Southern Company (SO) Dividend Capture: 0.80% per event (3.1% annualized)
Southern Company (SO) has touched its pre-ex close within 30 trading days in 90% of the last 20 ex-dividend events, with a median time-to-touch of 2 trading days (limit-order recovery basis). The dividend is below the typical daily price swing (signal-to-noise 0.52), meaning ordinary day-to-day noise can easily exceed the dividend itself.
Versus its sector, SO sits roughly in line with the Utilities sector benchmark of 95%. The sector median time-to-touch is 1 trading day, so this ticker touches more slowly than peers.
Historical base rates are not predictions; transaction costs, slippage, and ordinary-income tax on short holding periods can materially reduce realized profit. The next confirmed ex-dividend date is May 18, 2026, with an expected dividend of $0.76.
- Touch rate (30d)
- 90%-5pp vs sector
- Median days-to-touch
- 2din line with sector
- Signal-to-noise
- 0.52+0.07 vs sector
Recovery engine
TL;DR over the most recent 20 events.
- 30-day touch rate
- 90%-5pp vs sector
- Median days-to-touch
- 2din line with sector
- Signal-to-noise (div / ATR)
- 0.52+0.07 vs sector
- Avg gap on ex-date
- -0.73%in line with sector
- Win rate at MOC exit
- 65%
- Median drawdown during hold
- -2.27%+1.49pp vs sector
- Best / worst touch (days)
- 1 / 7
Next ex-dividend
Confirmed by company declaration.
- Dividend
- $0.76
- Per-event yield
- 0.80%
- Annualized yield
- 3.11%
- Previously paid
- Feb 17, 2026 ($0.74)
- Last record date
- Feb 17, 2026
- Last payment date
- Mar 6, 2026
How SO ranks in Utilities
Compared with other stocks in this sector that pass our capture-quality filter (45 tickers). Lower rank number is better on every metric below.
- 30-day touch rate#30of 45
Beats ~33% of peers on this metric
- Median days to touch#31of 45
Beats ~31% of peers on this metric
- Signal-to-noise#13of 45
Beats ~71% of peers on this metric
SO Dividend Capture History — Last 20 Ex-Dividend Events
Per-event gap on ex-date, the pre-ex close used as the touch target, trading days to first intraday high at or above that level, plus 5/30-day touch flags, drawdown and 5-day P&L for Southern Company (SO). For a stricter close-at-bell exit timeline, use the simulator below (MOC mode). td = trading days from ex-date.
| Recovered 5d | Recovered 30d | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Q1 | $0.74 | -0.11% | $94.95 | 1 | yes | yes | -4.35% | +1.69% | |
| Q4 | $0.74 | -0.22% | $90.69 | 1 | yes | yes | -2.75% | -0.89% | |
| Q3 | $0.74 | -0.52% | $94.07 | 2 | yes | yes | -2.13% | -0.21% | |
| Q2 | $0.74 | -0.17% | $88.71 | 1 | yes | yes | -1.47% | +2.20% | |
| Q1 | $0.72 | -0.79% | $85.58 | 1 | yes | yes | -1.26% | +5.83% | |
| Q4 | $0.72 | -1.06% | $87.93 | 1 | yes | yes | -1.24% | +1.38% | |
| Q3 | $0.72 | -0.61% | $87.36 | 2 | yes | yes | -2.84% | -0.17% | |
| Q2 | $0.72 | -0.89% | $79.38 | 1 | yes | yes | -3.45% | -1.15% | |
| Q1 | $0.70 | -1.26% | $66.83 | 2 | yes | yes | -1.54% | +0.18% | |
| Q4 | $0.70 | -0.40% | $70.27 | 6 | no | yes | -2.33% | +0.98% | |
| Q3 | $0.70 | -0.98% | $68.25 | 5 | yes | yes | -1.63% | +0.79% | |
| Q2 | $0.70 | -0.64% | $74.65 | >30 | no | no | -6.67% | -3.40% | |
| Q1 | $0.68 | -1.41% | $65.86 | 1 | yes | yes | -6.27% | -1.23% | |
| Q4 | $0.68 | -0.34% | $64.92 | 1 | yes | yes | -0.79% | +2.46% | |
| Q3 | $0.68 | -0.35% | $77.90 | 1 | yes | yes | -0.54% | +3.77% | |
| Q2 | $0.68 | -0.24% | $74.08 | 2 | yes | yes | -2.21% | +0.01% | |
| Q1 | $0.66 | -1.53% | $64.79 | 5 | yes | yes | -4.66% | +0.99% | |
| Q4 | $0.66 | -1.36% | $63.05 | 7 | no | yes | -2.49% | +0.44% | |
| Q3 | $0.66 | -0.87% | $65.72 | 2 | yes | yes | -1.14% | +3.44% | |
| Q2 | $0.66 | -0.87% | $65.73 | >30 | no | no | -4.12% | -1.05% |
Q1
- Dividend
- $0.74
- Gap %
- -0.11%
- Pre-ex close
- $94.95
- High touch (td)
- 1
- Recovered 5d
- yes
- Recovered 30d
- yes
- Drawdown
- -4.35%
- P&L 5d %
- +1.69%
Q4
- Dividend
- $0.74
- Gap %
- -0.22%
- Pre-ex close
- $90.69
- High touch (td)
- 1
- Recovered 5d
- yes
- Recovered 30d
- yes
- Drawdown
- -2.75%
- P&L 5d %
- -0.89%
Q3
- Dividend
- $0.74
- Gap %
- -0.52%
- Pre-ex close
- $94.07
- High touch (td)
- 2
- Recovered 5d
- yes
- Recovered 30d
- yes
- Drawdown
- -2.13%
- P&L 5d %
- -0.21%
Q2
- Dividend
- $0.74
- Gap %
- -0.17%
- Pre-ex close
- $88.71
- High touch (td)
- 1
- Recovered 5d
- yes
- Recovered 30d
- yes
- Drawdown
- -1.47%
- P&L 5d %
- +2.20%
Q1
- Dividend
- $0.72
- Gap %
- -0.79%
- Pre-ex close
- $85.58
- High touch (td)
- 1
- Recovered 5d
- yes
- Recovered 30d
- yes
- Drawdown
- -1.26%
- P&L 5d %
- +5.83%
Q4
- Dividend
- $0.72
- Gap %
- -1.06%
- Pre-ex close
- $87.93
- High touch (td)
- 1
- Recovered 5d
- yes
- Recovered 30d
- yes
- Drawdown
- -1.24%
- P&L 5d %
- +1.38%
Q3
- Dividend
- $0.72
- Gap %
- -0.61%
- Pre-ex close
- $87.36
- High touch (td)
- 2
- Recovered 5d
- yes
- Recovered 30d
- yes
- Drawdown
- -2.84%
- P&L 5d %
- -0.17%
Q2
- Dividend
- $0.72
- Gap %
- -0.89%
- Pre-ex close
- $79.38
- High touch (td)
- 1
- Recovered 5d
- yes
- Recovered 30d
- yes
- Drawdown
- -3.45%
- P&L 5d %
- -1.15%
Q1
- Dividend
- $0.70
- Gap %
- -1.26%
- Pre-ex close
- $66.83
- High touch (td)
- 2
- Recovered 5d
- yes
- Recovered 30d
- yes
- Drawdown
- -1.54%
- P&L 5d %
- +0.18%
Q4
- Dividend
- $0.70
- Gap %
- -0.40%
- Pre-ex close
- $70.27
- High touch (td)
- 6
- Recovered 5d
- no
- Recovered 30d
- yes
- Drawdown
- -2.33%
- P&L 5d %
- +0.98%
Q3
- Dividend
- $0.70
- Gap %
- -0.98%
- Pre-ex close
- $68.25
- High touch (td)
- 5
- Recovered 5d
- yes
- Recovered 30d
- yes
- Drawdown
- -1.63%
- P&L 5d %
- +0.79%
Q2
- Dividend
- $0.70
- Gap %
- -0.64%
- Pre-ex close
- $74.65
- High touch (td)
- >30
- Recovered 5d
- no
- Recovered 30d
- no
- Drawdown
- -6.67%
- P&L 5d %
- -3.40%
Q1
- Dividend
- $0.68
- Gap %
- -1.41%
- Pre-ex close
- $65.86
- High touch (td)
- 1
- Recovered 5d
- yes
- Recovered 30d
- yes
- Drawdown
- -6.27%
- P&L 5d %
- -1.23%
Q4
- Dividend
- $0.68
- Gap %
- -0.34%
- Pre-ex close
- $64.92
- High touch (td)
- 1
- Recovered 5d
- yes
- Recovered 30d
- yes
- Drawdown
- -0.79%
- P&L 5d %
- +2.46%
Q3
- Dividend
- $0.68
- Gap %
- -0.35%
- Pre-ex close
- $77.90
- High touch (td)
- 1
- Recovered 5d
- yes
- Recovered 30d
- yes
- Drawdown
- -0.54%
- P&L 5d %
- +3.77%
Q2
- Dividend
- $0.68
- Gap %
- -0.24%
- Pre-ex close
- $74.08
- High touch (td)
- 2
- Recovered 5d
- yes
- Recovered 30d
- yes
- Drawdown
- -2.21%
- P&L 5d %
- +0.01%
Q1
- Dividend
- $0.66
- Gap %
- -1.53%
- Pre-ex close
- $64.79
- High touch (td)
- 5
- Recovered 5d
- yes
- Recovered 30d
- yes
- Drawdown
- -4.66%
- P&L 5d %
- +0.99%
Q4
- Dividend
- $0.66
- Gap %
- -1.36%
- Pre-ex close
- $63.05
- High touch (td)
- 7
- Recovered 5d
- no
- Recovered 30d
- yes
- Drawdown
- -2.49%
- P&L 5d %
- +0.44%
Q3
- Dividend
- $0.66
- Gap %
- -0.87%
- Pre-ex close
- $65.72
- High touch (td)
- 2
- Recovered 5d
- yes
- Recovered 30d
- yes
- Drawdown
- -1.14%
- P&L 5d %
- +3.44%
Q2
- Dividend
- $0.66
- Gap %
- -0.87%
- Pre-ex close
- $65.73
- High touch (td)
- >30
- Recovered 5d
- no
- Recovered 30d
- no
- Drawdown
- -4.12%
- P&L 5d %
- -1.05%
SO Pre-Ex Touch Time Distribution
- ≤ 1 day945%
- 2–3 days525%
- 4–5 days210%
- 6–10 days210%
- 11–30 days00%
- 30+210%
45% within 1d · 80% within 5d · 90% within 30d
SO Dividend Capture Calculator — After-Tax Yield
Pre-filled with SO's next expected dividend and recent close. Adjust tax rate, holding period and slippage to estimate after-tax capture yield.
Holding shorter than the IRS 61-day rule disqualifies the dividend from “qualified” status — it is taxed as ordinary income at your marginal rate. Adjust Tax % accordingly.
- Gross dividend
- $152.00
- After-tax dividend
- $98.80
- Slippage round-trip
- -$18.99
- Net if price returns to pre-ex
- +$79.81
- Required recovery to break even
- 0.00%
- Per-event after-tax yield
- +0.42%
- Annual if all succeed
- ~21.2%
SO Dividend Capture Backtest Simulator
Replay every historical SO ex-dividend with two exit strategies: a GTC limit-order at the pre-ex close (limit-order P&L on first intraday touch), or hold for N days and exit at MOC. Pick the window and quarter filter that matches your plan and see realized P&L per event.
Sell back at the pre-ex close on the first intraday touch within the window. If it never touches, exit at MOC after the window expires (stop-loss).
Figures are gross — before tax, commissions, and slippage. Percents are per-event return on capital at entry (pre-ex close).
Cumulative P&L (equity curve)
Vertical axis: cumulative sum of per-event % (same units as the headline cumulative). Hover dots for exact values.
Per-event P&L distribution
20 trades in this sample · bar height ∝ count in each bucket (gross % per event).
Scenario P&L by event · SO (20)
Scenario P&L — updates with exit mode, window, and quarter. History adds gap, touch, drawdown, and a fixed P&L 5d % (MOC). Same per-row % as that column only for MOC + 5d on the same rows. Oldest → newest, gross pre-ex close basis.
| Ex-date | P&L |
|---|---|
| -1.05% | |
| +1.00% | |
| +0.44% | |
| +1.02% | |
| +0.92% | |
| +0.87% | |
| +1.05% | |
| +1.03% | |
| -3.40% | |
| +1.03% | |
| +0.98% | |
| +1.05% | |
| +0.91% | |
| +0.82% | |
| +0.82% | |
| +0.84% | |
| +0.83% | |
| +0.79% | |
| +0.82% | |
| +0.78% |
Looking for full price seasonality? See SO seasonality →
Frequently asked questions
What is the dividend capture success rate for SO?
Across the last 20 ex-dividend events for Southern Company (SO), the post-ex intraday high reached the pre-ex close within 30 trading days in 90% of cases, with a median time-to-touch of 2 trading days. We measure recovery via intraday high because that is when a GTC limit-order at the pre-ex close would actually fill, ending the trade at break-even with the dividend pocketed.
How long does it take SO to recover its dividend gap?
Historically, SO touches its pre-ex close in a median of 2 trading days, with the best case at 1 and the worst case at 7 trading days within our 30-day measurement window. A stricter close-based recovery (mark-to-MOC) is also computed in the database; explore it with the per-ticker simulator’s “Hold N days, exit MOC” mode rather than in the event table.
Is the dividend on SO large enough to capture?
SO has a signal-to-noise ratio of 0.52 (dividend / 14-day ATR). Values above 1.0 indicate the dividend is larger than the typical daily price swing, making capture trades more viable; below 0.5 means typical daily noise can easily wipe out the gain.
When is the next ex-dividend date for SO?
The next ex-dividend date for Southern Company (SO) is May 18, 2026, confirmed (declared by the company).
How does SO compare to its sector for dividend capture?
Within Utilities, the median 30-day pre-ex touch rate is 95%. SO sits at 90% — at or below the sector benchmark.
Why does SO dividend capture measure recovery via intraday high, not close?
A realistic capture trade exits via a GTC limit-order at the pre-ex close: the moment the post-ex intraday high touches that level, the order fills and the trader pockets the dividend at break-even. Measuring recovery via close is stricter (mark-to-MOC); we expose that path in the per-ticker simulator as the "Hold N days, exit MOC" mode. The high-based primary metric directly answers the trader-facing question "would my limit have filled?" — close-based answers "would I have been flat at the bell?".
How are dividend capture trades taxed in the US?
Holding period matters. Dividends are "qualified" (taxed at the long-term capital gains rate, 0/15/20%) only when the underlying shares are held for more than 60 days during the 121-day window centered on the ex-dividend date. Dividend capture trades typically hold less than 61 days, so the dividend is taxed at your ordinary income bracket. Always consult a qualified tax advisor.
What are the main risks of a dividend capture strategy?
Three structural risks: (1) the share price may not recover the gap within your holding window; (2) ordinary-income tax can consume the after-tax yield; (3) transaction costs and bid/ask slippage can wipe out small dividends. Historical statistics measure base rates; they do not guarantee any single trade will work.