Kowal Investment Group LLC Grows Position in The Southern Company (NYSE:SO)

Kowal Investment Group LLC increased its position in shares of The Southern Company (NYSE:SO) by 7.5% during the first quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 8,476 shares of the utilities provider’s stock after buying an additional 589 shares during the period. Kowal Investment Group LLC’s holdings in Southern were worth $608,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in SO. Voisard Asset Management Group Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Southern during the fourth quarter worth about $31,000. Scarborough Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in Southern during the 4th quarter valued at about $31,000. Versant Capital Management Inc grew its stake in Southern by 62.0% during the 1st quarter. Versant Capital Management Inc now owns 444 shares of the utilities provider’s stock valued at $32,000 after acquiring an additional 170 shares in the last quarter. BKM Wealth Management LLC purchased a new stake in Southern during the 4th quarter valued at about $34,000. Finally, Financial Synergies Wealth Advisors Inc. grew its stake in Southern by 3,628.6% during the 1st quarter. Financial Synergies Wealth Advisors Inc. now owns 522 shares of the utilities provider’s stock valued at $37,000 after acquiring an additional 508 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 64.10% of the company’s stock.

Southern Price Performance

Shares of SO traded down $0.43 during mid-day trading on Monday, reaching $77.14. 1,516,008 shares of the company’s stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 4,633,642. The company has a quick ratio of 0.65, a current ratio of 0.92 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.67. The company has a market cap of $84.35 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 20.04, a PEG ratio of 2.79 and a beta of 0.51. The Southern Company has a 52-week low of $61.56 and a 52-week high of $80.84. The company has a 50-day simple moving average of $77.58 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $72.27.

Southern (NYSE:SO) last released its earnings results on Thursday, May 2nd. The utilities provider reported $1.03 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.90 by $0.13. Southern had a return on equity of 12.07% and a net margin of 16.74%. The firm had revenue of $6.65 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $6.59 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $0.79 earnings per share. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 2.6% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, sell-side analysts predict that The Southern Company will post 4 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Southern Increases Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, June 6th. Stockholders of record on Monday, May 20th were issued a $0.72 dividend. This represents a $2.88 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.73%. This is an increase from Southern’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.70. The ex-dividend date was Friday, May 17th. Southern’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 74.42%.

Insider Transactions at Southern

In related news, CEO Kimberly S. Greene sold 9,126 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, May 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $75.04, for a total value of $684,815.04. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 121,504 shares in the company, valued at $9,117,660.16. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Company insiders own 0.18% of the company’s stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several equities analysts have weighed in on the stock. Morgan Stanley decreased their target price on shares of Southern from $74.00 to $71.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a report on Monday, June 24th. Argus upped their price objective on shares of Southern from $75.00 to $90.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, May 15th. Bank of America upped their price objective on shares of Southern from $73.00 to $79.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a report on Friday, May 31st. Mizuho upped their price objective on shares of Southern from $73.00 to $76.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Tuesday, April 2nd. Finally, UBS Group lowered shares of Southern from a “buy” rating to a “neutral” rating and decreased their price objective for the stock from $78.00 to $76.00 in a report on Thursday, April 4th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, six have issued a hold rating, seven have given a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $76.14.

About Southern

The Southern Company, through its subsidiaries, engages in the generation, transmission, and distribution of electricity. The company also develops, constructs, acquires, owns, and manages power generation assets, including renewable energy projects and sells electricity in the wholesale market; and distributes natural gas in Illinois, Georgia, Virginia, and Tennessee, as well as provides gas marketing services, gas distribution operations, and gas pipeline investments operations.