SO vs. DUK
SO (The Southern Company) and DUK (Duke Energy Corporation) are both stocks. Both operate in the Utilities - Regulated Electric industry within the Utilities sector. Over the past 10 years, SO returned 10.39%/yr vs 8.22%/yr for DUK. Their 0.62 correlation means they have sometimes moved together and sometimes differently.
Performance
SO vs. DUK - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, SO achieves a 10.53% return, which is significantly higher than DUK's 8.86% return. Over the past 10 years, SO has outperformed DUK with an annualized return of 10.39%, while DUK has yielded a comparatively lower 8.22% annualized return.
SO
- 1D
- 0.21%
- 1M
- -3.20%
- 6M
- 7.92%
- YTD
- 10.53%
- 1Y
- 3.11%
- 3Y*
- 13.92%
- 5Y*
- 12.30%
- 10Y*
- 10.39%
- ALL TIME*
- 12.51%
DUK
- 1D
- -0.67%
- 1M
- -3.22%
- 6M
- 5.14%
- YTD
- 8.86%
- 1Y
- 5.62%
- 3Y*
- 15.17%
- 5Y*
- 7.68%
- 10Y*
- 8.22%
- ALL TIME*
- 10.47%
Liquidity Comparison
| Position | Avg. Volume Value (2W) | Avg. Volume Value (1M) | Avg. Volume Value (3M) |
|---|---|---|---|
| $477.93M | $469.09M | $452.15M | |
| $485.34M | $447.77M | $549.03M |
SO vs. DUK - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SO The Southern Company | 10.53% | 9.47% | 21.72% | 2.21% | 8.24% | 16.34% | 0.63% | 51.65% | -3.75% | 2.42% |
DUK Duke Energy Corporation | 8.86% | 12.72% | 15.56% | -1.63% | 2.03% | 19.11% | 4.77% | 10.29% | 7.41% | 12.96% |
Correlation
The correlation between SO and DUK is 0.87, meaning they have usually moved in the same direction, including during past declines.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most. | 0.87 |
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history. | 0.84 |
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period. | 0.84 |
Correlation (10Y) Provides a long-term view across more market conditions. | 0.81 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Apr 6, 1983 | 0.62 |
Over the past year, SO and DUK have become more correlated (0.87) than their long-term average of 0.62, meaning their price movements have been converging.
Fundamentals
SO:
$106.57B
DUK:
$97.78B
SO:
$4.15
DUK:
$6.61
SO:
22.78
DUK:
18.99
SO:
1.41
DUK:
1.49
SO:
3.51
DUK:
2.93
SO:
2.55
DUK:
1.83
SO:
$30.18B
DUK:
$33.29B
SO:
$13.10B
DUK:
$19.45B
SO:
$14.19B
DUK:
$15.91B
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Return for Risk
SO vs. DUK — Risk / Return Rank
SO
DUK
SO vs. DUK - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for The Southern Company (SO) and Duke Energy Corporation (DUK). 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.
| SO | DUK | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.21 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -0.27 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.05 | 1.08 | -0.03 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 0.25 | 0.62 | -0.37 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 0.57 | 1.39 | -0.83 |
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Drawdowns
SO vs. DUK - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum SO drawdown since its inception was -38.43%, smaller than the maximum DUK drawdown of -71.92%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for SO and DUK.
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Drawdown Indicators
| SO | DUK | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -38.43% | -71.92% | +33.49% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -14.99% | -10.88% | -4.11% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -14.99% | -11.59% | -3.40% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -23.28% | -24.16% | +0.88% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -38.43% | -37.37% | -1.06% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -3.51% | -5.20% | +1.69% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -6.86% | -10.83% | +3.97% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 6.48% | 4.84% | +1.64% |
Volatility
SO vs. DUK - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for The Southern Company (SO) is 6.01%, while Duke Energy Corporation (DUK) has a volatility of 6.63%. This indicates that SO experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than DUK based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| SO | DUK | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 6.01% | 6.63% | -0.62% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 13.82% | 12.49% | +1.33% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 16.98% | 15.65% | +1.33% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 18.73% | 17.96% | +0.77% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 22.01% | 20.46% | +1.55% |
Dividends
SO vs. DUK - Dividend Comparison
SO's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.48%, more than DUK's 3.40% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
DUK Duke Energy Corporation | 3.40% | 3.60% | 3.84% | 4.18% | 3.86% | 3.72% | 4.17% | 4.11% | 4.21% | 4.15% | 4.33% | 4.54% |
SO The Southern Company | 3.48% | 3.37% | 3.47% | 3.96% | 3.78% | 3.82% | 4.13% | 3.86% | 5.42% | 4.78% | 4.52% | 4.60% |
Financials
SO vs. DUK - Financials Comparison
This section allows you to compare key financial metrics between The Southern Company and Duke Energy Corporation. 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
SO vs. DUK - Profitability Comparison
SO - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Aug 2026, The Southern Company reported a gross profit of 3.58B and revenue of 6.98B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 51.3%.
DUK - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Aug 2026, Duke Energy Corporation reported a gross profit of 6.23B and revenue of 9.18B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 67.9%.
SO - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Aug 2026, The Southern Company reported an operating income of 1.78B and revenue of 6.98B, resulting in an operating margin of 25.5%.
DUK - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Aug 2026, Duke Energy Corporation reported an operating income of 2.73B and revenue of 9.18B, resulting in an operating margin of 29.7%.
SO - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Aug 2026, The Southern Company reported a net income of 1.17B and revenue of 6.98B, resulting in a net margin of 16.8%.
DUK - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Aug 2026, Duke Energy Corporation reported a net income of 1.55B and revenue of 9.18B, resulting in a net margin of 16.9%.
Frequently Asked Questions
SO and DUK have a correlation of 0.87, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
DUK has higher volatility (6.63%) compared to SO (6.01%). In terms of maximum drawdown, SO dropped -38.43% vs DUK's -71.92%.
DUK currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (0.43 vs 0.22), 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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