Southern (NYSE:SO – Get Rating) and EnSync (OTCMKTS:ESNC – Get Rating) are both utilities companies, but which is the superior stock? We will contrast the two companies based on the strength of their valuation, risk, profitability, institutional ownership, analyst recommendations, dividends and earnings.
Valuation and Earnings
This table compares Southern and EnSync's top-line revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation.
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Southern alerts:
| Gross Revenue | Price/Sales Ratio | Net Income | Earnings Per Share | Price/Earnings Ratio |
| Southern | $29.28 billion | 2.48 | $2.41 billion | $3.28 | 20.31 |
| EnSync | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Southern has higher revenue and earnings than EnSync.
Volatility and Risk
Southern has a beta of 0.48, indicating that its share price is 52% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, EnSync has a beta of 1.55, indicating that its share price is 55% more volatile than the S&P 500.
Analyst Recommendations
This is a breakdown of recent ratings and target prices for Southern and EnSync, as reported by MarketBeat.com.
| Sell Ratings | Hold Ratings | Buy Ratings | Strong Buy Ratings | Rating Score |
| Southern | 5 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 2.07 |
| EnSync | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | N/A |
Southern currently has a consensus target price of $71.85, indicating a potential upside of 7.83%.
Profitability
This table compares Southern and EnSync's net margins, return on equity and return on assets.
| Net Margins | Return on Equity | Return on Assets |
| Southern | 12.40% | 11.80% | 3.03% |
| EnSync | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Insider & Institutional Ownership
61.8% of Southern shares are owned by institutional investors. 0.4% of Southern shares are owned by insiders. Comparatively, 14.8% of EnSync shares are owned by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that endowments, hedge funds and large money managers believe a company will outperform the market over the long term.
Summary
Southern beats EnSync on 6 of the 8 factors compared between the two stocks.
About Southern
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The Southern Co is a holding company, which engages in the generation and sale of electricity. It operates through the following segments: Traditional Electric Operating Companies, Southern Power and Southern Company Gas. The Traditional Electric Operating Companies segment refers to vertically integrated utilities that own generation, transmission and distribution facilities, and supplies electric services in the states of Alabama, Georgia, Florida, and Mississippi. The Southern Power segment constructs, acquires, owns, and manages generation assets such as renewable energy projects and sells electricity in the wholesale market. The Southern Company Gas segment distributes natural gas through natural gas distribution facilities in the states of Illinois, Georgia, Virginia, New Jersey, Florida, Tennessee, and Maryland. The company was founded on November 9, 1945, and is headquartered in Atlanta, GA.
About EnSync
(Get Rating)
EnSync, Inc. engages in the design, development and manufacture of advanced energy storage, power electronic systems and engineered custom and semi-custom products. Its services include matrix energy management, internet of energy, system support and system design. The company was founded in 1986 and is headquartered in Menomonee Falls, WI.
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