Southern Company (SO) Beats Q2 Earnings, Misses Revenue

SO

Atlanta, GA-based Southern Company (SO - Free Report) is one of the largest utilities in the U.S. Through its eleven electric and natural gas distribution units in nine states, Southern Company serves approximately nine million customers. It boasts of a generating capacity of 44,000 megawatts, around 200,000 miles of electric transmission and distribution lines, and more than 80,000 miles of natural gas pipelines. Southern Company’s operations include wholesale electricity generation and natural gas services, retail energy services and natural gas storage operations throughout the country.

Currently, Southern Company has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) but that could change following its second quarter 2016 earnings report which has just released. Coming to earnings surprise history, the company has an excellent record: its surpassed estimates in each of the last four quarters with an average beat of 4.49%.

We have highlighted some of the key details from the just-released announcement below:

Earnings: Southern Company beats on earnings. Earnings per share (excluding certain one-time items) came in at 74 cents, ahead of the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 69 cents.

Revenue: Revenues below expectations. Revenues of $4,453 million were just under the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $4,461 million.

Key Stats: Southern Company’s total retail sales fell 1.6%, with residential, commercial and industrial sales all down. The power supplier’s operations and maintenance cost remained essentially flat at $1,099 million, while the utility’s total operating expense for the period – at $3,227 million – was also literally unchanged from the prior-year level.

Check back later for our full write up on this Southern Company earnings report later!

Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days.Click to get this free report >>

Zacks Names "Single Best Pick to Double"

From thousands of stocks, 5 Zacks experts each have chosen their favorite to skyrocket +100% or more in months to come. From those 5, Director of Research Sheraz Mian hand-picks one to have the most explosive upside of all.

It’s a little-known chemical company that’s up 65% over last year, yet still dirt cheap. With unrelenting demand, soaring 2022 earnings estimates, and $1.5 billion for repurchasing shares, retail investors could jump in at any time.

This company could rival or surpass other recent Zacks’ Stocks Set to Double like Boston Beer Company which shot up +143.0% in little more than 9 months and NVIDIA which boomed +175.9% in one year.

Free: See Our Top Stock and 4 Runners Up >>