Southern Co. (SO) Q4 Earnings: Taking a Look at Key Metrics Versus Estimates
Southern Co. (SO) reported $6.05 billion in revenue for the quarter ended December 2023, representing a year-over-year decline of 14.2%. EPS of $0.64 for the same period compares to $0.26 a year ago.
The reported revenue represents a surprise of -21.86% over the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $7.74 billion. With the consensus EPS estimate being $0.59, the EPS surprise was +8.47%.
While investors scrutinize revenue and earnings changes year-over-year and how they compare with Wall Street expectations to determine their next move, some key metrics always offer a more accurate picture of a company's financial health.
Since these metrics play a crucial role in driving the top- and bottom-line numbers, comparing them with the year-ago numbers and what analysts estimated about them helps investors better project a stock's price performance.
Here is how Southern Co. performed in the just reported quarter in terms of the metrics most widely monitored and projected by Wall Street analysts:
Operating Revenues- Southern Power: $503 million compared to the $661.63 million average estimate based on three analysts. The reported number represents a change of -33% year over year.
Operating Revenues- Southern Company Gas: $1.29 billion versus the three-analyst average estimate of $1.95 billion. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of -34.6%.
Operating Revenues- Georgia Power - Retail Revenues: $2.18 billion compared to the $2.65 billion average estimate based on two analysts.
Operating Revenues- Georgia Power - Wholesale Revenues: $39 million versus $52.90 million estimated by two analysts on average.
Operating Revenues- Georgia Power - Other Revenues: $156 million versus $176.76 million estimated by two analysts on average.
Operating Revenues- Mississippi Power - Other Revenues: $8 million compared to the $11.02 million average estimate based on two analysts.
Operating Revenues- Southern Company Gas - Gas Distribution Operations: $1.10 billion versus the two-analyst average estimate of $1.63 billion.
Natural Gas revenues: $1.29 billion versus the two-analyst average estimate of $1.88 billion.
Operating Revenues- Alabama Power: $1.63 billion versus the two-analyst average estimate of $2.05 billion. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of -9.1%.
Operating Revenues- Georgia Power: $2.31 billion versus $2.88 billion estimated by two analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a -2.2% change.
Operating Revenues- Mississippi Power: $337 million compared to the $442.22 million average estimate based on two analysts. The reported number represents a change of -18.8% year over year.
Operating Revenues- Alabama Power - Other Revenues: $54 million compared to the $112.82 million average estimate based on two analysts.
View all Key Company Metrics for Southern Co. here>>>
Shares of Southern Co. have returned -2.6% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +4.6% change. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), indicating that it could perform in line with the broader market in the near term.
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Southern Company (The) (SO) : Free Stock Analysis Report
