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SO vs. WEC: Southern Company vs. WEC Energy Stock Comparison

How do Southern Company (SO) and WEC Energy (WEC) 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 WEC Energy (WEC) both fall under the Utilities industry group, but SO is classified in Electric Utilities while WEC is classified in Multi-Utilities.

Company profile comparison for Southern Company (SO) and WEC Energy (WEC)
Profile ItemSOWEC
NameThe Southern CompanyWEC Energy Group Inc.
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorUtilitiesUtilities
GICS Industry GroupUtilitiesUtilities
GICS IndustryElectric UtilitiesMulti-Utilities
GICS Sub-IndustryElectric UtilitiesMulti-Utilities
Market Capitalization107.51 billion USD38.12 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateDecember 31, 1981March 17, 1980
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

SO
WEC
GSPC
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Southern Company (SO) vs. WEC Energy (WEC), 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 WEC Energy (WEC). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Southern Company (SO) and WEC Energy (WEC)
MetricSOWEC
Total Return (1Y)6.21%7.80%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)15.28%18.04%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)12.24%9.22%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

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

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Southern Company (SO) and WEC Energy (WEC)
MetricSOWEC
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)17.95%17.21%
Beta (5Y)0.300.43
Max Drawdown (5Y)-23.28%-26.02%
Avg. Volume (3M)6.19M2.71M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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SO and WEC 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 WEC Energy (WEC)
MetricSOWEC
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)0.110.20
Sortino Ratio (1Y)0.160.31

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

WEC Energy (WEC) at 12.49% sits in the top ROE quartile, while Southern Company (SO) at 11.90% is closer to the peer norm — stronger capital efficiency for WEC.

SO

Utilities industry group

11.90%

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

WEC

Utilities industry group

12.49%

Max
17.99%
WEC
12.49%
Q3
12.01%
Median
9.44%
Q1
7.56%
Min
2.17%
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Southern Company (SO) vs. WEC Energy (WEC): A comparison of their ROE against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

WEC Energy (WEC) at 17.53% 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%

WEC

Utilities industry group

17.53%

Max
28.78%
WEC
17.53%
Q3
17.30%
Median
12.73%
Q1
9.18%
Min
-0.20%
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Southern Company (SO) vs. WEC Energy (WEC): 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 WEC Energy (WEC) at 25.44%, 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%

WEC

Utilities industry group

25.44%

Max
53.83%
Q3
31.12%
WEC
25.44%
Median
23.62%
Q1
15.45%
Min
-4.90%
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Southern Company (SO) vs. WEC Energy (WEC): A comparison of their operating margin against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Southern Company (SO) and WEC Energy (WEC)
MetricSOWEC
ROE (TTM)11.90%12.49%
ROA (TTM)3.36%3.08%
Net Margin (TTM)16.00%17.53%
Operating Margin (TTM)36.92%25.44%
Gross Margin (TTM)48.55%42.36%

Growth

Revenue Growth

WEC Energy (WEC) at 13.96% sits in the top revenue growth quartile, while Southern Company (SO) at 10.59% is closer to the peer norm — faster top-line expansion for WEC.

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Southern Company (SO) vs. WEC Energy (WEC): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Both Southern Company (SO) at -1.75% and WEC Energy (WEC) at -0.41% 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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Southern Company (SO) vs. WEC Energy (WEC): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Southern Company (SO) and WEC Energy (WEC)
MetricSOWEC
Revenue Growth (YoY)10.59%13.96%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)0.31%0.70%
EPS Growth (YoY)-1.75%-0.41%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)6.34%2.63%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Southern Company (SO) at 0.84 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while WEC Energy (WEC) at 0.53 runs in the tighter-liquidity quartile — a thinner cushion against current liabilities for WEC.

SO

Utilities industry group

0.84

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

WEC

Utilities industry group

0.53

Max
1.90
Q3
1.17
Median
0.88
Q1
0.66
WEC
0.53
Min
0.29
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Southern Company (SO) vs. WEC Energy (WEC): A comparison of their current ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Both Southern Company (SO) at 1.68 and WEC Energy (WEC) at 1.54 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

WEC

Utilities industry group

1.54

Max
2.63
Q3
1.77
WEC
1.54
Median
1.35
Q1
0.84
Min
0.00
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Southern Company (SO) vs. WEC Energy (WEC): 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 WEC Energy (WEC)
MetricSOWEC
Current Ratio (MRQ)0.840.53
Debt / Equity (MRQ)1.681.54
Net Debt / EBITDA5.015.66

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Both Southern Company (SO) at 3.21% and WEC Energy (WEC) at 3.17% 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%

WEC

Utilities industry group

3.17%

Max
6.66%
Q3
3.58%
WEC
3.17%
Median
2.85%
Q1
0.66%
Min
0.00%
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Southern Company (SO) vs. WEC Energy (WEC): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Both Southern Company (SO) at 68.49% and WEC Energy (WEC) at 68.18% 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%

WEC

Utilities industry group

68.18%

Max
113.04%
Q3
68.72%
WEC
68.18%
Median
56.38%
Q1
32.38%
Min
0.00%
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Southern Company (SO) vs. WEC Energy (WEC): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Southern Company (SO) and WEC Energy (WEC)
MetricSOWEC
Dividend Yield (TTM)3.21%3.17%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)68.49%68.18%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both Southern Company (SO) at 21.08 and WEC Energy (WEC) at 21.07 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

WEC

Utilities industry group

21.07

Max
31.22
Q3
23.30
WEC
21.07
Median
19.64
Q1
15.17
Min
3.34
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Southern Company (SO) vs. WEC Energy (WEC): 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 WEC Energy (WEC) at 3.69 sits in the pricier quartile — WEC 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

WEC

Utilities industry group

3.69

Max
6.35
WEC
3.69
Q3
3.63
Median
2.63
Q1
1.52
Min
0.00
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Southern Company (SO) vs. WEC Energy (WEC): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Both Southern Company (SO) at 2.56 and WEC Energy (WEC) at 2.62 carry a premium to book value versus peers, sitting in the upper P/B ratio quartile of their industries.

SO

Utilities industry group

2.56

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

WEC

Utilities industry group

2.62

Max
3.12
WEC
2.62
Q3
2.21
Median
1.83
Q1
1.46
Min
0.34
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Southern Company (SO) vs. WEC Energy (WEC): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Southern Company (SO) and WEC Energy (WEC)
MetricSOWEC
P/E Ratio (TTM)21.0821.07
P/S Ratio (TTM)3.453.69
P/B Ratio (MRQ)2.562.62
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)-4.73%-5.16%