American Electric [AEP] vs Southern Company [SO] Detailed Stock Comparison
TLDR: Quick Comparison Summary
Based on 21 vital metrics comparison: American Electric Power Company, Inc. wins in 15 metrics, Southern Company wins in 6 metrics, with 0 ties. American Electric Power Company, Inc. appears stronger overall.
View Metrics Details
Vital Metrics Comparison
| Metric | American Electric Power Company, Inc. | Southern Company | Better |
|---|---|---|---|
| P/E Ratio (TTM) | 20.28 | 23.96 | American Electric Power Company, Inc. |
| Price-to-Book Ratio | 2.35 | 2.92 | American Electric Power Company, Inc. |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio | 154.24 | 190.59 | American Electric Power Company, Inc. |
| PEG Ratio | 19.66 | 19.10 | Southern Company |
| EV/EBITDA | 13.78 | 12.95 | Southern Company |
| Profit Margin (TTM) | 16.36% | 14.69% | American Electric Power Company, Inc. |
| Operating Margin (TTM) | 22.84% | 12.74% | American Electric Power Company, Inc. |
| EBITDA Margin (TTM) | 22.84% | 12.74% | American Electric Power Company, Inc. |
| Return on Equity | 12.49% | 11.04% | American Electric Power Company, Inc. |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | 3.17% | 3.28% | Southern Company |
| Free Cash Flow (TTM) | $-1.64B | $-2.94B | American Electric Power Company, Inc. |
| Dividend Yield | 4.02% | 3.14% | American Electric Power Company, Inc. |
| 1-Year Return | 25.59% | 4.04% | American Electric Power Company, Inc. |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) | 3.36 | 3.58 | American Electric Power Company, Inc. |
| Enterprise Value | $123.41B | $180.41B | Southern Company |
| EV/Revenue Ratio | 5.64 | 6.11 | American Electric Power Company, Inc. |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 61.60% | 39.97% | American Electric Power Company, Inc. |
| Revenue per Share (TTM) | $41 | $27 | American Electric Power Company, Inc. |
| Earnings per Share (Diluted) | $6.66 | $3.92 | American Electric Power Company, Inc. |
| Beta (Stock Volatility) | 0.57 | 0.41 | Southern Company |
| Short % of Float | 3.53% | 2.41% | Southern Company |
American Electric Power Company, Inc. vs Southern Company Stock Performance Analysis
Loading Price Chart...
Performance Comparison
Short-term Returns
| Stock | 1D | 1W | 1M | 3M | 6M | YTD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Electric Power Company, Inc. | -0.74% | -2.43% | -2.09% | -1.14% | 10.84% | 14.10% |
| Southern Company | -0.19% | 2.78% | 1.37% | -5.34% | 9.09% | 7.62% |
Long-term Returns
| Stock | 1Y | 3Y | 5Y | 10Y | 15Y | 20Y |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Electric Power Company, Inc. | 25.59% | 52.16% | 56.93% | 92.28% | 243.33% | 278.31% |
| Southern Company | 4.04% | 30.99% | 52.97% | 83.77% | 136.12% | 189.14% |
Performance & Financial Health Analysis: American Electric Power Company, Inc. vs Southern Company
| Metric | AEP | SO |
|---|---|---|
| Market Information | ||
| Market Cap | $73.23B | $105.39B |
| Market Cap Category | Large cap | Large cap |
| 10 Day Avg. Volume | 2,436,150 | 3,839,426 |
| 90 Day Avg. Volume | 3,100,040 | 4,787,199 |
| Last Close | $132.14 | $93.82 |
| 52 Week Range | $105.02 - $140.58 | $83.80 - $100.84 |
| % from 52W High | -6.00% | -6.96% |
| All-Time High | $140.58 (Jul 07, 2026) | $100.84 (Oct 16, 2025) |
| % from All-Time High | -6.00% | -6.96% |
| Growth Metrics | ||
| Quarterly Revenue Growth | 0.13% | 0.10% |
| Quarterly Earnings Growth | -0.12% | -0.22% |
| Financial Health | ||
| Profit Margin (TTM) | 0.16% | 0.15% |
| Operating Margin (TTM) | 0.23% | 0.13% |
| Return on Equity (TTM) | 0.12% | 0.11% |
| Debt to Equity (MRQ) | 154.24 | 190.59 |
| Cash & Liquidity | ||
| Book Value per Share (MRQ) | $57.57 | $32.18 |
| Cash per Share (MRQ) | $0.77 | $1.46 |
| Operating Cash Flow (TTM) | $6.94B | $9.80B |
| Levered Free Cash Flow (TTM) | $-5,140,375,040 | $-3,460,124,928 |
| Dividends | ||
| Last 12-Month Dividend Yield | 4.02% | 3.14% |
| Last 12-Month Dividend | $4.69 | $2.96 |
Valuation & Enterprise Metrics Analysis: American Electric Power Company, Inc. vs Southern Company
| Metric | AEP (Apr 26, 2026) | SO (Apr 26, 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Price Ratios | ||
| P/E Ratio (TTM) | 20.28 | 23.96 |
| Forward P/E | 19.66 | 19.10 |
| PEG Ratio | 19.66 | 19.10 |
| Price to Sales (TTM) | 3.36 | 3.58 |
| Price to Book (MRQ) | 2.35 | 2.92 |
| Market Capitalization | ||
| Market Capitalization | $73.23B | $105.39B |
| Enterprise Value | $123.41B | $180.41B |
| Enterprise Value Metrics | ||
| Enterprise to Revenue | 5.64 | 6.11 |
| Enterprise to EBITDA | 13.78 | 12.95 |
| Risk & Other Metrics | ||
| Beta | 0.57 | 0.41 |
| Book Value per Share (MRQ) | $57.57 | $32.18 |
Financial Statements Comparison: American Electric Power Company, Inc. vs Southern Company
Financial Metrics
Loading Financial Charts...
Revenue
Operating Margin
Profit Margin
Long Term Debt
Income Flow Analysis
Financial Statements Comparison
Income Statement
| Metric | AEP (2025) | SO (2025) |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue/Sales | 21.88B | 29.55B |
| Cost of Goods Sold | 8.53B | 15.23B |
| COGS % of Revenue | 39.0% | 51.5% |
| Gross Profit | 13.35B | 14.32B |
| Gross Margin | 61.0% | 48.5% |
| Research & Development | N/A | N/A |
| Operating Income (EBIT) | 5.39B | 7.29B |
| Operating Margin | 24.6% | 24.7% |
| EBITDA | 9.06B | 13.93B |
| EBITDA Margin | 41.4% | 47.1% |
| Pre-Tax Income | 3.72B | 5.00B |
| Pre-Tax Income % of Revenue | 17.0% | 16.9% |
| Income Tax | 129.00M | 828.00M |
| Income Tax % of Revenue | 0.6% | 2.8% |
| Net Income (Profit) | 3.70B | 4.17B |
| Profit Margin | 16.9% | 14.1% |
Balance Sheet & Liquidity Metrics
| Metric | AEP (2025) | SO (2025) |
|---|---|---|
| Cash & Equivalents | 197.00M | 1.64B |
| Total Current Assets | 6.05B | 10.92B |
| Total Current Assets % of Revenue | 27.7% | 36.9% |
| Total Current Liabilities | 13.31B | 16.89B |
| Total Current Liabilities % of Revenue | 60.9% | 57.1% |
| Long-Term Debt | 44.71B | 66.94B |
| Long-Term Debt % of Revenue | 204.4% | 226.5% |
| Total Shareholders Equity | 32.22B | 38.87B |
| Retained Earnings | 15.44B | 14.86B |
| Retained Earnings % of Revenue | 70.6% | 50.3% |
| Property, Plant & Equipment | 9.30B | 2.97B |
Cash Flow Statement Comparison
| Metric | AEP (2025) | SO (2025) |
|---|---|---|
| Operating Cash Flow | 6.96B | 10.04B |
| Operating Cash Flow % of Revenue | 31.8% | 34.0% |
| Capital Expenditures | -130.00M | -12.74B |
| Free Cash Flow | -1.64B | -2.94B |
| FCF Margin | -7.5% | -9.9% |
| Debt Repayment | -5.04B | -5.88B |
| Common Stock Repurchase | N/A | N/A |
Short Interest & Institutional Ownership Analysis
| Metric | AEP | SO |
|---|---|---|
| Shares Short | 19.16M | 27.12M |
| Short Ratio | 5.11 | 4.94 |
| Short % of Float | 3.53% | 2.41% |
| Shares Outstanding | 540.86M | 1.12B |
| Float Shares | 540.07M | 1.12B |
| % Held by Insiders | 0.02% | 0.10% |
| % Held by Institutions | 85.01% | 72.46% |
| % Held by Public | 14.97% | 27.44% |
Dividend Analysis & Yield Comparison: American Electric Power Company, Inc. vs Southern Company
| Metric | AEP | SO |
|---|---|---|
| Last 12-Month Dividend | $4.69 | $2.96 |
| Last 12-Month Dividend Yield | 4.02% | 3.14% |
| 3-Year Avg Annual Dividend | $3.88 | $2.88 |
| 3-Year Avg Dividend Yield | 0.94% | 0.89% |
| 3-Year Total Dividends | $11.63 | $8.64 |
| Ex-Dividend Date | Feb 10, 2026 | Feb 17, 2026 |