SO
The Southern Company Utilities - Electric Investor Relations →
The Southern Company (SO) closed at $93.39 as of 2026-03-20, trading 25.6% above its 200-week moving average of $74.36. The stock is currently moving closer to the line, down from 32.1% last week. With a 14-week RSI of 71, SO is in overbought territory.
Trading volume is running at 1.1x of its 14-week average, which is in the normal range. The balance between buying and selling volume (0.87 ratio) is neutral — neither side is clearly dominating.
Over the past 2259 weeks of data, SO has crossed below its 200-week moving average 10 times. On average, these episodes lasted 4 weeks. Historically, investors who bought SO at the start of these episodes saw an average one-year return of +25.0%.
With a market cap of $104.5 billion, SO is a large-cap stock. Free cash flow yield is currently negative, meaning the company is burning cash. Return on equity stands at 11.0%. The stock trades at 2.9x book value.
Over the past 33.2 years, a hypothetical investment of $100 in SO would have grown to $3820, compared to $2683 for the S&P 500. That represents an annualized return of 11.6% vs 10.4% for the index — confirming SO as a market-beating investment and the kind of quality company where buying during 200-week moving average touches has historically been rewarded.
Free cash flow has been volatile over the past several years, making the quality of earnings harder to assess.
Business Health
Annual financials — how the underlying business has performed over the past several years.
Cash Flow Free cash flow & net income ($M)
Revenue Annual revenue ($M) — business growth proxy
Total Debt Balance sheet debt ($M)
ROIC Return on invested capital (%)
FCF Yield Free cash flow / market cap (%) — Yartseva signal
Gross Margin Pricing power & competitive moat (%)
Shares Outstanding Buybacks vs dilution (millions)
Growth of $100: SO vs S&P 500
Monthly data normalized to $100 at start. Vertical dashed lines mark 200-week MA touches.
What Happens After SO Crosses Below the Line?
Across 10 historical episodes, buying SO when it crossed below its 200-week moving average produced an average return of +23.1% after 12 months (median +25.0%), compared to +16.1% for the S&P 500 over the same periods. 90% of those episodes were profitable after one year. After 24 months, the average return was +47.2% vs +28.0% for the index.
Each line shows $100 invested at the moment SO crossed below its 200-week MA. Bold blue = stock average. Gray dashed = S&P 500 average over same periods.
Historical Touches
SO has crossed below its 200-week MA 10 times with an average 1-year return of +25.0% after recovery.
| Crossed Below | Recovered | Weeks | Max Depth | 1-Year Return | Return Since Touch |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 2000 | Apr 2000 | 7 | 5.8% | +45.5% | +2177.8% |
| Oct 2008 | Oct 2008 | 1 | 0.3% | +4.1% | +527.9% |
| Feb 2009 | Aug 2009 | 25 | 15.8% | +5.0% | +529.7% |
| Aug 2009 | Sep 2009 | 2 | 1.6% | +24.1% | +511.4% |
| Oct 2009 | Nov 2009 | 1 | 1.3% | +28.0% | +515.9% |
| Feb 2018 | Feb 2018 | 1 | 0.1% | +16.5% | +197.7% |
| Mar 2018 | Mar 2018 | 1 | 1.1% | +26.7% | +199.4% |
| May 2018 | May 2018 | 1 | 2.7% | +32.6% | +202.0% |
| Jun 2018 | Jun 2018 | 1 | 0.3% | +32.8% | +194.1% |
| Mar 2020 | Mar 2020 | 1 | 1.3% | +34.6% | +153.7% |
| Average | 4 | — | +25.0% | — |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is SO below its 200-week moving average?
No. The Southern Company (SO) is currently 25.6% above its 200-week moving average of $74.36. It would need to fall to $74.36 to cross below the line.
What is SO's 200-week moving average price?
The Southern Company's 200-week moving average is $74.36 as of 2026-03-20. This is the average weekly closing price over roughly the last 4 years, and it acts as a long-term trend line. When a stock drops below this level, it can signal that the price has fallen far enough from the long-term trend to attract value-oriented investors.
What happens when SO drops below its 200-week moving average?
SO has crossed below its 200-week moving average 10 times in our data. On average, buying at that moment produced a one-year return of +25.0%. These dips have historically been decent entry points. These episodes lasted 4 weeks on average.
Is SO a good value right now?
Here's what our data says about SO as of 2026-03-20: The stock is above its 200-week moving average, so it doesn't currently meet our primary signal. The 14-week RSI is 71 (overbought). Free cash flow is currently negative. Return on equity is 11.0%. Price-to-book is 2.9x. This is not a buy or sell recommendation — always do your own research.
How does SO compare to the S&P 500?
Over the past 33.2 years, $100 invested in SO would have grown to $3820, compared to $2683 for the S&P 500. That's 11.6% annualized vs 10.4% for the index. SO has outperformed the broader market over this period.
Does SO pay a dividend?
Yes. The Southern Company currently pays a dividend yield of 317.00%.
Not financial advice. This is an educational tool. Past performance does not guarantee future results. Do your own research before making investment decisions.
Data as of week of 2026-03-20