FE vs. SO
FE (FirstEnergy Corp.) and SO (The Southern Company) are both stocks. Both are in the Utilities sector — FE in Utilities - Diversified, SO in Utilities - Regulated Electric. Over the past 10 years, FE returned 8.15%/yr vs 10.91%/yr for SO. A 0.60 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined.
Performance
FE vs. SO - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, FE achieves a 8.10% return, which is significantly lower than SO's 11.11% return. Over the past 10 years, FE has underperformed SO with an annualized return of 8.15%, while SO has yielded a comparatively higher 10.91% annualized return.
FE
- 1D
- 1.48%
- 1M
- 2.46%
- YTD
- 8.10%
- 6M
- 8.42%
- 1Y
- 22.46%
- 3Y*
- 11.80%
- 5Y*
- 9.37%
- 10Y*
- 8.15%
SO
- 1D
- 1.61%
- 1M
- 0.84%
- YTD
- 11.11%
- 6M
- 12.15%
- 1Y
- 8.59%
- 3Y*
- 14.57%
- 5Y*
- 13.46%
- 10Y*
- 10.91%
FE vs. SO - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
FE FirstEnergy Corp. | 8.10% | 17.26% | 13.24% | -8.86% | 4.79% | 41.81% | -34.18% | 34.13% | 27.85% | 3.61% |
SO The Southern Company | 11.11% | 9.47% | 21.72% | 2.21% | 8.24% | 16.34% | 0.63% | 51.65% | -3.75% | 2.42% |
Correlation
The correlation between FE and SO is 0.68, which is moderate. They share some common price drivers but move independently often enough to provide real diversification benefit when combined.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.68 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.74 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.72 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.65 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Nov 10, 1997 | 0.60 |
The correlation between FE and SO shifts across timeframes, from 0.60 (all time) to 0.74 (3 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
Fundamentals
FE:
$27.52B
SO:
$107.08B
FE:
$1.94
SO:
$3.92
FE:
24.40
SO:
24.22
FE:
1.05
SO:
1.50
FE:
1.77
SO:
3.50
FE:
2.17
SO:
2.88
FE:
$15.53B
SO:
$30.17B
FE:
$8.35B
SO:
$13.01B
FE:
$4.02B
SO:
$14.44B
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Return for Risk
FE vs. SO — Risk / Return Rank
FE
SO
FE vs. SO - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for FirstEnergy Corp. (FE) and The Southern Company (SO). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.
Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.
| FE | SO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +0.95 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +1.13 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.26 | 1.10 | +0.15 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.53 | 0.58 | +0.96 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 4.49 | 1.34 | +3.15 |
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Drawdowns
FE vs. SO - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum FE drawdown since its inception was -55.75%, which is greater than SO's maximum drawdown of -38.43%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for FE and SO.
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Drawdown Indicators
| FE | SO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -55.75% | -38.43% | -17.32% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -14.71% | -14.99% | +0.28% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -17.82% | -14.99% | -2.83% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -28.59% | -23.28% | -5.31% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -47.68% | -38.43% | -9.25% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -7.65% | -3.00% | -4.65% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -21.22% | -6.87% | -14.35% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 5.02% | 6.42% | -1.40% |
Volatility
FE vs. SO - Volatility Comparison
FirstEnergy Corp. (FE) and The Southern Company (SO) have volatilities of 5.84% and 6.03%, respectively, indicating that both stocks experience similar levels of price fluctuations. This suggests that the risk associated with both stocks, as measured by volatility, is nearly the same. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| FE | SO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 5.84% | 6.03% | -0.19% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 11.99% | 13.11% | -1.12% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 15.24% | 16.29% | -1.05% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 19.46% | 18.62% | +0.84% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 24.68% | 21.99% | +2.69% |
Dividends
FE vs. SO - Dividend Comparison
FE's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.79%, more than SO's 3.57% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
FE FirstEnergy Corp. | 3.79% | 3.93% | 4.24% | 4.31% | 3.72% | 3.75% | 5.10% | 3.13% | 3.83% | 4.70% | 4.65% | 4.54% |
SO The Southern Company | 3.57% | 3.37% | 3.47% | 3.96% | 3.78% | 3.82% | 4.13% | 3.86% | 5.42% | 4.78% | 4.52% | 4.60% |
Financials
FE vs. SO - Financials Comparison
This section allows you to compare key financial metrics between FirstEnergy Corp. and The Southern Company. You can select fields from income statements, balance sheets, and cash flow statements to easily visualize and compare the financial health of both companies.
Total Revenue: Total amount of money received from sales and other business activities
FE vs. SO - Profitability Comparison
FE - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, FirstEnergy Corp. reported a gross profit of 2.61B and revenue of 4.20B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 62.2%.
SO - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, The Southern Company reported a gross profit of 3.90B and revenue of 8.40B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 46.5%.
FE - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, FirstEnergy Corp. reported an operating income of 828.00M and revenue of 4.20B, resulting in an operating margin of 19.7%.
SO - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, The Southern Company reported an operating income of 2.02B and revenue of 8.40B, resulting in an operating margin of 24.0%.
FE - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, FirstEnergy Corp. reported a net income of 466.00M and revenue of 4.20B, resulting in a net margin of 11.1%.
SO - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, The Southern Company reported a net income of 1.36B and revenue of 8.40B, resulting in a net margin of 16.2%.
Frequently Asked Questions
FE and SO have a correlation of 0.68, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
SO has higher volatility (6.03%) compared to FE (5.84%). In terms of maximum drawdown, FE dropped -55.75% vs SO's -38.43%.
FE currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.48 vs 0.53), meaning it's delivered slightly more return per unit of risk over the trailing 12 months. However, this ranking shifts over time - use the Risk/Return Score above for a more comprehensive view that combines Sharpe, Sortino, and other measures used by quantitative funds.
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