Southern Company (SO) Dividend History & Yield
Dividend ChampionSouthern Company (SO) has increased its dividend for 26 consecutive years and currently yields 3.18%. The most recent dividend was $0.7400/share on Mar 6, 2026, paid Quarterly.
Current Yield
3.18%
TTM Dividend/Share
$2.98
Payment Frequency
Quarterly
Payout Ratio
76.2%
Consecutive Growth Years
26 (Dividend Champion)
Div Growth (1Y CAGR)
2.80%
Div Growth (5Y CAGR)
2.97%
Div Growth (10Y CAGR)
3.17%
SO: compare the "Now" marker to the 1Y / 3Y / 5Y averages on the scale. One valuation signal among many — review fundamentals before investing.
Dividend health
Chowder score
6.2%
FCF payout ratio
197.9%
Net debt / EBITDA
5.2x
Interest coverage
2.16x
ROIC (TTM)
6.7%
Dividend Safety Score
4 out of 8 checks passed
Payout ratio below 75%
Payout ratio is 76.2%, above the 75% threshold.
Free cash flow covers dividend
FCF/share ($-3.25) does not fully cover dividend/share ($2.98).
No dividend cuts in 10+ years
No dividend cuts in the last 10 years.
Positive earnings growth trend
Earnings per share have grown over the past 5 years.
10+ years of consecutive growth
26 consecutive years of dividend growth.
FCF payout ratio below 70%
FCF payout ratio is 197.9%, above the 70% threshold.
Net Debt/EBITDA below 3x
Net Debt/EBITDA is 5.2x.
Dividend growth ≤ earnings growth (5Y)
Dividend growth (3.0%) ≤ EPS growth (29.4%) — sustainable.
Per-payment dividend history
Ex-date May 18, 2026
- Payment date
- Jun 8, 2026
- Dividend
- $0.7600
- Adj. dividend
- $0.7600
Ex-date Feb 17, 2026
- Payment date
- Mar 6, 2026
- Dividend
- $0.7400
- Adj. dividend
- $0.7400
Ex-date Nov 17, 2025
- Payment date
- Dec 8, 2025
- Dividend
- $0.7400
- Adj. dividend
- $0.7400
Ex-date Aug 18, 2025
- Payment date
- Sep 8, 2025
- Dividend
- $0.7400
- Adj. dividend
- $0.7400
Ex-date May 19, 2025
- Payment date
- Jun 6, 2025
- Dividend
- $0.7400
- Adj. dividend
- $0.7400
Ex-date Feb 18, 2025
- Payment date
- Mar 6, 2025
- Dividend
- $0.7200
- Adj. dividend
- $0.7200
Ex-date Nov 18, 2024
- Payment date
- Dec 6, 2024
- Dividend
- $0.7200
- Adj. dividend
- $0.7200
Ex-date Aug 19, 2024
- Payment date
- Sep 6, 2024
- Dividend
- $0.7200
- Adj. dividend
- $0.7200
Ex-date May 17, 2024
- Payment date
- Jun 6, 2024
- Dividend
- $0.7200
- Adj. dividend
- $0.7200
Ex-date Feb 16, 2024
- Payment date
- Mar 6, 2024
- Dividend
- $0.7000
- Adj. dividend
- $0.7000
Ex-date Nov 17, 2023
- Payment date
- Dec 6, 2023
- Dividend
- $0.7000
- Adj. dividend
- $0.7000
Ex-date Aug 18, 2023
- Payment date
- Sep 6, 2023
- Dividend
- $0.7000
- Adj. dividend
- $0.7000
| Ex-Date | Payment Date | Dividend | Adj. Dividend |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 18, 2026 | Jun 8, 2026 | $0.7600 | $0.7600 |
| Feb 17, 2026 | Mar 6, 2026 | $0.7400 | $0.7400 |
| Nov 17, 2025 | Dec 8, 2025 | $0.7400 | $0.7400 |
| Aug 18, 2025 | Sep 8, 2025 | $0.7400 | $0.7400 |
| May 19, 2025 | Jun 6, 2025 | $0.7400 | $0.7400 |
| Feb 18, 2025 | Mar 6, 2025 | $0.7200 | $0.7200 |
| Nov 18, 2024 | Dec 6, 2024 | $0.7200 | $0.7200 |
| Aug 19, 2024 | Sep 6, 2024 | $0.7200 | $0.7200 |
| May 17, 2024 | Jun 6, 2024 | $0.7200 | $0.7200 |
| Feb 16, 2024 | Mar 6, 2024 | $0.7000 | $0.7000 |
| Nov 17, 2023 | Dec 6, 2023 | $0.7000 | $0.7000 |
| Aug 18, 2023 | Sep 6, 2023 | $0.7000 | $0.7000 |
Historical Dividend Yield
Dividend Growth
Dividend Increase Track Record
Southern Company has raised its total annual dividend (split-adjusted, by ex-dividend calendar year) versus the prior year for 26 consecutive years — the same figure as the "Consecutive Growth Years" card above.
| Year | Previous DPS | New DPS | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $2.9400 | — | — |
| 2025 | $2.8600 | $2.9400 | +2.8% |
| 2024 | $2.7800 | $2.8600 | +2.9% |
| 2023 | $2.7000 | $2.7800 | +3.0% |
| 2022 | $2.6200 | $2.7000 | +3.1% |
| 2021 | $2.5400 | $2.6200 | +3.1% |
| 2020 | $2.4600 | $2.5400 | +3.3% |
| 2019 | $2.3800 | $2.4600 | +3.4% |
| 2018 | $2.3000 | $2.3800 | +3.5% |
| 2017 | $2.2225 | $2.3000 | +3.5% |
| 2016 | $2.1525 | $2.2225 | +3.3% |
| 2015 | $2.0825 | $2.1525 | +3.4% |
| 2014 | $2.0125 | $2.0825 | +3.5% |
| 2013 | $1.9425 | $2.0125 | +3.6% |
| 2012 | $1.8725 | $1.9425 | +3.7% |
| 2011 | $1.8025 | $1.8725 | +3.9% |
| 2010 | $1.7325 | $1.8025 | +4.0% |
| 2009 | $1.6625 | $1.7325 | +4.2% |
| 2008 | $1.5950 | $1.6625 | +4.2% |
| 2007 | $1.5350 | $1.5950 | +3.9% |
| 2006 | $1.4750 | $1.5350 | +4.1% |
| 2005 | $1.4150 | $1.4750 | +4.2% |
| 2004 | $1.3845 | $1.4150 | +2.2% |
| 2003 | $1.3550 | $1.3845 | +2.2% |
| 2002 | $1.2096 | $1.3550 | +12.0% |
| 2001 | $0.8186 | $1.2096 | +47.8% |
| 2000 | $0.8186 | $0.8186 | 0.0% |
| 1999 | $0.8186 | $0.8186 | 0.0% |
| 1998 | $0.7942 | $0.8186 | +3.1% |
| 1997 | $0.7697 | $0.7942 | +3.2% |
| 1996 | $0.7453 | $0.7697 | +3.3% |
| 1995 | $0.7209 | $0.7453 | +3.4% |
| 1994 | $0.6964 | $0.7209 | +3.5% |
| 1993 | $0.6720 | $0.6964 | +3.6% |
| 1992 | $0.6537 | $0.6720 | +2.8% |
| 1991 | $0.6537 | $0.6537 | 0.0% |
| 1990 | $0.6537 | $0.6537 | 0.0% |
| 1989 | $0.6537 | $0.6537 | 0.0% |
| 1988 | $0.6537 | $0.6537 | 0.0% |
| 1987 | $0.6308 | $0.6537 | +3.6% |
| 1986 | $0.5956 | $0.6308 | +5.9% |
| 1985 | $0.5590 | $0.5956 | +6.6% |
| 1984 | $0.5269 | $0.5590 | +6.1% |
| 1983 | $0.5071 | $0.5269 | +3.9% |
| 1982 | — | $0.5071 | — |
DPS sums split-adjusted amounts (adj. dividend) by ex-dividend calendar year—the same basis as the Adj. Dividend column in Dividend Payment History. The Dividend column can differ after stock splits. This table uses four decimals per annual total so the Change column matches the shown amounts; each payment row in Dividend Payment History also uses four.
Cash dividends paid (USD) — TTM and history
Trailing-twelve-month and annual common dividends paid for Southern Company (SO) from the consolidated cash flow statement, in USD as filed.
Latest period
$3.06B
YoY change
+2.1%
5Y CAGR
+2.3%
Peak year (2023)
$3.04B
Latest annual
$3.02B
Cash dividends paid over time for Southern Company (SO)
Per-period cash dividends paid
Cash dividends paid annual + quarterly history for Southern Company (SO)
| Fiscal year | Period ended | Reported | Dividends Paid | YoY | YoY change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $3.02B | +2.1% | +$61.00M | ||
| 2024 | $2.95B | -2.7% | -$81.00M | ||
| 2023 | $3.04B | +4.4% | +$128.00M | ||
| 2022 | $2.91B | +4.7% | +$130.00M | ||
| 2021 | $2.78B | +3.4% | +$92.00M | ||
| 2020 | $2.69B | +4.5% | +$115.00M | ||
| 2019 | $2.57B | +6.0% | +$145.00M | ||
| 2018 | $2.42B | +5.4% | +$125.00M | ||
| 2017 | $2.30B | +9.3% | +$196.00M | ||
| 2016 | $2.10B | +7.4% | +$145.00M | ||
| 2015 | $1.96B | +5.0% | +$93.00M | ||
| 2014 | $1.87B | +5.9% | +$104.00M | ||
| 2013 | $1.76B | +4.1% | +$69.00M | ||
| 2012 | $1.69B | +5.7% | +$92.00M | ||
| 2011 | $1.60B | +7.0% | +$105.00M | ||
| 2010 | $1.50B | +9.3% | +$127.00M | ||
| 2009 | $1.37B | +7.0% | +$89.00M | ||
| 2008 | $1.28B | +6.2% | +$75.00M | ||
| 2007 | $1.21B | +5.7% | +$65.00M | ||
| 2006 | $1.14B | +3.8% | +$42.00M | ||
| 2005 | $1.10B | +5.1% | +$53.00M | ||
| 2004 | $1.04B | +4.1% | +$41.00M | ||
| 2003 | $1.00B | +4.8% | +$46.00M | ||
| 2002 | $958.00M | +3.9% | +$36.00M | ||
| 2001 | $922.00M | +5.6% | +$49.00M | ||
| 2000 | $873.00M | -5.2% | -$48.00M | ||
| 1999 | $921.00M | -1.3% | -$12.00M | ||
| 1998 | $933.00M | +4.9% | +$44.00M | ||
| 1997 | $889.00M | +5.1% | +$43.00M | ||
| 1996 | $846.00M | +4.3% | +$35.00M | ||
| 1995 | $811.00M | +5.9% | +$45.00M | ||
| 1994 | $766.00M | — | — |
Southern Company (SO) most recent annual dividends paid stands at $3.02B (2025) – edged up 2.1% year-over-year.
Across 2020–2025 (5 years), Southern Company dividends paid produced a CAGR of +2.3% – with the latest reading among the more recent periods of the dataset.
The dataset's maximum dividends paid sits at $3.04B (2023); the minimum reading of $766.00M dates to 1994.
Within Utilities, Southern Company (SO) ranks 3rd among 8 peers we track. The peer median for dividends paid is $1.81B.
Southern Company Dividends Paid 2025: $3.02B
Southern Company dividends paid in 2025 was $3.02B, edged up 2.1% from 2024.
Southern Company Dividends Paid 2024: $2.95B
Southern Company dividends paid in 2024 was $2.95B, edged down 2.7% below 2023.
Southern Company Dividends Paid 2023: $3.04B
Southern Company dividends paid in 2023 was $3.04B, edged up 4.4% from 2022. This figure represents the highest annual value in the available history.
Southern Company Dividends Paid 2022: $2.91B
Southern Company dividends paid in 2022 was $2.91B, edged up 4.7% from 2021.
Southern Company Dividends Paid 2021: $2.78B
Southern Company dividends paid in 2021 was $2.78B.
See more financial history for Southern Company (SO).
Sector peers by dividends paid
Companies in the same sector as Southern Company, ranked by their latest dividends paid.
| Company | Dividends Paid | Sector |
|---|---|---|
| NextEra Energy (NEE) | $4.68B | Utilities |
| Duke Energy (DUK) | $3.30B | Utilities |
| Dominion Energy (D) | $2.28B | Utilities |
| American Electric Power Company (AEP) | $2.01B | Utilities |
| Sempra (SRE) | $1.60B | Utilities |
| Entergy (ETR) | $1.07B | Utilities |
| Constellation Energy (CEG) | $486.00M | Utilities |
| GE Vernova (GEV) | $275.00M | Utilities |
Frequently asked questions
Does Southern Company pay dividends?
Yes, Southern Company (SO) pays quarterly dividends of approximately $2.98 per share annually, yielding 3.18%.
What is Southern Company's dividend yield?
Southern Company (SO) has a current dividend yield of 3.18%.
Is Southern Company's dividend safe?
Southern Company (SO) passes 4 out of 8 dividend safety checks. See the detailed breakdown above for each criterion.
How many consecutive years has Southern Company increased its dividend?
Southern Company (SO) has 26 consecutive years of dividend increases.
What is Southern Company's dividend payout ratio?
Southern Company (SO) has a dividend payout ratio of 76.2%. Trailing twelve months (GAAP): adjusted dividends over roughly 12 months aligned with the latest reported quarter, divided by the sum of diluted EPS from the last four fiscal quarters (not NII or taxable income for BDCs/REITs).
What is Southern Company's dividends paid?
Latest reported dividends paid for Southern Company (SO) is $3.06B (period ending March 31, 2026).
How has Southern Company dividends paid changed year-over-year?
Southern Company (SO) dividends paid changed +2.1% year-over-year on the latest annual filing.
What is the long-term growth rate of Southern Company dividends paid?
Southern Company (SO) dividends paid compound annual growth rate is +2.3% over the most recent 5 years available.
When did Southern Company dividends paid hit its highest annual value?
Southern Company dividends paid reached its highest annual value of $3.04B in 2023.
What was Southern Company dividends paid in 2024?
Southern Company (SO) dividends paid in 2024 was $2.95B.
What was Southern Company dividends paid in 2025?
Southern Company (SO) dividends paid in 2025 was $3.02B.
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