Home/Compare/O vs SO

O
Realty Income Corporation
VS
SO
The Southern Company

O vs SO: dividend comparison 2026

MetricOSO
Price $65.75 $96.07
TTM Yield 4.93% 3.10%
Forward Yield 4.95% 3.16%
TTM Dividend / share $3.2420 $2.9800
Payment frequency Monthly Quarterly
Last payment $0.2710 $0.7600
3-yr dividend CAGR 5.5% 2.9%
5-yr dividend CAGR 5.1% 3.0%
10-yr dividend CAGR 4.7% 3.2%
Growth streak 1 years 25 years
Payments on record 379 177
Paying since 1994 1982
Tools Calculator · History Calculator · History

Green cells mark the better value where higher is objectively better (yield, growth, streak). Live data, refreshed daily.

01

How to read this matchup

Income today vs income tomorrow. A higher trailing yield pays more now; a higher dividend CAGR compounds into more income later. Ten years of 5.1% annual growth roughly multiplies the payout per share.

Frequency matters for compounding. O pays monthly and SO pays quarterly. More frequent payments reinvest sooner, which helps DRIP slightly, and smooth out cash flow for anyone living off the income.

Model both in the calculator with your own numbers: O dividend calculator and SO dividend calculator.

02

FAQ

Which has the higher yield, O or SO?

O currently has the higher trailing yield: 4.93% for O versus 3.10% for SO. Yield alone is not the whole story: check growth rates and payment consistency below.

Which dividend grows faster, O or SO?

O has grown its payout faster over the past 5 years: 5.1% versus 3.0% compound annual growth.

Can I hold both O and SO?

Yes, and many income investors do. A common approach pairs a higher-yield position for current income with a higher-growth position for future income. Check the overlap of their strategies before doubling up on the same exposure.