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Southern Co.: Q4 FY2025 earnings call

What management said about Q4 FY2025, from the documents filed with the SEC on 19 February 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 1 raised. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Fourth-quarter EPS fell; adjusted rose: Fourth-quarter EPS was $0.38 against $0.49, and $0.55 excluding items against $0.50. Net income was $416 million against $534 million, and $612 million excluding items against $544 million. Source
  • Full-year adjusted EPS rose to $4.30: Full-year EPS was $3.94 against $4.02 as reported, and $4.30 against $4.05 excluding items. Management named higher utility revenues as the adjusted driver, partly offset by higher non-fuel O&M, depreciation and interest. Source
  • Operating revenues rose about 10%: Fourth-quarter operating revenues were $7.0 billion, up 10.1% from $6.3 billion. Full-year revenues were $29.6 billion, up 10.6% from $26.7 billion. Source
  • Southern Power swung to a loss: Southern Power recorded a $16 million net loss in the quarter, against $64 million of income, and $125 million year-to-date against $328 million. Its as-reported EPS effect was a 7-cent drag in the quarter. Source
  • Repowering depreciation drove the fourth-quarter charge: Accelerated depreciation from wind repowering at Southern Power was $116 million pre-tax in the quarter and $284 million for the year. Adjusted earnings exclude these charges until the repowered projects begin commercial operation. Source
  • Parent costs widened in quarter: Parent Company and Other net loss widened to $339 million in the quarter from $230 million, and to $1,098 million year-to-date from $812 million. It reduced quarterly EPS by 10 cents. Source

“2025 was another outstanding year for Southern Company, and it was also a transformative one.”

Chris Womack, chairman, president and CEO

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Repowering accelerated depreciation (pre-tax, remaining) Source2026 and 2027approximately $490 million in 2026 and $100 million in 2027Raised from $320 million in 2026 and $25 million in 2027

What changed from last quarter

  • New: Southern Company Gas recorded an estimated pre-tax loss of $63 million, or $47 million after tax, tied to Illinois Commerce Commission disallowances of Nicor Gas capital investments. Source
  • New: Southern Company repurchased certain convertible senior notes, producing a fourth-quarter loss on extinguishment of debt of $123 million pre-tax, or $92 million after tax. Source

Quarterly and full-year results

  • Fourth-quarter EPS fell; adjusted rose: Fourth-quarter EPS was $0.38 against $0.49, and $0.55 excluding items against $0.50. Net income was $416 million against $534 million, and $612 million excluding items against $544 million. Source
  • Full-year adjusted EPS rose to $4.30: Full-year EPS was $3.94 against $4.02 as reported, and $4.30 against $4.05 excluding items. Management named higher utility revenues as the adjusted driver, partly offset by higher non-fuel O&M, depreciation and interest. Source
  • Operating revenues rose about 10%: Fourth-quarter operating revenues were $7.0 billion, up 10.1% from $6.3 billion. Full-year revenues were $29.6 billion, up 10.6% from $26.7 billion. Source
  • Quarterly EPS drivers by line item: Traditional Electric Operating Companies added 5 cents to quarterly EPS excluding items. Retail revenue impacts and income taxes each added 8 cents, while depreciation cost 8 cents and non-fuel O&M cost 4 cents. Source

Segment earnings and revenue

  • Traditional utilities' earnings rose: Traditional Electric Operating Companies net income was $588 million in the quarter, against $515 million, and $4,582 million year-to-date against $4,145 million. Source
  • Southern Power swung to a loss: Southern Power recorded a $16 million net loss in the quarter, against $64 million of income, and $125 million year-to-date against $328 million. Its as-reported EPS effect was a 7-cent drag in the quarter. Source
  • Gas segment earnings near prior year: Southern Company Gas revenues rose 20.7% to $1,492 million in the quarter. Net income was $183 million against $185 million, and $732 million year-to-date against $740 million. Source
  • Georgia Power earnings rose sharply: Georgia Power net income available to common was $399 million, up 35.7% from $294 million in the quarter. Year-to-date it was $2,851 million, up 12.1%. Source
  • Alabama Power earnings fell in quarter: Alabama Power net income available to common was $173 million, down 16.8% from $208 million in the quarter. Year-to-date it was $1,516 million, up 8.1%. Source

“Taking a disciplined, all-of-the-above approach is how we will continue to operate our company to serve this projected generational growth in a way that supports rate stability and helps drive long-term savings for our customers.”

Chris Womack, chairman, president and CEO

Customers and electricity sales

  • Regulated customers up 0.8%: Total regulated utility customers were 9,005 thousand, up 0.8% from 8,936 thousand. Traditional Electric Operating Companies had 4,590 thousand customers, up 0.9%. Source
  • Retail sales grew 1.7% in quarter: Total retail kilowatt-hour sales rose 1.7% in the quarter, or 1.4% weather adjusted, and 1.6% year-to-date, or 1.7% weather adjusted. Commercial sales rose 3.0% in the quarter. Source
  • Wholesale sales rose sharply: Wholesale kilowatt-hour sales rose 14.5% in the quarter and 4.7% for the year. Wholesale electric revenues were $684 million in the quarter, against $512 million. Source

Operating costs and income

  • Depreciation and interest costs rose: Depreciation and amortization rose to $1,471 million in the quarter from $1,218 million. Interest expense, net, rose to $895 million from $693 million. Source
  • Non-fuel O&M rose in both periods: Non-fuel operations and maintenance expense rose $122 million in the quarter to $2,118 million, and $548 million for the year to $7,066 million. Source
  • Fuel and gas costs rose with revenue: Fuel and purchased power cost rose $219 million to $1,355 million in the quarter. Cost of natural gas rose $209 million to $553 million, as natural gas revenues increased $256 million. Source
  • Operating income fell in quarter: Operating income was $917 million against $1,058 million. Pre-tax earnings were $196 million against $545 million, and income taxes were a $145 million benefit against $79 million of expense. Source

“Southern Company is meeting the growing demand responsibly, while continuing to deliver value and benefits to all of our customers,”

Chris Womack, chairman, president and CEO

Charges and tax items

  • Repowering depreciation drove the fourth-quarter charge: Accelerated depreciation from wind repowering at Southern Power was $116 million pre-tax in the quarter and $284 million for the year. Adjusted earnings exclude these charges until the repowered projects begin commercial operation. Source
  • Vogtle credits added to earnings: Plant Vogtle Units 3 and 4 produced a $27 million pre-tax credit in the fourth quarter and $60 million for the year, reflecting a lower Georgia Power total project capital cost forecast. Source
  • Tax benefit at gas segment: Southern Company Gas recorded a $19 million tax benefit from an adjustment to the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act impact on certain deferred tax balances, resulting from IRS private letter rulings. Source

Parent costs, shares and workforce

  • Parent costs widened in quarter: Parent Company and Other net loss widened to $339 million in the quarter from $230 million, and to $1,098 million year-to-date from $812 million. It reduced quarterly EPS by 10 cents. Source
  • Share count rose modestly: Average shares outstanding rose to 1,109 million in the quarter from 1,098 million, and to 1,103 million year-to-date from 1,096 million. The higher share count was a 1-cent drag on quarterly EPS. Source
  • Workforce described as nearly 30,000: The company described its workforce as nearly 30,000 employees, up from the 28,000 system employees cited in the third-quarter release. Source

Coming up, as management said on 19 February 2026

  • Earnings guidance posted on slides: Earnings guidance is provided in the fourth-quarter and full-year slides on the investor site, not in the press release text. Source
  • Repowering projects begin operating: Accelerated depreciation on the replaced wind equipment continues until the repowering projects reach commercial operation, projected between Q3 2026 and Q3 2027. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Regulated utility customers Source9,005 thousand, up 0.8%; Traditional Electric Operating Companies 4,590 thousand, up 0.9%
Retail kilowatt-hour sales (load growth) SourceQ4 up 1.7% (1.4% weather adjusted); full year up 1.6% (1.7% weather adjusted)
Wholesale kilowatt-hour sales growth SourceQ4 up 14.5%; full year up 4.7%

Risks management discussed

  • Regulatory: Further charges may occur on the Nicor Gas disallowances, with the amount and timing uncertain. Source
  • Financial: Similar debt transaction costs may occur at Southern Company or an unregulated subsidiary, with amount and timing uncertain. Source
  • Financial: Further tax charges from remeasuring deferred tax assets tied to Plant Vogtle may occur, with amount and timing uncertain. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Met: Dismantlement of the abandoned Kemper gasifier-related assets was completed at the end of 2025, consistent with the third-quarter release's expectation of costs through year-end. Source
  • Met: Site demobilization was completed in the third quarter of 2025, and remaining contractor obligations were finalized in the fourth quarter. Source

Other quarters

Summarised with AI from the documents the company filed with the SEC. Every point is checked against the filing before it is shown: management’s own words word for word, figures against the line or table row they come from. A point that fails the check is left out. Source opens the filing at that line.