utilities industry group

0.85

Max
2.63
Q3
1.77
Median
1.35
SRE
0.85
Q1
0.84
Min
0.00
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Southern Company (SO) vs. Sempra (SRE): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for Southern Company (SO) and Sempra (SRE)
MetricSOSRE
Current Ratio (MRQ)0.841.61
Debt / Equity (MRQ)1.680.85
Net Debt / EBITDA5.016.18

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Both Southern Company (SO) at 3.21% and Sempra (SRE) at 3.27% pay solid, industry-typical yields, sitting squarely within their peers’ usual range.

SO

Utilities industry group

3.21%

Max
6.66%
Q3
3.58%
SO
3.21%
Median
2.85%
Q1
0.66%
Min
0.00%

SRE

Utilities industry group

3.27%

Max
6.66%
Q3
3.58%
SRE
3.27%
Median
2.85%
Q1
0.66%
Min
0.00%
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Southern Company (SO) vs. Sempra (SRE): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Both Southern Company (SO) at 68.49% and Sempra (SRE) at 56.05% keep payout ratio within their industries’ typical mid-ranges — dividend policies that share earnings without consuming too much of them.

SO

Utilities industry group

68.49%

Max
113.04%
Q3
68.72%
SO
68.49%
Median
56.38%
Q1
32.38%
Min
0.00%

SRE

Utilities industry group

56.05%

Max
113.04%
Q3
68.72%
Median
56.38%
SRE
56.05%
Q1
32.38%
Min
0.00%
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Southern Company (SO) vs. Sempra (SRE): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Southern Company (SO) and Sempra (SRE)
MetricSOSRE
Dividend Yield (TTM)3.21%3.27%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)68.49%56.05%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both Southern Company (SO) at 21.08 and Sempra (SRE) at 16.74 land around their industries’ usual P/E ratio levels — neither is getting a clear earnings-multiple discount or premium versus peers.

SO

Utilities industry group

21.08

Max
31.22
Q3
23.30
SO
21.08
Median
19.64
Q1
15.17
Min
3.34

SRE

Utilities industry group

16.74

Max
31.22
Q3
23.30
Median
19.64
SRE
16.74
Q1
15.17
Min
3.34
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Southern Company (SO) vs. Sempra (SRE): 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 Sempra (SRE) at 3.76 sits in the pricier quartile — SRE costs more per dollar of sales.

SO

Utilities industry group

3.45

Max
6.35
Q3
3.63
SO
3.45
Median
2.63
Q1
1.52
Min
0.00

SRE

Utilities industry group

3.76

Max
6.35
SRE
3.76
Q3
3.63
Median
2.63
Q1
1.52
Min
0.00
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Southern Company (SO) vs. Sempra (SRE): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Sempra (SRE) at 1.53 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.

SO

Utilities industry group

2.56

Max
3.12
SO
2.56
Q3
2.21
Median
1.83
Q1
1.46
Min
0.34

SRE

Utilities industry group

1.53

Max
3.12
Q3
2.21
Median
1.83
SRE
1.53
Q1
1.46
Min
0.34
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Southern Company (SO) vs. Sempra (SRE): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Southern Company (SO) and Sempra (SRE)
MetricSOSRE
P/E Ratio (TTM)21.0816.74
P/S Ratio (TTM)3.453.76
P/B Ratio (MRQ)2.561.53
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)-4.73%-22.35%