DUK vs SO

For growth investors, The Southern Company (SO) is the stronger pick with 10.

6% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 6. 2% for Duke Energy Corporation (DUK). Duke Energy Corporation (DUK) offers the better valuation at 20. 2x trailing P/E (19. 0x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Duke Energy Corporation (DUK) a "Hold" — based on 31 analyst ratings — the highest consensus in this comparison. The "better buy" depends entirely on your goals: growth investors should weight revenue trajectory, value investors should weight P/E and PEG, and income investors should weight dividend yield and streak.

On trailing P/E, Duke Energy Corporation (DUK) is the cheapest at 20.

2x versus The Southern Company at 24. 5x. On forward P/E, Duke Energy Corporation is actually cheaper at 19. 0x. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: Duke Energy Corporation wins at 0. 64x versus The Southern Company's 3. 58x — a PEG below 1. 0 traditionally signals the market is underpricing earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, The Southern Company (SO) delivered a total return of +67.

9%, compared to +48. 9% for Duke Energy Corporation (DUK). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: SO returned +140. 8% versus DUK's +107. 2%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.

By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Duke Energy Corporation (DUK) is the lower-risk stock at -0.

24β versus The Southern Company's -0. 15β — meaning SO is approximately -38% more volatile than DUK relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, The Southern Company (SO) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 169% versus 171% for Duke Energy Corporation — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), The Southern Company (SO) is pulling ahead at 10.

6% versus 6. 2% for Duke Energy Corporation (DUK). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Duke Energy Corporation grew EPS 10. 5% year-over-year, compared to -1. 8% for The Southern Company. Over a 3-year CAGR, DUK leads at 3. 9% annualised revenue growth. Higher growth typically commands a higher valuation multiple — check whether the premium P/E or P/S is justified by the growth rate using the PEG ratio.

Duke Energy Corporation (DUK) is the more profitable company, earning 15.

4% net margin versus 14. 7% for The Southern Company — meaning it keeps 15. 4% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: DUK leads at 26. 6% versus 24. 6% for SO. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — DUK leads at 31. 6%, reflecting greater pricing power or product mix advantage. Stronger margins indicate durable pricing power, lower cost of revenue, or higher mix of software/services. They are one of the clearest signs of business quality.

The PEG ratio (forward P/E divided by expected earnings growth rate) is the most precise measure of undervaluation relative to growth potential.

By this metric, Duke Energy Corporation (DUK) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 0. 64x versus The Southern Company's 3. 58x. A PEG below 1. 0 is traditionally considered the threshold for growth-adjusted undervaluation. On forward earnings alone, Duke Energy Corporation (DUK) trades at 19. 0x forward P/E versus 21. 0x for The Southern Company — 1. 9x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for DUK: 6. 2% to $135. 44.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

Duke Energy Corporation (DUK) offers the highest yield at 3. 3%, versus 2. 8% for The Southern Company (SO).

For long-horizon retirement investors, Duke Energy Corporation (DUK) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β -0.

24), 3. 3% yield, +107. 2% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (DUK: +107. 2%, SO: +140. 8%), confirming both are viable long-term holds — but the lower-volatility option typically results in less emotional selling during corrections. Retirement portfolios generally favour predictability over maximum returns. Consult a financial advisor before making allocation decisions.

Both stocks operate in the Utilities sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both.

In terms of investment character: DUK is a mid-cap income-oriented stock; SO is a mid-cap quality compounder stock. These fundamental differences mean investors should not choose between them on a single metric — the "better stock" depends entirely on which of these characteristics aligns with your investment strategy.