Financial Objectives and Targets
Southern Company trades on the New York Stock Exchange as SO. Our stock is among the most widely held in the U.S. with about 600,000 shareholders. We have paid a dividend each quarter consecutively dating from 1948.
2008 financial objectives and targets:
- Earnings Per Share Growth – Regular, predictable, sustainable; average 6 percent growth over the long term
- Return on Equity – Top quartile of electric utilities
- Dividend Growth – Long-term growth consistent with a targeted dividend payout ratio in the range of 65-70 percent
- Financial Integrity – Achieve an attractive risk-adjusted return, supported by a simple, transparent business model, sound financial policy, and a stable "A" credit rating
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