11 Best Utility Stocks to Buy for Dividends in 2026

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2. The Southern Company (NYSE:SO)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 54

Dividend Yield as of March 7: 3.04%

The Southern Company (NYSE:SO) is one of the largest producers of electricity in the United States and the largest wholesale provider in the Southeast. Together with its subsidiaries, the company delivers clean, safe, reliable, and affordable energy to its 9 million customers.

The Southern Company (NYSE:SO) received a lift on February 25 when the U.S. Department of Energy offered a $26.54 billion loan package to its subsidiaries, marking the largest ever such financing by the DoE’s Office of Energy Dominance Financing. The loans will have an approximately 30-year term and will help save power customers in Georgia and Alabama over $7 billion during this period.

The Southern Company (NYSE:SO)’s subsidiaries will be among the first to take advantage of the funding provided by President Trump’s Energy Dominance Financing Program under these new loans, which will be used to finance a portfolio of projects across the utility’s Southeastern service territory.

Chris Womack, Chairman, President, and CEO of The Southern Company (NYSE:SO), stated:

“These investments will support the extraordinary and transformative projected growth we’re seeing across our company. These loans will help lower the cost of investments in our grid that will enhance reliability and resilience for the benefit of our customers. At Southern Company, we are focused on serving growth while maintaining rate stability and driving long-term savings for customers. We believe the actions we’re taking today will leave an enduring, positive impact on generations to come. We thank President Donald J. Trump and U.S. Department of Energy Secretary Chris Wright for their leadership and support of American energy infrastructure and the millions of customers we are privileged to serve.”

The Southern Company (NYSE:SO) announced last month that it had raised its capital investment plan to $81 billion over the next 5 years, up almost 18% from its guidance last year.

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