SO

Notable Insider Trading Transactions: A summary of insider trading from March 31 to April 4, 2025, includes significant sales by Walmart's CEO Douglas McMillon (29,124 shares), Southern Company's COO Stan Connally (12,500 shares), and Dell Technologies' Chief Accounting Officer Brunilda Rios (926 shares).

Recent Purchases by Executives: Simon Property Group's Director Reuben Leibowitz purchased 482 shares, while Dollar Tree's director William Douglas III acquired 8,176 shares, indicating continued investment interest in their respective companies.

Funding for Workforce Development: The Georgia Power Foundation has awarded over $2.25 million in grants to support 21 new educational programs aimed at workforce development across Georgia, benefiting over 10,000 students since 2020.

Program Highlights: Notable funded initiatives include the GIVE RESET program at GIVE Center West, which focuses on engineering and resilience education, along with various other programs enhancing skills in fields such as biomanufacturing, cybersecurity, and heavy equipment operations.

Company Overview: Pinnacle West Capital Corporation, with a market cap of $11.3 billion, operates in Arizona through its subsidiary APS, providing electricity from various sources and showing strong performance with a 12.4% share price increase over the past three months.

Financial Performance: The company reported a smaller-than-expected Q4 loss and exceeded sales estimates, reaffirming its earnings guidance for 2025, while analysts maintain a "Moderate Buy" rating despite the stock trading below the mean price target.

OneLayer's Partnership with Southern Linc: OneLayer has been selected by Southern Linc to enhance the management and security of its CriticalLinc LTE network, utilizing OneLayer's Bridge platform for improved device control and threat detection.

Capabilities of OneLayer's Bridge Platform: The Bridge platform offers high-accuracy device fingerprinting, real-time visibility of connected devices, and robust security measures that significantly reduce response times to network threats, supporting Southern Linc's operational efficiency and digital transformation.

Recognition for Customer Satisfaction: Georgia Power has been ranked number one for business customer satisfaction among large utilities in the South by J.D. Power in its 2024 Electric Utility Business Customer Satisfaction Study, highlighting their commitment to enhancing the customer experience for businesses across Georgia.

Improvements and Resources for Businesses: The company has implemented various strategies to improve customer satisfaction, including increased communication, a revamped website for better user experience, and personalized service through key account managers, all aimed at providing tailored energy solutions and resources for business customers.

Southern Co Stock Analysis: Southern Co (SO) receives a high rating of 93% from Validea's Multi-Factor Investor model, indicating strong interest based on its fundamentals and valuation in the Electric Utilities industry.

Pim van Vliet's Investment Strategy: The strategy, developed by Pim van Vliet, focuses on low volatility stocks that yield high returns with less risk, emphasizing the outperformance of such stocks compared to high volatility counterparts.

Investment Trends: Investors are currently favoring energy, healthcare, and utilities sectors, with Vanguard ETFs showing strong performance in these areas due to factors like favorable policies and consistent demand for services.

ETF Recommendations: The Vanguard Energy ETF, Health Care ETF, and Utilities ETF are highlighted as potential investments, each offering dividends and stability, but investors should consider their own investment style and time horizon before purchasing.

Company Overview: Ameren Corporation, a large-cap public utility holding company based in Missouri, operates through four segments and serves various customers with electricity from diverse sources, including renewable energy. The stock has shown significant growth over the past year, outperforming its main competitor.

Stock Performance and Outlook: Despite a slight dip below its 52-week high, AEE's stock has surged 37.9% over the past year, driven by infrastructure upgrades and strong revenue growth. Analysts maintain a "Moderate Buy" rating with a price target suggesting further upside potential.

New Leadership Announcement: Walt Farrell has been appointed as the president and CEO of Atlanta Gas Light and Chattanooga Gas, effective March 31, 2025, overseeing operations that serve approximately 1.8 million customers in Georgia and Tennessee.

Background and Experience: Previously serving as vice president of economic development for Georgia Power, Farrell has a strong track record in business recruitment and economic development, contributing to significant growth initiatives in Georgia.

Company Overview: PPL Corporation, a large-cap utility company based in Pennsylvania, serves 3.5 million customers and has a market cap of $25.7 billion, benefiting from stable revenue streams and strong financial stability. The company is investing $20 billion in infrastructure to meet rising power demand and has raised its dividend by 6%.

Stock Performance and Outlook: PPL's stock has outperformed the broader market, gaining 28.7% over the past year, with analysts maintaining a "Moderate Buy" rating and a price target suggesting a potential upside. Despite a slight decline following Q4 earnings, the company anticipates continued growth in earnings per share through 2028.

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Community of Traders: Over 10,000 serious traders are part of the Benzinga Pro community, gaining access to exclusive stories and insights from Benzinga reporters.

BofA's Stock Screening Strategy: Bank of America recommends investing in stocks that have historically performed well during market downturns, focusing on those with low crowding risk and minimal earnings volatility. They identified 36 high-quality stocks that have outperformed in at least 80% of significant market pullbacks since the 1980s.

Highlighted Stocks: Among the 36 stocks recommended by BofA are well-known companies such as Verizon, Costco, Johnson & Johnson, and Procter & Gamble, which are characterized by strong S&P quality ratings and underweight positions by active fund managers.

Company Overview and Stock Performance: Edison International (EIX), a major electric power supplier in Southern California with a market cap of $22.6 billion, has seen its stock decline significantly, falling 34.1% from its 52-week high and underperforming compared to the Utilities Select Sector SPDR Fund over various time frames.

Analyst Outlook: Despite recent poor performance and disappointing earnings results, analysts maintain a "Moderate Buy" consensus rating for EIX, with a mean price target suggesting a potential upside of 21.9% from current levels.

Stock Performance: Vistra Corp. shares increased by 4.33% to $129.85 during a positive trading session, with the S&P 500 and Dow Jones also rising.

52-Week High Comparison: The company's stock is currently 35.02% below its 52-week high of $199.84, reached on January 23rd.

Southern Co. Investment Analysis: Southern Co. (SO) is rated highly at 87% using the Multi-Factor Investor model, indicating strong interest based on its fundamentals and valuation in the Electric Utilities industry.

Pim van Vliet's Strategy: The strategy, developed by Pim van Vliet, focuses on low volatility stocks that yield high returns with less risk, emphasizing the performance of conservative factor investing.

Insider Trading Highlights: Notable transactions from March 10 to March 14, 2025, include Coca Cola's COO selling 25,277 shares for $1.8M, Costco's CEO selling 3,600 shares for $3.3M, and Southern Co's CEO offloading 32,190 shares for $2.9M.

Director Transactions: American Express' Director purchased 3,700 shares for nearly $1M, while Cleveland-Cliffs' Director bought 4,000 shares for $34,800, indicating varied investment activities among company executives.

Southern Co. Investment Analysis: Southern Co. (SO) is rated highly at 87% using the Multi-Factor Investor model, indicating strong interest based on its fundamentals and valuation in the Electric Utilities industry.

Pim van Vliet's Strategy: The strategy, developed by Pim van Vliet, focuses on low volatility stocks that yield high returns with less risk, emphasizing the performance of conservative factor investing.

Georgia Linemen Day Recognition: March 11, 2025, was declared Georgia Linemen Day by Senate Resolution 253 to honor lineworkers for their sacrifices during Hurricane Helene, the most destructive storm in Georgia Power's history.

Ongoing Commitment of Lineworkers: The event highlighted the dedication of Georgia's linemen in maintaining electrical infrastructure and responding to emergencies, with plans for further recognition during Lineworker Appreciation Month in April.

New Leadership Announcement: Pedro Cherry has been appointed as the new president of Mississippi Power, with Anthony Wilson remaining as chairman and CEO until summer. Cherry brings 30 years of experience in the energy sector, including leadership roles at Atlanta Gas Light and Chattanooga Gas.

Company Milestone and Commitment: Mississippi Power is celebrating its 100th anniversary while continuing to prioritize safety and reliable service for over 192,000 customers in southeast Mississippi, having received multiple awards for safety performance and storm response.

Company Overview: The Southern Company (SO), valued at $98.59 billion, operates in electricity generation and distribution across several states, maintaining extensive natural gas pipelines and facilities. Despite a recent 6.1% drop from its 52-week high, SO has shown resilience with a 30.4% increase over the past year.

Market Performance: SO's stock is rated as a "Moderate Buy" by analysts, with a target price suggesting a potential upside. The company reported a 4.9% revenue increase in its fiscal Q4, while its main competitor, Iberdrola, has seen significant declines in share value.