Brookstone Capital Management Has $14.48 Million Holdings in Southern Company (The) $SO

Brookstone Capital Management increased its position in shares of Southern Company (The) (NYSE:SO) by 21.7% during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 152,754 shares of the utilities provider’s stock after purchasing an additional 27,198 shares during the period. Brookstone Capital Management’s holdings in Southern were worth $14,477,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of SO. Allen Mooney & Barnes Investment Advisors LLC increased its holdings in Southern by 3.9% in the 3rd quarter. Allen Mooney & Barnes Investment Advisors LLC now owns 26,643 shares of the utilities provider’s stock valued at $2,525,000 after buying an additional 1,006 shares during the period. Symmetry Partners LLC boosted its position in shares of Southern by 12.3% during the 3rd quarter. Symmetry Partners LLC now owns 4,167 shares of the utilities provider’s stock valued at $395,000 after acquiring an additional 455 shares in the last quarter. Founders Financial Securities LLC increased its stake in Southern by 9.8% in the third quarter. Founders Financial Securities LLC now owns 2,489 shares of the utilities provider’s stock valued at $236,000 after acquiring an additional 222 shares during the period. Optas LLC raised its position in Southern by 7.4% in the third quarter. Optas LLC now owns 2,816 shares of the utilities provider’s stock worth $267,000 after purchasing an additional 193 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Highline Wealth Partners LLC lifted its stake in Southern by 0.7% during the third quarter. Highline Wealth Partners LLC now owns 15,667 shares of the utilities provider’s stock worth $1,485,000 after purchasing an additional 106 shares during the period. 64.10% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several equities research analysts have recently weighed in on SO shares. The Goldman Sachs Group lowered Southern from a “buy” rating to a “neutral” rating and set a $98.00 price objective on the stock. in a research note on Thursday, November 6th. Scotiabank reiterated a “sector perform” rating and issued a $99.00 price target on shares of Southern in a research report on Friday, October 3rd. Barclays cut their price objective on Southern from $98.00 to $91.00 and set an “equal weight” rating for the company in a report on Thursday, November 20th. Wells Fargo & Company started coverage on shares of Southern in a report on Monday, October 27th. They issued an “equal weight” rating and a $97.00 target price on the stock. Finally, LADENBURG THALM/SH SH reiterated a “neutral” rating and set a $102.50 target price (up previously from $99.50) on shares of Southern in a research report on Friday, October 17th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, four have assigned a Buy rating, thirteen have given a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, Southern currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $96.21.

Southern Price Performance

SO opened at $87.05 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.69, a current ratio of 0.75 and a quick ratio of 0.59. The stock has a market capitalization of $95.85 billion, a P/E ratio of 21.55, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.81 and a beta of 0.45. The company’s 50 day simple moving average is $90.18 and its 200-day simple moving average is $92.11. Southern Company has a one year low of $80.46 and a one year high of $100.83.

Southern (NYSE:SO) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, October 29th. The utilities provider reported $1.60 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.51 by $0.09. The firm had revenue of $7.82 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $8.04 billion. Southern had a return on equity of 12.52% and a net margin of 15.42%.The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 7.5% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $1.39 EPS. Sell-side analysts anticipate that Southern Company will post 4.29 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Southern Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, December 8th. Investors of record on Monday, November 17th were given a $0.74 dividend. This represents a $2.96 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.4%. The ex-dividend date was Monday, November 17th. Southern’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 73.27%.

Southern Company Profile

Southern Company (NYSE: SO) is an Atlanta-based energy holding company that provides electric and gas utility services and owns power generation assets across the United States. Founded in 1945, the company operates a portfolio of regulated electric utilities and affiliated businesses that generate, transmit and distribute electricity to residential, commercial and industrial customers.

Southern’s principal regulated electric subsidiaries include Georgia Power, Alabama Power and Mississippi Power, which serve large portions of the southeastern United States.