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Side-by-side financial comparison of Genuine Parts Company (GPC) and Southern Company (SO). Click either name above to swap in a different company.

Southern Company is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($7.0B vs $6.3B, roughly 1.1× Genuine Parts Company). Southern Company runs the higher net margin — 4.9% vs 3.0%, a 1.9% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, Southern Company posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (10.1% vs 6.8%). Genuine Parts Company produced more free cash flow last quarter ($-33.6M vs $-1.7B). Over the past eight quarters, Genuine Parts Company's revenue compounded faster (2.5% CAGR vs 2.5%).

Genuine Parts Company (GPC) is an American automotive and industrial parts distributor based in Atlanta, Georgia. Established by brothers Carlyle and Malcolm Fraser in 1928, the company has approximately 60,000 employees. In addition to the United States, GPC has operated in Australasia, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Mexico, the Netherlands, Poland, and the United Kingdom.

Southern Company is an American gas and electric utility holding company based in the Southern United States. It is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, with executive offices located in Birmingham, Alabama. As of 2021 it is the second largest utility company in the U.S. in terms of customer base. Through its subsidiaries it serves 9 million gas and electric utility customers in 6 states. Southern Company's regulated regional electric utilities serve a 120,000-square-mile (310,000 km2) territor...

GPC vs SO — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
SO
SO
1.1× larger
SO
$7.0B
$6.3B
GPC
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
SO
SO
+3.3% gap
SO
10.1%
6.8%
GPC
Higher net margin
SO
SO
1.9% more per $
SO
4.9%
3.0%
GPC
More free cash flow
GPC
GPC
$1.7B more FCF
GPC
$-33.6M
$-1.7B
SO
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
GPC
GPC
Annualised
GPC
2.5%
2.5%
SO

Income Statement — Q1 FY2026 vs Q4 FY2025

Metric
GPC
GPC
SO
SO
Revenue
$6.3B
$7.0B
Net Profit
$188.5M
$341.0M
Gross Margin
37.3%
Operating Margin
13.1%
Net Margin
3.0%
4.9%
Revenue YoY
6.8%
10.1%
Net Profit YoY
-3.0%
-26.8%
EPS (diluted)
$1.37
$0.38

Green = leading value per metric. Periods may differ when fiscal calendars don't align.

8-Quarter Revenue & Profit Trend

Side-by-side quarterly history. Quarters aligned by calendar period so offset fiscal years line up.

Revenue
GPC
GPC
SO
SO
Q1 26
$6.3B
Q4 25
$6.0B
$7.0B
Q3 25
$6.3B
$7.8B
Q2 25
$6.2B
$7.0B
Q1 25
$5.9B
$7.8B
Q4 24
$5.8B
$6.3B
Q3 24
$6.0B
$7.3B
Q2 24
$6.0B
$6.5B
Net Profit
GPC
GPC
SO
SO
Q1 26
$188.5M
Q4 25
$-609.5M
$341.0M
Q3 25
$226.2M
$1.7B
Q2 25
$254.9M
$880.0M
Q1 25
$194.4M
$1.3B
Q4 24
$133.1M
$466.0M
Q3 24
$226.6M
$1.5B
Q2 24
$295.5M
$1.2B
Gross Margin
GPC
GPC
SO
SO
Q1 26
37.3%
Q4 25
35.0%
Q3 25
37.4%
Q2 25
37.7%
Q1 25
37.1%
Q4 24
35.9%
Q3 24
36.8%
Q2 24
36.6%
Operating Margin
GPC
GPC
SO
SO
Q1 26
Q4 25
-13.8%
13.1%
Q3 25
4.7%
33.2%
Q2 25
5.5%
25.3%
Q1 25
4.3%
25.9%
Q4 24
2.9%
16.7%
Q3 24
5.0%
32.6%
Q2 24
6.5%
30.0%
Net Margin
GPC
GPC
SO
SO
Q1 26
3.0%
Q4 25
-10.1%
4.9%
Q3 25
3.6%
21.9%
Q2 25
4.1%
12.6%
Q1 25
3.3%
16.3%
Q4 24
2.3%
7.3%
Q3 24
3.8%
21.1%
Q2 24
5.0%
18.6%
EPS (diluted)
GPC
GPC
SO
SO
Q1 26
$1.37
Q4 25
$-4.38
$0.38
Q3 25
$1.62
$1.54
Q2 25
$1.83
$0.79
Q1 25
$1.40
$1.21
Q4 24
$0.96
$0.48
Q3 24
$1.62
$1.39
Q2 24
$2.11
$1.09

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

Snapshot of each company's liquidity, leverage and book value from the latest quarter.

Metric
GPC
GPC
SO
SO
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$500.0M
$1.6B
Total DebtLower is stronger
$4.6B
$65.6B
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$4.5B
$36.0B
Total Assets
$21.0B
$155.7B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
1.03×
1.82×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
GPC
GPC
SO
SO
Q1 26
$500.0M
Q4 25
$1.6B
Q3 25
$3.3B
Q2 25
$1.3B
Q1 25
$2.3B
Q4 24
$1.1B
Q3 24
$1.0B
Q2 24
$1.2B
Total Debt
GPC
GPC
SO
SO
Q1 26
$4.6B
Q4 25
$4.8B
$65.6B
Q3 25
$64.6B
Q2 25
$63.0B
Q1 25
$62.9B
Q4 24
$4.3B
$58.8B
Q3 24
$61.3B
Q2 24
$59.9B
Stockholders' Equity
GPC
GPC
SO
SO
Q1 26
$4.5B
Q4 25
$4.4B
$36.0B
Q3 25
$4.8B
$38.3B
Q2 25
$4.7B
$37.3B
Q1 25
$4.4B
$37.2B
Q4 24
$4.3B
$33.2B
Q3 24
$4.7B
$36.9B
Q2 24
$4.5B
$36.1B
Total Assets
GPC
GPC
SO
SO
Q1 26
$21.0B
Q4 25
$20.8B
$155.7B
Q3 25
$20.7B
$153.2B
Q2 25
$20.4B
$148.9B
Q1 25
$19.8B
$148.1B
Q4 24
$19.3B
$145.2B
Q3 24
$20.3B
$144.0B
Q2 24
$18.9B
$141.9B
Debt / Equity
GPC
GPC
SO
SO
Q1 26
1.03×
Q4 25
1.08×
1.82×
Q3 25
1.69×
Q2 25
1.69×
Q1 25
1.69×
Q4 24
0.99×
1.77×
Q3 24
1.66×
Q2 24
1.66×

Cash Flow & Capital Efficiency

How much cash each business actually produces after reinvestment. Cash flow is harder to manipulate than net income.

Metric
GPC
GPC
SO
SO
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$2.6B
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$-33.6M
$-1.7B
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
-0.5%
-24.2%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
61.4%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
7.62×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$548.0M
$-2.9B

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
GPC
GPC
SO
SO
Q1 26
Q4 25
$380.1M
$2.6B
Q3 25
$341.6M
$3.8B
Q2 25
$209.9M
$2.2B
Q1 25
$-40.8M
$1.3B
Q4 24
$155.0M
$2.2B
Q3 24
$484.3M
$3.6B
Q2 24
$293.6M
$2.7B
Free Cash Flow
GPC
GPC
SO
SO
Q1 26
$-33.6M
Q4 25
$260.7M
$-1.7B
Q3 25
$240.0M
$559.0M
Q2 25
$81.0M
$-619.0M
Q1 25
$-160.7M
$-1.2B
Q4 24
$-26.7M
$-576.0M
Q3 24
$358.0M
$1.3B
Q2 24
$150.1M
$563.0M
FCF Margin
GPC
GPC
SO
SO
Q1 26
-0.5%
Q4 25
4.3%
-24.2%
Q3 25
3.8%
7.1%
Q2 25
1.3%
-8.9%
Q1 25
-2.7%
-15.3%
Q4 24
-0.5%
-9.1%
Q3 24
6.0%
17.9%
Q2 24
2.5%
8.7%
Capex Intensity
GPC
GPC
SO
SO
Q1 26
Q4 25
2.0%
61.4%
Q3 25
1.6%
41.1%
Q2 25
2.1%
40.2%
Q1 25
2.0%
31.3%
Q4 24
3.1%
43.4%
Q3 24
2.1%
31.8%
Q2 24
2.4%
32.9%
Cash Conversion
GPC
GPC
SO
SO
Q1 26
Q4 25
7.62×
Q3 25
1.51×
2.21×
Q2 25
0.82×
2.48×
Q1 25
-0.21×
0.98×
Q4 24
1.17×
4.66×
Q3 24
2.14×
2.36×
Q2 24
0.99×
2.23×

Financial Flow Comparison

Revenue → gross profit → operating profit → net profit for each company.

Revenue Breakdown by Segment

GPC
GPC

Segment breakdown not available.

SO
SO

Other$3.9B57%
Retail Electric Commercial$1.6B23%
Natural Gas Distribution Residential$689.0M10%
Natural Gas Distribution Transportation$371.0M5%
Wholesale Non Affiliates$123.0M2%
Natural Gas Distribution Other$76.0M1%
Wholesale Electric Non PPA Revenues$62.0M1%
Wholesale Affiliates$55.0M1%
Retail Electric Other$31.0M0%
Alternative Energy$20.0M0%
Natural Gas Distribution Industrial$15.0M0%

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