The Southern Company
SO43 yrs growthUtilities · Stock · quarterly payer
$91.62
Add to PortfolioForward Yield
3.32%
Annual Dividend
$3.04
Payout Ratio
76%
5-Yr Growth
2.9%
Ex-Date
May 18, 2026
Frequency
Quarterly
SO Dividend Safety Score
90/ 100
Grade A
Very Safe
Dividend-growth streak43 consecutive years of growth
Cut historyNever cut its dividend on record
Earnings payout coverage76% of earnings paid out
Balance-sheet strengthDebt/equity of 1.90
Yield vs its historyYield in line with its history
SmarterDividends' proprietary score, backtested against which dividends were actually cut over 15+ years (0.78 AUC). It blends a validated cut-risk model (growth streak, cut history) with current payout, cash-flow and debt. Higher is safer · not investment advice.
Dividend Growth
Total dividends per share by year
Is SO a good dividend stock?
YesThe Southern Company (SO) pays a quarterly dividend yielding 3.32% ($3.04/yr), with 43 years of growth and a dividend-safety grade of A. It scores well across payout coverage, growth history and safety — a dependable income holding.
Advantages
- Dividend Aristocrat — 43 consecutive years of growth
- Never cut its dividend on record
- 53% total price return over 5 years
- Top-tier dividend safety score
Risks
- Single-stock concentration risk — diversify
Key Data
- Dividend Yield
- 3.32%
- Payout Ratio
- 76%
- Annual Dividend
- $3.04
- 5-Yr Avg Growth
- 2.9%
- Ex-Dividend Date
- May 18, 2026
- Years of Growth
- 43
- Frequency
- quarterly
- Beta
- 0.34
- Market Cap
- $103.3B
- P/E Ratio
- 23.4
- 5-Yr Total Return
- 53%
- 52-Week Range
- $83.80 – $100.84
- Dividend Safety
- A · 90/100
- Ever Cut?
- No
Frequently Asked Questions
Dividend History
| Ex-Date | Pay Date | Amount | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 18, 2026 | — | $0.7600 | regular |
| Feb 17, 2026 | — | $0.7400 | regular |
| Nov 17, 2025 | — | $0.7400 | regular |
| Aug 18, 2025 | — | $0.7400 | regular |
| May 19, 2025 | — | $0.7400 | regular |
| Feb 18, 2025 | — | $0.7200 | regular |
| Nov 18, 2024 | — | $0.7200 | regular |
| Aug 19, 2024 | — | $0.7200 | regular |
| May 17, 2024 | — | $0.7200 | regular |
| Feb 16, 2024 | — | $0.7000 | regular |
| Nov 17, 2023 | — | $0.7000 | regular |
| Aug 18, 2023 | — | $0.7000 | regular |
| May 12, 2023 | — | $0.7000 | regular |
| Feb 17, 2023 | — | $0.6800 | regular |
Income Calculator
At $3.04 / yr per share
Per payment (quarterly)$76.00
Annual$304.00
Monthly avg$25.33
