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Side-by-side financial comparison of LEAR CORP (LEA) 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 $6.0B, roughly 1.2× LEAR CORP). Southern Company runs the higher net margin — 4.9% vs 1.4%, a 3.5% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, Southern Company posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (10.1% vs 4.8%). LEAR CORP produced more free cash flow last quarter ($281.1M vs $-1.7B). Over the past eight quarters, Southern Company's revenue compounded faster (2.5% CAGR vs -0.1%).

Lear Corporation is an American company that manufactures automotive seating and electrical systems. In 2019, it ranked #147 and in 2018, it ranked #148 on the Fortune 500 list.

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...

LEA vs SO — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
SO
SO
1.2× larger
SO
$7.0B
$6.0B
LEA
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
SO
SO
+5.3% gap
SO
10.1%
4.8%
LEA
Higher net margin
SO
SO
3.5% more per $
SO
4.9%
1.4%
LEA
More free cash flow
LEA
LEA
$2.0B more FCF
LEA
$281.1M
$-1.7B
SO
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
SO
SO
Annualised
SO
2.5%
-0.1%
LEA

Income Statement — Q4 FY2025 vs Q4 FY2025

Metric
LEA
LEA
SO
SO
Revenue
$6.0B
$7.0B
Net Profit
$82.7M
$341.0M
Gross Margin
5.7%
Operating Margin
2.6%
13.1%
Net Margin
1.4%
4.9%
Revenue YoY
4.8%
10.1%
Net Profit YoY
-6.1%
-26.8%
EPS (diluted)
$1.58
$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
LEA
LEA
SO
SO
Q4 25
$6.0B
$7.0B
Q3 25
$5.7B
$7.8B
Q2 25
$6.0B
$7.0B
Q1 25
$5.6B
$7.8B
Q4 24
$5.7B
$6.3B
Q3 24
$5.6B
$7.3B
Q2 24
$6.0B
$6.5B
Q1 24
$6.0B
$6.6B
Net Profit
LEA
LEA
SO
SO
Q4 25
$82.7M
$341.0M
Q3 25
$108.2M
$1.7B
Q2 25
$165.2M
$880.0M
Q1 25
$80.7M
$1.3B
Q4 24
$88.1M
$466.0M
Q3 24
$135.8M
$1.5B
Q2 24
$173.1M
$1.2B
Q1 24
$109.6M
$1.1B
Gross Margin
LEA
LEA
SO
SO
Q4 25
5.7%
Q3 25
6.4%
Q2 25
7.3%
Q1 25
6.5%
Q4 24
6.8%
Q3 24
7.3%
Q2 24
7.5%
Q1 24
6.6%
Operating Margin
LEA
LEA
SO
SO
Q4 25
2.6%
13.1%
Q3 25
3.4%
33.2%
Q2 25
4.1%
25.3%
Q1 25
3.3%
25.9%
Q4 24
3.7%
16.7%
Q3 24
3.9%
32.6%
Q2 24
4.3%
30.0%
Q1 24
3.3%
25.6%
Net Margin
LEA
LEA
SO
SO
Q4 25
1.4%
4.9%
Q3 25
1.9%
21.9%
Q2 25
2.7%
12.6%
Q1 25
1.5%
16.3%
Q4 24
1.5%
7.3%
Q3 24
2.4%
21.1%
Q2 24
2.9%
18.6%
Q1 24
1.8%
16.1%
EPS (diluted)
LEA
LEA
SO
SO
Q4 25
$1.58
$0.38
Q3 25
$2.02
$1.54
Q2 25
$3.06
$0.79
Q1 25
$1.49
$1.21
Q4 24
$1.64
$0.48
Q3 24
$2.41
$1.39
Q2 24
$3.02
$1.09
Q1 24
$1.90
$1.03

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

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

Metric
LEA
LEA
SO
SO
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$1.0B
$1.6B
Total DebtLower is stronger
$2.7B
$65.6B
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$5.0B
$36.0B
Total Assets
$14.8B
$155.7B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
0.54×
1.82×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
LEA
LEA
SO
SO
Q4 25
$1.0B
$1.6B
Q3 25
$1.0B
$3.3B
Q2 25
$887.9M
$1.3B
Q1 25
$779.9M
$2.3B
Q4 24
$1.1B
$1.1B
Q3 24
$763.9M
$1.0B
Q2 24
$950.3M
$1.2B
Q1 24
$930.4M
$713.0M
Total Debt
LEA
LEA
SO
SO
Q4 25
$2.7B
$65.6B
Q3 25
$2.8B
$64.6B
Q2 25
$2.8B
$63.0B
Q1 25
$2.7B
$62.9B
Q4 24
$2.7B
$58.8B
Q3 24
$2.8B
$61.3B
Q2 24
$2.7B
$59.9B
Q1 24
$2.7B
$59.4B
Stockholders' Equity
LEA
LEA
SO
SO
Q4 25
$5.0B
$36.0B
Q3 25
$5.1B
$38.3B
Q2 25
$5.1B
$37.3B
Q1 25
$4.7B
$37.2B
Q4 24
$4.5B
$33.2B
Q3 24
$4.8B
$36.9B
Q2 24
$4.8B
$36.1B
Q1 24
$4.9B
$35.6B
Total Assets
LEA
LEA
SO
SO
Q4 25
$14.8B
$155.7B
Q3 25
$15.2B
$153.2B
Q2 25
$15.3B
$148.9B
Q1 25
$14.6B
$148.1B
Q4 24
$14.0B
$145.2B
Q3 24
$14.8B
$144.0B
Q2 24
$14.7B
$141.9B
Q1 24
$14.9B
$140.1B
Debt / Equity
LEA
LEA
SO
SO
Q4 25
0.54×
1.82×
Q3 25
0.54×
1.69×
Q2 25
0.54×
1.69×
Q1 25
0.59×
1.69×
Q4 24
0.61×
1.77×
Q3 24
0.58×
1.66×
Q2 24
0.57×
1.66×
Q1 24
0.56×
1.67×

Cash Flow & Capital Efficiency

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

Metric
LEA
LEA
SO
SO
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$475.9M
$2.6B
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$281.1M
$-1.7B
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
4.7%
-24.2%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
3.3%
61.4%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
5.75×
7.62×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$527.2M
$-2.9B

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
LEA
LEA
SO
SO
Q4 25
$475.9M
$2.6B
Q3 25
$444.4M
$3.8B
Q2 25
$296.2M
$2.2B
Q1 25
$-127.7M
$1.3B
Q4 24
$680.8M
$2.2B
Q3 24
$182.7M
$3.6B
Q2 24
$291.2M
$2.7B
Q1 24
$-34.6M
$1.3B
Free Cash Flow
LEA
LEA
SO
SO
Q4 25
$281.1M
$-1.7B
Q3 25
$307.0M
$559.0M
Q2 25
$170.8M
$-619.0M
Q1 25
$-231.7M
$-1.2B
Q4 24
$488.7M
$-576.0M
Q3 24
$50.5M
$1.3B
Q2 24
$170.4M
$563.0M
Q1 24
$-148.2M
$-459.0M
FCF Margin
LEA
LEA
SO
SO
Q4 25
4.7%
-24.2%
Q3 25
5.4%
7.1%
Q2 25
2.8%
-8.9%
Q1 25
-4.2%
-15.3%
Q4 24
8.6%
-9.1%
Q3 24
0.9%
17.9%
Q2 24
2.8%
8.7%
Q1 24
-2.5%
-6.9%
Capex Intensity
LEA
LEA
SO
SO
Q4 25
3.3%
61.4%
Q3 25
2.4%
41.1%
Q2 25
2.1%
40.2%
Q1 25
1.9%
31.3%
Q4 24
3.4%
43.4%
Q3 24
2.4%
31.8%
Q2 24
2.0%
32.9%
Q1 24
1.9%
26.6%
Cash Conversion
LEA
LEA
SO
SO
Q4 25
5.75×
7.62×
Q3 25
4.11×
2.21×
Q2 25
1.79×
2.48×
Q1 25
-1.58×
0.98×
Q4 24
7.73×
4.66×
Q3 24
1.35×
2.36×
Q2 24
1.68×
2.23×
Q1 24
-0.32×
1.22×

Financial Flow Comparison

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

Revenue Breakdown by Segment

LEA
LEA

Other$3.5B59%
Seating Segment$1.9B32%
E Systems Segment$520.6M9%

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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