VZ vs. SO
VZ (Verizon Communications Inc.) and SO (The Southern Company) are both stocks. VZ operates in Telecom Services (Communication Services), while SO operates in Utilities - Regulated Electric (Utilities). Over the past 10 years, VZ returned 4.07%/yr vs 10.83%/yr for SO. At a 0.36 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.
Performance
VZ vs. SO - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, VZ achieves a 15.03% return, which is significantly higher than SO's 7.91% return. Over the past 10 years, VZ has underperformed SO with an annualized return of 4.07%, while SO has yielded a comparatively higher 10.83% annualized return.
VZ
- 1D
- 1.11%
- 1M
- -3.92%
- YTD
- 15.03%
- 6M
- 12.38%
- 1Y
- 10.56%
- 3Y*
- 16.97%
- 5Y*
- 1.55%
- 10Y*
- 4.07%
SO
- 1D
- 1.07%
- 1M
- 1.71%
- YTD
- 7.91%
- 6M
- 9.06%
- 1Y
- 8.35%
- 3Y*
- 14.05%
- 5Y*
- 11.60%
- 10Y*
- 10.83%
VZ vs. SO - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VZ Verizon Communications Inc. | 15.03% | 8.86% | 13.14% | 2.71% | -20.02% | -7.55% | -0.13% | 13.83% | 11.26% | 3.97% |
SO The Southern Company | 7.91% | 9.47% | 21.72% | 2.21% | 8.24% | 16.34% | 0.63% | 51.65% | -3.75% | 2.42% |
Correlation
The correlation between VZ and SO is 0.33, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.33 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.41 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.42 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.40 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jul 5, 2000 | 0.36 |
Fundamentals
VZ:
$191.01B
SO:
$104.45B
VZ:
$4.10
SO:
$3.92
VZ:
11.06
SO:
23.62
VZ:
1.38
SO:
3.42
VZ:
1.85
SO:
2.81
VZ:
$139.15B
SO:
$30.17B
VZ:
$81.89B
SO:
$13.01B
VZ:
$48.65B
SO:
$14.44B
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Return for Risk
VZ vs. SO — Risk / Return Rank
VZ
SO
VZ vs. SO - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Verizon Communications Inc. (VZ) 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.
| VZ | SO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +0.01 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +0.17 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.12 | 1.10 | +0.02 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 0.89 | 0.55 | +0.34 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 1.91 | 1.29 | +0.62 |
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month. | |||
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Sharpe Ratios by Period
| VZ | SO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.53 | 0.52 | +0.01 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.07 | 0.62 | -0.55 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.20 | 0.49 | -0.29 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.20 | 0.62 | -0.42 |
Drawdowns
VZ vs. SO - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum VZ drawdown since its inception was -50.66%, which is greater than SO's maximum drawdown of -38.43%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VZ and SO.
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Drawdown Indicators
| VZ | SO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -50.66% | -38.43% | -12.23% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -13.32% | -14.99% | +1.67% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -14.93% | -14.99% | +0.06% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -38.38% | -23.28% | -15.10% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -41.21% | -38.43% | -2.78% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -10.37% | -5.79% | -4.58% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -14.83% | -6.87% | -7.96% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 6.20% | 6.35% | -0.15% |
Volatility
VZ vs. SO - Volatility Comparison
Verizon Communications Inc. (VZ) has a higher volatility of 6.17% compared to The Southern Company (SO) at 5.62%. This indicates that VZ's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than SO based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| VZ | SO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 6.17% | 5.62% | +0.55% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 17.96% | 12.98% | +4.98% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 22.57% | 15.97% | +6.60% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 21.60% | 18.65% | +2.95% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 20.35% | 21.94% | -1.59% |
Dividends
VZ vs. SO - Dividend Comparison
VZ's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 6.09%, more than SO's 3.22% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SO The Southern Company | 3.22% | 3.37% | 3.47% | 3.96% | 3.78% | 3.82% | 4.13% | 3.86% | 5.42% | 4.78% | 4.52% | 4.60% |
VZ Verizon Communications Inc. | 6.09% | 6.68% | 6.68% | 6.96% | 6.53% | 4.85% | 4.21% | 3.95% | 4.22% | 4.39% | 4.26% | 4.79% |
Financials
VZ vs. SO - Financials Comparison
This section allows you to compare key financial metrics between Verizon Communications Inc. 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
VZ vs. SO - Profitability Comparison
VZ - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Verizon Communications Inc. reported a gross profit of 20.77B and revenue of 34.44B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 60.3%.
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%.
VZ - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Verizon Communications Inc. reported an operating income of 8.24B and revenue of 34.44B, resulting in an operating margin of 23.9%.
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%.
VZ - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Verizon Communications Inc. reported a net income of 5.05B and revenue of 34.44B, resulting in a net margin of 14.7%.
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
VZ and SO have a correlation of 0.33, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
VZ has higher volatility (6.17%) compared to SO (5.62%). In terms of maximum drawdown, VZ dropped -50.66% vs SO's -38.43%.
VZ currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (0.53 vs 0.52), 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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