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Stock Comparison · Industry comparison · Utilities - Regulated Electric

NextEra Energy vs The Southern Company: Which Stock Looks Stronger in 2026?

The structural profiles are close, with NextEra Energy carrying a narrow edge on stability. The Southern Company still has the edge on stability, which keeps the comparison from looking entirely one-sided. The market setup is mixed, without a decisive signal in either direction. The market is not adding a decisive signal either way — the structural read carries the weight.

The comparison is based on similar long-term financial trajectories, not sector labels. Both peer scores are relative to the S&P 500 universe, making them directly comparable.

Updated 2026-05-17

The page question resolves through stability, where The Southern Company holds the stronger read even though the broader score still favours NextEra Energy, Inc..

INDUSTRY COMPARISON

Both operate in: Utilities - Regulated Electric

This comparison is based on industry proximity, not on functional trajectory similarity. NEE and SO share the same industry classification.

For a similarity-based comparison, see how NextEra Energy and The Southern Company each position within their functional peer groups in AssetNext.

Peer-Relative Score
NEE
NextEra Energy, Inc.
61
Peer-Score
Signal qualitylow
Peer basis: S&P 500
vs
SO
The Southern Company
57
Peer-Score
Signal qualitylow
Peer basis: S&P 500

Scores reflect position relative to comparable companies with similar long-term financial trajectories.

The clearest separation appears in stability.

Dimension spread: NEE vs SO Profitability 91 63 Stability 16 71 Valuation 58 60 Growth 65 27 NEE SO
Gap Ranking
#1 Stability +55
#2 Growth +38
#3 Profitability +28
#4 Valuation +2
Price Setup

Left means cheaper relative valuation. Higher means stronger structure.

Price setup map for NEE and SO Stronger + cheaper Stronger + richer Weaker + cheaper Weaker + richer NEESO Relative valuation Structural strength

The setup remains mixed because the stronger profile and the more supportive price setup do not sit on the same side.

Valuation position uses peer-relative PE percentile (idx_pct_pe) where available.

Entry today — historical context

Where NEE and SO each sit in their own 5-year price and valuation history.

BASED ON 5-YEAR HISTORY NEE Elevated · above norm 0th 50th 100th 6 pct gap SO Elevated · above norm 0th 50th 100th 98th 92nd
NEE (98th percentile) and SO (92nd percentile) both sit in the upper portion of their own 5-year ranges. The historical entry context is broadly similar for both. This reflects entry timing, not which company is structurally stronger.

Describes historical entry positioning only. Descriptive — not investment advice.

Relative Position vs Comparable Companies
Stability
On stability, The Southern Company ranks near the top of the group; NextEra Energy, Inc. sits in the weaker half.
Growth
On growth, the gap still runs the same way: NextEra Energy, Inc. sits near the top of the group, while The Southern Company remains in the weaker half.
Stability — Dominant Gap
NEE
16
SO
71
Gap+55in favour of SO

The clearest distance comes from a steadier profile over time.

What keeps the gap from being one-sided

The Southern Company still shows lower market-fundamental divergence, which keeps the wider picture mixed rather than completely one-sided.

What this means for the comparison

The lead is built on both stability and growth — though stability still provides a counterweight.

Explore full peer positioning in AssetNext

Break down the NEE vs SO comparison across all dimensions with the full interactive tool.

Explore full breakdown →
Other comparisons with conflicting dimension signals

Explore how NEE and SO each compare against other companies in their peer groups.

Rule-based, descriptive analysis only. Derived from peer percentile dimensions. Not investment advice. Peer groups are determined algorithmically based on structural similarity — not by sector classification alone.

How AssetNext Peer Scores Work

AssetNext scores reflect each company's structural position within its functional peer group — not a ranking against all stocks simultaneously. Peers are identified by similarity across eight financial dimensions, including revenue growth trajectory, margin structure, capital intensity, and earnings stability. A score of 75 means the company ranks in the top quartile within its own peer group, not the entire market.

Four dimension scores drive the overall peer score: Growth (revenue trajectory and expansion dynamics), Quality (margin structure and capital efficiency), Valuation (peer-relative pricing on standard multiples), and Stability (earnings consistency and financial predictability). Each dimension is scored 0–100 relative to the peer group, then combined into an overall peer score using equal weighting.

Because scores are peer-relative, the same company can have slightly different scores in different index universes. On comparison pages, both companies are shown within their shared peer universe wherever possible — so the scores are directly comparable. The peer basis is stated on each score card.

Scores are recalculated periodically as underlying financial data is updated. All analysis is descriptive and rule-based — AssetNext describes structural realities and never issues buy, sell or hold recommendations.