Before the opening bell on Wednesday, Southern Company (SO ) reported lower fourth quarter profits, but matched analysts’ view.

SO’s Earnings in Brief

• SO reported profits of $300 million, or 33 cents per share, down from $414 million, or 47 cents per share, last year.
• Excluding special items, earnings were $343 million, or 38 cents per share – matching analysts’ estimates.
• Total revenue came in at $4.05 billion, up from $3.93 billion last year. Analysts expected to see $3.81 billion in revenue.

CEO Commentary

SO’s CEO Thomas A. Fanning commented: “Southern Company had one of its best years ever serving customers in 2014. We continued to lead the industry in customer satisfaction and set several all-time records for system reliability. Our commitment to providing clean, safe, reliable and affordable electricity – while making communities better off because we’re there – remains the cornerstone of our business.”

SO’s Dividend

SO will pay its next 52.5 cent dividend on March 6. The stock will go ex-dividend on February 12.

Stock Performance

Shares of SO were mostly flat during pre-market trading Wednesday. The stock is up 3.44% YTD.

Click here to see the complete history of SO dividends.

The Bottom Line

Southern Company (SO ) is not recommended at this time, holding a Dividend.com DARS™ Rating of 3.4 out of 5 stars.

Be sure to visit our complete recommended list of the Best Dividend Stocks, as well as a detailed explanation of our ratings system here.