The Southern Company’s $570M Volume Ranks 196th as Analysts Upgrade and Insiders Sell Shares

On August 5, 2025, The Southern Company (SO) recorded a trading volume of $0.57 billion, ranking 196th in the market, while its stock closed down 1.68% at $94.39. The utility giant, operating in three U.S. states, manages 44 gigawatts of regulated power generation and serves 9 million customers through integrated electric and gas utilities. Subsidiary Southern Power oversees 13 gigawatts of renewable and gas generation, with long-term contracts driving its wholesale electricity sales.

Recent institutional activity includes increased stakes from Zimmer Partners LP and Mawer Investment Management, while insider Stephen Kuczynski sold 5,000 shares. Analysts at Bank of America upgraded SO’s rating, and Morgan Stanley raised its price target to $69.00. Despite a 13% compound annual growth rate over five years, recent earnings estimates for Q3 2023 were cut by Zacks Research, reflecting mixed market sentiment.

A backtested strategy of purchasing the top 500 high-volume stocks and holding for one day yielded a 166.71% return from 2022 to present, outperforming the benchmark’s 29.18% by 137.53%. This highlights liquidity-driven approaches’ efficacy in volatile markets, where high trading activity often correlates with short-term price momentum.