LIVE
NEE
NextEra Energy, Inc. · Utilities
$86.75
-3.68% this month
VERSUS
⟷
COMPARE
SO
The Southern Company · Utilities
$93.09
-1.12% this month
Scoreboard verdict
Across AI score, momentum, valuation, upside, operating margin
NEE
4
SO
1
Comparison scoreboard
NEE LEADS 4/5AI Score
NEE ✓50.1
SO 49.7
1Y Return
NEE ✓+20.72%
SO +5.28%
Fwd P/E
NEE 19.55
SO ✓19.12
Target Up.
NEE ✓+14.52%
SO +7.81%
Op. Margin
NEE ✓30.18%
SO 25.82%
Metrics last refreshed: 6/20/2026
Quick take
NEE vs SO Stock Comparison: AI Score, Valuation, Performance and Upside
NextEra and Southern Company are both large regulated utilities paying substantial dividends, but with very different growth strategies. NextEra is the world's most aggressive renewable energy developer, targeting 6–8% EPS growth from wind, solar, and battery storage additions. Southern Company is a more traditional regulated utility whose primary recent investment has been completing the Vogtle nuclear expansion — a baseload clean energy asset now generating revenue.
NEE vs SO is a choice between the growth-oriented renewable energy utility platform targeting 6–8% EPS compounding (NextEra) and the traditional regulated utility with completed nuclear baseload capacity and conservative 4–5% regulated earnings growth (Southern Company).
Live analysis · updated 6/20/2026
NEE holds the edge across 4 of 5 key metrics in this comparison. NEE has delivered stronger 1-year price return (+20.72% vs +5.28%), though SO trades at the lower forward P/E (19.12x vs 19.55x). On fundamentals, SO is growing revenue faster (8.00%), while NEE maintains the higher operating margin (30.18%) — a classic growth-versus-profitability split. Analyst consensus implies meaningfully more upside for NEE (+14.52%) than for SO (+7.81%).
Normalized 1Y performance
NEE
SO
Recent returns
NEE
SO
Analyst price targets & sentiment
NEE · 20 analysts
STRONG BUYHOLDSTRONG SELL
Buy (2.2/5.0)
Price target range
analyst low$52.00
analyst high$103.00
analyst mean$98.47
current price$86.75
+14.5% upside to analyst mean
SO · 18 analysts
STRONG BUYHOLDSTRONG SELL
Hold (2.6/5.0)
Price target range
analyst low$72.00
analyst high$104.00
analyst mean$101.34
current price$93.09
+7.8% upside to analyst mean
Who should consider this stock?
NEE may suit investors who:
- →prefer the world's largest renewable energy developer with 6–8% annual EPS growth as the most aggressive utility growth compounder
- →value FPL's regulated Florida utility as a stable earnings base underneath a dynamic renewable development business
- →want the leading utility positioned for AI data center power demand and corporate renewable PPA growth
- →are comfortable with higher valuation (20–25x earnings) and interest rate sensitivity from NEE's development-driven debt load
SO may suit investors who:
- →prefer a traditional regulated utility with stable, conservative earnings from regulated rate recovery in multiple states
- →value Vogtle nuclear completion as clean baseload power positioning Southern for data center and industrial load growth in Georgia
- →want utility dividend income at a lower relative valuation than NEE with less exposure to renewable project development risk
- →are comfortable with slower EPS growth (4–5%) and Vogtle cost recovery regulatory process continuing to work through state regulators
Performance & AI score
| Metric | NEE | SO |
|---|---|---|
| AI score | 50.1 | 49.7 |
| AI rank | #468 | #495 |
| Latest close | $86.75 | $93.09 |
| 1M return | -3.68% | -1.12% |
| 6M return | +8.05% | +6.96% |
| 1Y return | +20.72% | +5.28% |
$10,000 invested — hypothetical growth (dividends reinvested)
How much would $10,000 be worth today if invested at the start of each period, with all dividends reinvested?
| Period | NEE | SO |
|---|---|---|
| 1Y ago | $12.12K (+21.2%) started 2025-06-18 | $10.5K (+5.0%) started 2025-06-18 |
| 5Y ago | $14.17K (+41.7%) started 2021-06-21 | $20.41K (+104.1%) started 2021-06-21 |
| 10Y ago | $44.32K (+343.2%) started 2016-06-20 | $42.41K (+324.1%) started 2016-06-20 |
Hypothetical — past performance does not guarantee future results.
Valuation & upside potential
| Metric | NEE | SO |
|---|---|---|
| Market cap | $179.34B | $105.97B |
| Trailing P/E | 21.82 | 24.04 |
| Forward P/E | 19.55 | 19.12 |
| Price/Sales | 5.88 | 3.49 |
| EV/Revenue | 10.52 | 6.09 |
| Analyst target | $98.47 | $101.34 |
| Target upside | +14.52% | +7.81% |
Growth, profitability & risk
| Metric | NEE | SO |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue growth | 7.30% | 8.00% |
| Earnings growth | 160.00% | -0.80% |
| EPS growth | +160.00% | -0.80% |
| FCF margin | -66.22% | -13.09% |
| Operating margin | 30.18% | 25.82% |
| Profit margin | 29.37% | 14.46% |
| ROIC proxy | 10.32% | 10.99% |
| Return on equity | 10.32% | 10.99% |
| Dividend yield | 2.90% | 3.23% |
| Beta | 0.67 | 0.34 |
| Debt/equity | 156.69 | 190.43 |
| Current ratio | 0.54 | 0.65 |
| Quick ratio | 0.34 | 0.32 |
Drawdown & downside risk
Lower drawdown and smaller single-period drops generally indicate a smoother ride, though they do not guarantee lower future risk.
1Y risk snapshot
NEE max drawdown14.53%
SO max drawdown15.68%
NEE max wkly drop7.21%
SO max wkly drop5.84%
5Y risk snapshot
NEE max drawdown44.97%
SO max drawdown23.28%
NEE max wkly drop22.71%
SO max wkly drop11.77%
10Y risk snapshot
NEE max drawdown44.97%
SO max drawdown38.43%
NEE max wkly drop24.36%
SO max wkly drop23.39%
Performance metrics by period
| Period | Metric | NEE | SO |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Y | Growth | +21.21% | +5.03% |
| CAGR | +21.24% | +5.04% | |
| Sharpe ratio | 0.75 | 0.11 | |
| Max drawdown | 14.53% | 15.68% | |
| Max daily drop | 6.09% | 3.28% | |
| Max wkly drop | 7.21% | 5.84% | |
| 5Y | Growth | +28.32% | +73.47% |
| CAGR | +5.12% | +11.67% | |
| Sharpe ratio | 0.15 | 0.45 | |
| Max drawdown | 44.97% | 23.28% | |
| Max daily drop | 8.97% | 4.70% | |
| Max wkly drop | 22.71% | 11.77% | |
| 10Y | Growth | +247.53% | +167.61% |
| CAGR | +13.27% | +10.35% | |
| Sharpe ratio | 0.44 | 0.35 | |
| Max drawdown | 44.97% | 38.43% | |
| Max daily drop | 13.42% | 11.77% | |
| Max wkly drop | 24.36% | 23.39% |
Business comparison
| Category | NEE | SO |
|---|---|---|
| Company | NextEra Energy, Inc. | The Southern Company |
| Sector | Utilities | Utilities |
| Industry | Utilities - Regulated Electric | Utilities - Regulated Electric |
| Core business | NextEra Energy is the world's largest generator of renewable energy (wind and solar) through its NextEra Energy Resources subsidiary, alongside Florida Power & Light (FPL), a large regulated utility serving 5.8M customer accounts. NEE is the most growth-oriented utility in the S&P 500, targeting 6–8% EPS growth annually driven by renewable energy project development. Its Capital Recycler program allows NEE to sell minority stakes in operating renewable assets to fund new development capital. | Southern Company is a traditional regulated utility holding company serving Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, and Illinois through subsidiaries Georgia Power, Alabama Power, and others. It also owns Southern Company Gas and has completed Vogtle Units 3 and 4 — the first new nuclear reactors built in the US in decades — after years of delays and cost overruns. Southern's earnings profile is more conservative and less growth-oriented than NEE, with steady regulated earnings and a reliable dividend. |
| Investor focus | Investors track FPL regulated earnings growth, NEE Resources new renewable energy capacity additions (GW), battery storage development, Capital Recycler program execution, and EPS growth guidance achievement of 6–8% annually. | Investors track regulated utility earnings from Georgia Power and Alabama Power, Vogtle nuclear generation revenue as units reach full power, data center and industrial load growth in Georgia's construction economy, and dividend sustainability from regulated utility cash flows. |
NEE strengths
- →World's largest renewable energy developer with decades of wind and solar project execution experience at scale
- →FPL's regulated Florida utility provides predictable earnings base with constructive regulatory relationships in a fast-growing service territory
- →6–8% long-term EPS growth guidance is the highest sustained growth target among large-cap regulated utilities
SO strengths
- →Vogtle nuclear units provide clean, baseload power generation that positions Southern Company for AI data center and electrification demand
- →Constructive regulatory relationships in Georgia and Alabama with rate case outcomes supportive of capital investment recovery
- →Georgia's strong economic growth (Microsoft, Hyundai, Rivian facilities) is driving significant load growth that benefits Georgia Power
Risks to watch — NEE
- →Higher interest rates increase the discount rate on renewable project economics and NEE's elevated debt load for development
- →NextEra Energy Partners (NEP) MLP subsidiary stress created near-term investor concern about the Capital Recycler strategy's economics
- →NEE's premium valuation relative to utility peers (typically 20–25x earnings) assumes sustained development execution and growth delivery
Risks to watch — SO
- →Vogtle nuclear plant cost overruns were significant ($35B+ total cost) — future cost recovery through rates is still working through regulators
- →Traditional utility earnings growth (4–5% EPS) is significantly lower than NEE's 6–8% target
- →Higher debt from Vogtle development limits Southern's balance sheet flexibility relative to peers
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