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In the latest market close, Southern Co. (SO) reached $84.73, with a +0.99% movement compared to the previous day. This change outpaced the S&P 500's 0.88% gain on the day. At the same time, the Dow added 1.24%, and the tech-heavy Nasdaq gained 0.65%.

Heading into today, shares of the power company had gained 1.04% over the past month, outpacing the Utilities sector's loss of 0.89% and lagging the S&P 500's gain of 1.17% in that time.

Investors will be eagerly watching for the performance of Southern Co. in its upcoming earnings disclosure. The company's earnings report is set to be unveiled on February 20, 2025. It is anticipated that the company will report an EPS of $0.54, marking a 15.63% fall compared to the same quarter of the previous year. Alongside, our most recent consensus estimate is anticipating revenue of $6.27 billion, indicating a 3.78% upward movement from the same quarter last year.

It's also important for investors to be aware of any recent modifications to analyst estimates for Southern Co. Recent revisions tend to reflect the latest near-term business trends. Hence, positive alterations in estimates signify analyst optimism regarding the company's business and profitability.

Research indicates that these estimate revisions are directly correlated with near-term share price momentum. To take advantage of this, we've established the Zacks Rank, an exclusive model that considers these estimated changes and delivers an operational rating system.

The Zacks Rank system, spanning from #1 (Strong Buy) to #5 (Strong Sell), boasts an impressive track record of outperformance, audited externally, with #1 ranked stocks yielding an average annual return of +25% since 1988. Over the last 30 days, the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate has witnessed a 0.04% decrease. Southern Co. is currently sporting a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold).

In terms of valuation, Southern Co. is presently being traded at a Forward P/E ratio of 19.42. For comparison, its industry has an average Forward P/E of 16.91, which means Southern Co. is trading at a premium to the group.

Meanwhile, SO's PEG ratio is currently 2.86. The PEG ratio bears resemblance to the frequently used P/E ratio, but this parameter also includes the company's expected earnings growth trajectory. The Utility - Electric Power industry currently had an average PEG ratio of 2.62 as of yesterday's close.

The Utility - Electric Power industry is part of the Utilities sector. At present, this industry carries a Zacks Industry Rank of 85, placing it within the top 34% of over 250 industries.

The Zacks Industry Rank assesses the strength of our separate industry groups by calculating the average Zacks Rank of the individual stocks contained within the groups. Our research shows that the top 50% rated industries outperform the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1.

Remember to apply Zacks.com to follow these and more stock-moving metrics during the upcoming trading sessions.

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