Current Yield
3.13%
TTM Dividend/Share
$2.98
Payment Frequency
Quarterly
Payout Ratio
76.2%
Consecutive Growth Years
26 (Dividend Champion)
Key takeaways
- Dividend Champion — Southern Company (SO) has raised its dividend for 26 consecutive years.
- Southern Company (SO) currently yields 3.13%, paying $2.98 per share over the trailing twelve months, distributed quarterly.
- Payout ratio is 76.2% — the share of earnings distributed as dividends.
- 4 of 8 dividend safety checks passed.
- 5-year dividend CAGR of 2.97% (growth is decelerating).
Dividend yield valuation for Southern Company (SO)
Current dividend yield vs its own 1Y / 3Y / 5Y historical averages — a rough valuation signal.
Valuation zone | Near average — fair value |
Current yield (now) | 3.13% |
1-year average yield | 3.13%now in line |
3-year average yield | 3.46%now 0.33 pp below |
5-year average yield | 3.60%now 0.47 pp below |
SO: a yield above its history can signal value (or risk); below can signal a rich price. One valuation signal among many — review fundamentals before investing.
Dividend health for Southern Company (SO)
Cash-flow, leverage and returns metrics that signal whether the dividend is well-covered and sustainable.
Chowder score | 6.1% |
FCF payout ratio | 197.9% |
Net debt / EBITDA | 5.2x |
Interest coverage | 2.16x |
ROIC (TTM) | 6.7% |
Dividend safety score for Southern Company (SO)
Checks covering payout coverage, free-cash-flow support, leverage and dividend-growth durability.
4 of 8 checks passed
Payout ratio below 75%
Payout ratio is 76.2%, above the 75% threshold.
Free cash flow covers dividend
TTM FCF after dividends is $-6.8B — FCF does not fully cover the payout.
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 (3.3%) — sustainable.
This analysis is for informational purposes only and is not financial advice. Safety scores and comparisons reflect historical data and do not predict future performance.
Per-payment dividend history
178 payments from 1982 to 2026 · Adj. Dividend is split-adjusted
| 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 |
- May 18, 2026$0.7600
- Feb 17, 2026$0.7400
- Nov 17, 2025$0.7400
- Aug 18, 2025$0.7400
- May 19, 2025$0.7400
- Feb 18, 2025$0.7200
- Nov 18, 2024$0.7200
- Aug 19, 2024$0.7200
- May 17, 2024$0.7200
- Feb 16, 2024$0.7000
- Nov 17, 2023$0.7000
- Aug 18, 2023$0.7000
Historical dividend yield for Southern Company (SO)
Mean trailing dividend yield using one ratio snapshot per calendar year.Mean yield1Y: 3.13%5Y: 3.60%10Y: 4.03%
Dividend per share for Southern Company (SO)
CAGR (per year)1Y: 2.80%5Y: 2.97%10Y: 3.17%↓ Decelerating
| Year | Total ($/share) | Payments |
|---|---|---|
| 1982 | $0.51 | 4 |
| 1983 | $0.53 | 4 |
| 1984 | $0.56 | 4 |
| 1985 | $0.60 | 4 |
| 1986 | $0.63 | 4 |
| 1987 | $0.65 | 4 |
| 1988 | $0.65 | 4 |
| 1989 | $0.65 | 4 |
| 1990 | $0.65 | 4 |
| 1991 | $0.65 | 4 |
| 1992 | $0.67 | 4 |
| 1993 | $0.70 | 4 |
| 1994 | $0.72 | 4 |
| 1995 | $0.75 | 4 |
| 1996 | $0.77 | 4 |
| 1997 | $0.79 | 4 |
| 1998 | $0.82 | 4 |
| 1999 | $0.82 | 4 |
| 2000 | $0.82 | 4 |
| 2001 | $1.21 | 4 |
| 2002 | $1.35 | 4 |
| 2003 | $1.38 | 4 |
| 2004 | $1.42 | 4 |
| 2005 | $1.48 | 4 |
| 2006 | $1.53 | 4 |
| 2007 | $1.59 | 4 |
| 2008 | $1.66 | 4 |
| 2009 | $1.73 | 4 |
| 2010 | $1.80 | 4 |
| 2011 | $1.87 | 4 |
| 2012 | $1.94 | 4 |
| 2013 | $2.01 | 4 |
| 2014 | $2.08 | 4 |
| 2015 | $2.15 | 4 |
| 2016 | $2.22 | 4 |
| 2017 | $2.30 | 4 |
| 2018 | $2.38 | 4 |
| 2019 | $2.46 | 4 |
| 2020 | $2.54 | 4 |
| 2021 | $2.62 | 4 |
| 2022 | $2.70 | 4 |
| 2023 | $2.78 | 4 |
| 2024 | $2.86 | 4 |
| 2025 | $2.94 | 4 |
| 2026 | $1.50 | 2 |
Dividend growth for Southern Company (SO)
Year-over-year change in total annual dividend per share (split-adjusted, by ex-dividend year). Green is an increase, red a cut.
Dividend Increase Track Record
Year-over-year change in total annual DPS (dividends per share, split-adjusted), based on ex-dividend date.
| 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 | — |
- 2026—
- 2025$2.9400
- 2024$2.8600
- 2023$2.7800
- 2022$2.7000
- 2021$2.6200
- 2020$2.5400
- 2019$2.4600
- 2018$2.3800
- 2017$2.3000
- 2016$2.2225
- 2015$2.1525
- 2014$2.0825
- 2013$2.0125
- 2012$1.9425
- 2011$1.8725
- 2010$1.8025
- 2009$1.7325
- 2008$1.6625
- 2007$1.5950
- 2006$1.5350
- 2005$1.4750
- 2004$1.4150
- 2003$1.3845
- 2002$1.3550
- 2001$1.2096
- 2000$0.8186
- 1999$0.8186
- 1998$0.8186
- 1997$0.7942
- 1996$0.7697
- 1995$0.7453
- 1994$0.7209
- 1993$0.6964
- 1992$0.6720
- 1991$0.6537
- 1990$0.6537
- 1989$0.6537
- 1988$0.6537
- 1987$0.6537
- 1986$0.6308
- 1985$0.5956
- 1984$0.5590
- 1983$0.5269
- 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.
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