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Southern Co.: Q2 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q2 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 30 July 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 1 raised, 1 lowered, 1 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Management named the adjusted earnings drivers: Management listed investment in state-regulated utilities, customer usage and growth, higher equity method earnings and lower income taxes as drivers. Higher interest expense partly offset them. Source
  • Traditional electric earnings rose: Traditional electric operating companies reported $1,269 million of net income against $1,047 million. The segment added 20 cents to quarterly EPS, and six-month net income was $2,382 million. Source
  • Retail sales rose 2.1% in quarter: Total retail sales were 37,967 million kilowatt-hours, up 2.1%, or 2.3% weather adjusted. Six-month retail sales rose 1.3%, or 2.3% weather adjusted. Source
  • Repowering charges cut quarterly EPS: Pre-tax accelerated depreciation charges at repowered Southern Power wind facilities were $143 million in the quarter, against $40 million a year earlier, reducing EPS by 7 cents. Source
  • Nicor Gas disallowance loss recorded: Southern Company Gas recorded an estimated loss of $8 million on Nicor Gas capital investments disallowed by the Illinois Commerce Commission in November 2025, and $10 million year to date. Source

“We are investing responsibly and planning for the long term to serve new and existing customers while keeping reliability and rate stability at the center of our work.”

Chris Womack, chairman, president and CEO of Southern Company

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Repowering accelerated depreciation Sourceremaining 2026, pre-taxapproximately $205 millionLowered from approximately $335 million
Repowering accelerated depreciation Source2027, pre-taxapproximately $120 millionRaised from approximately $100 million
Repowering completion Sourcerepowering projectsthrough the third quarter 2027Kept

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance lowered: The projected remaining 2026 pre-tax accelerated depreciation from repowering was reduced from about $335 million to about $205 million. Source
  • Guidance raised: The projected remaining 2027 pre-tax accelerated depreciation from repowering was raised from about $100 million to about $120 million. Source
  • New: A $9 million state income tax refund at Southern Company Gas, linked to the 2018 Elizabethtown Gas disposition, was recorded in the quarter, partly offset by $2 million of contingency fees. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Management named the adjusted earnings drivers: Management listed investment in state-regulated utilities, customer usage and growth, higher equity method earnings and lower income taxes as drivers. Higher interest expense partly offset them. Source
  • Quarterly revenue was nearly flat: Second-quarter operating revenues were $6.98 billion, up 0.1% from $6.97 billion in the second quarter of 2025. Source
  • Six-month earnings and revenue higher: Six-month EPS as reported was $2.24 against $2.01, and $2.46 against $2.15 excluding items. Six-month operating revenues were $15.4 billion, up 4.2%. Source

Segments and regions

  • Traditional electric earnings rose: Traditional electric operating companies reported $1,269 million of net income against $1,047 million. The segment added 20 cents to quarterly EPS, and six-month net income was $2,382 million. Source
  • Southern Power moved to a loss: Southern Power reported a net loss available to common of $25 million against net income of $51 million. Its six-month result was a $22 million loss against $138 million. Source
  • Southern Company Gas earnings grew: Southern Company Gas net income available to common was $126 million against $106 million, up 18.9%. Six-month net income was $573 million, up 9.4%. Source
  • Georgia and Alabama Power earnings rose: Georgia Power net income available to common was $779 million against $607 million, up 28.3%. Alabama Power's quarterly figure was $437 million against $381 million. Source
  • Mississippi Power earnings declined: Mississippi Power net income available to common was $52 million against $59 million in the quarter, down 11.9%. Six-month net income was $112 million against $114 million. Source

“Our approach is designed to protect customers today, create lasting value for the people and places we serve and ensure that when growth is done right, everyone benefits.”

Chris Womack, chairman, president and CEO of Southern Company

Customers, sales and demand

  • Retail sales rose 2.1% in quarter: Total retail sales were 37,967 million kilowatt-hours, up 2.1%, or 2.3% weather adjusted. Six-month retail sales rose 1.3%, or 2.3% weather adjusted. Source
  • Commercial sales grew, residential fell: Commercial sales rose 7.3% in the quarter and industrial sales were flat, up 0.1%. Residential sales fell 1.5%, or 0.7% weather adjusted. Source
  • Wholesale sales rose 9.2%: Total wholesale sales were 13,826 million kilowatt-hours in the quarter, up 9.2%, and 27,417 million for the six months, up 11.0%. Source
  • Regulated customer count grew 0.7%: Regulated utility customers totaled 9,000 thousand, up from 8,941 thousand. Traditional electric operating companies added customers at 1.0%, and Southern Company Gas at 0.3%. Source

Costs, margins and pricing

  • Fuel and purchased power costs fell: Fuel and purchased power costs were $1,342 million, down $34 million from $1,376 million. Cost of natural gas fell $78 million to $177 million in the quarter. Source
  • Depreciation and O&M rose: Depreciation and amortization rose $111 million to $1,434 million. Non-fuel operations and maintenance rose $20 million to $1,705 million in the quarter. Source
  • Interest expense fell in quarter: Interest expense, net of amounts capitalized, was $796 million against $874 million. Income taxes were $187 million against $289 million in the quarter. Source
  • Operating income edged higher: Operating income was $1,776 million against $1,764 million in the quarter. Six-month operating income was $3,794 million against $3,774 million. Source

Capital, equity investments and shares

  • Equity funds during construction rose: The allowance for equity funds used during construction rose $48 million to $128 million in the quarter. The EPS analysis shows it added 4 cents. Source
  • Equity method earnings jumped: Earnings from equity method investments were $86 million against $10 million in the quarter. Six-month earnings were $136 million against $43 million. Source
  • Share count rose and reduced EPS: Average shares outstanding were 1,137 million against 1,101 million. The increase in shares reduced quarterly EPS by 4 cents, according to the EPS analysis. Source

Repowering, charges and tax items

  • Repowering charges cut quarterly EPS: Pre-tax accelerated depreciation charges at repowered Southern Power wind facilities were $143 million in the quarter, against $40 million a year earlier, reducing EPS by 7 cents. Source
  • Nicor Gas disallowance loss recorded: Southern Company Gas recorded an estimated loss of $8 million on Nicor Gas capital investments disallowed by the Illinois Commerce Commission in November 2025, and $10 million year to date. Source
  • Vogtle deferred tax remeasurement charge: Income tax charges of $4 million in both 2026 and 2025 related to remeasuring deferred tax assets tied to the Plant Vogtle Units 3 and 4 loss, following a Georgia corporate tax rate change. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Regulated utility customers Source9,000 thousand, up 0.7% year over year
Load growth (retail sales, weather adjusted) Source2.3% in the quarter; 2.3% year to date

Risks management discussed

  • Regulatory: Nicor Gas capital investments disallowed by the Illinois Commerce Commission produced estimated losses, and management said further charges may occur, with amount and timing uncertain. Source
  • Financial: Management said similar debt extinguishment costs may occur in the future at Southern Company or an unregulated subsidiary, with amount and timing uncertain. Source
  • External: Further income tax charges or credits tied to Plant Vogtle Units 3 and 4 may occur, following changes in the State of Georgia corporate tax rate, with amount and timing uncertain. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Met: Management said dismantlement of the abandoned Kemper gasifier-related assets was completed at the end of 2025, and site restoration is substantially complete. 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.