Southern Company Q2 Earnings: What's in Store for Investors?

Core Viewpoint - Southern Company is expected to report second-quarter results on July 31, with a consensus estimate of $0.93 earnings per share and $6.7 billion in revenues [1] Group 1: Previous Quarter Performance - In the last reported quarter, Southern Company exceeded consensus estimates with adjusted earnings per share of $1.23, which was $0.03 above expectations, and revenues of $7.8 billion, surpassing estimates by 11% [2] - The company has topped earnings estimates in three of the last four quarters, with an average earnings surprise of 7% [3] Group 2: Current Quarter Estimates - The consensus estimate for the second-quarter earnings has been revised downward by 5.1% in the past week, indicating a year-over-year decline of 14.7%, while revenue estimates suggest a 3.7% increase from the previous year [3][8] - The estimated total operating expenses for the second quarter are projected to be $4.9 billion, reflecting a 9.1% increase from $4.5 billion reported in the same quarter last year [5] Group 3: Market and Economic Factors - Southern Company serves nine million customers in the Southeast, benefiting from strong regional economic growth and capital investments exceeding $11 billion, which have created 4,000 new jobs in the first quarter of 2025 [4] - The demand from industrial and data centers is expected to continue driving long-term load expansion, positively impacting earnings and cash flows [4] Group 4: Earnings ESP and Zacks Rank - The Earnings ESP for Southern Company is -5.40%, indicating a lower likelihood of beating estimates, and it currently holds a Zacks Rank of 3 (Hold) [6][7]