Southern Company earned the No. 1 ranking in the electric and gas utilities sector on FORTUNE’s 2026 World’s Most Admired Companies list, driven by top scores for financial soundness, long-term investment value and community commitment. The recognition highlights Southern Company’s strategy to modernize its network with more than $80 billion in capital slated through 2030—doubling its current on-the-ground investment over the next five years. Management expects these upgrades to bolster system resilience and support unprecedented regional economic growth, a key catalyst for future rate-base expansion.

Investors benefit from Southern Company’s 78-year streak of paying a maintained or increased quarterly dividend, underscoring its conservative balance-sheet approach and stable cash flow generation. The company serves some 9 million customers across its electric and gas operating units, leveraging scale to keep base rates flat despite rising capital expenditures. As demand for electricity and natural gas climbs in its Southeast footprint, Southern Company projects sustained rate-base growth without compromising its long-standing commitment to reliable shareholder distributions.