AEP vs SO
American Electric Power (AEP) and Southern (SO) compared side by side. Southern (SO) is larger, with a market cap of $106.9B versus $70.6B for American Electric Power, about 1.5 times the size. On trailing earnings, SO is cheaper at 22.4x versus 22.5x for AEP.
Head to head
| Metric | AEP | SO |
|---|---|---|
| Market cap | $70.6B | $106.9B |
| P/E (TTM) | 22.5x | 22.4x |
| Forward P/E | 18.9x | 18.9x |
| Revenue (TTM) | $22.8B | $30.2B |
| Revenue growth | 7.0% | 0.1% |
| Gross margin | 46.4% | 48.3% |
| Operating margin | 23.3% | 29.6% |
| Free cash flow | -$2.4B | -$3.3B |
| Dividend yield | 2.99% | 3.27% |
| 1-year return | +15.1% | -0.2% |
| 5-year return (annual) | +12.6% | +12.1% |
| Max drawdown | -63% | -38% |
| FI Handbook grade | C- | C- |
Highlighted: the stronger figure on metrics where higher or lower is clearly better.
Growth of $10,000 (5 years, price only)
AEP vs SO FAQ
Which is bigger, AEP or SO?
Southern (SO) is larger, with a market cap of $106.9B versus $70.6B for American Electric Power, about 1.5 times the size.
Is AEP or SO cheaper?
On trailing earnings, SO is cheaper at 22.4x versus 22.5x for AEP. A lower P/E can reflect slower expected growth, so compare growth and margins too.
Which stock performed better over the past year, AEP or SO?
AEP returned +15.1% over the past year including dividends, versus -0.2% for SO, through October 23, 2026.
Which pays a higher dividend, AEP or SO?
SO yields 3.27% versus 2.99% for AEP.
Full pages: American Electric Power · Southern