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Side-by-side financial comparison of Labcorp (LH) 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 $3.5B, roughly 2.0× Labcorp). Southern Company runs the higher net margin — 4.9% vs 4.7%, a 0.2% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, Southern Company posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (10.1% vs 5.6%). Labcorp produced more free cash flow last quarter ($490.3M vs $-1.7B). Over the past eight quarters, Labcorp's revenue compounded faster (5.2% CAGR vs 2.5%).

Labcorp is a leading global life sciences and diagnostic testing firm that offers comprehensive clinical laboratory services, drug development support, and medical testing solutions for healthcare providers, pharmaceutical companies, and individual patients. It uses advanced scientific expertise and innovative technologies to deliver accurate, actionable health insights that support clinical decisions, accelerate new treatment development, and improve patient health outcomes globally.

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...

LH vs SO — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
SO
SO
2.0× larger
SO
$7.0B
$3.5B
LH
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
SO
SO
+4.5% gap
SO
10.1%
5.6%
LH
Higher net margin
SO
SO
0.2% more per $
SO
4.9%
4.7%
LH
More free cash flow
LH
LH
$2.2B more FCF
LH
$490.3M
$-1.7B
SO
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
LH
LH
Annualised
LH
5.2%
2.5%
SO

Income Statement — Q4 FY2025 vs Q4 FY2025

Metric
LH
LH
SO
SO
Revenue
$3.5B
$7.0B
Net Profit
$164.7M
$341.0M
Gross Margin
28.2%
Operating Margin
7.6%
13.1%
Net Margin
4.7%
4.9%
Revenue YoY
5.6%
10.1%
Net Profit YoY
14.9%
-26.8%
EPS (diluted)
$1.98
$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
LH
LH
SO
SO
Q4 25
$3.5B
$7.0B
Q3 25
$3.6B
$7.8B
Q2 25
$3.5B
$7.0B
Q1 25
$3.3B
$7.8B
Q4 24
$3.3B
$6.3B
Q3 24
$3.3B
$7.3B
Q2 24
$3.2B
$6.5B
Q1 24
$3.2B
$6.6B
Net Profit
LH
LH
SO
SO
Q4 25
$164.7M
$341.0M
Q3 25
$261.1M
$1.7B
Q2 25
$237.9M
$880.0M
Q1 25
$212.8M
$1.3B
Q4 24
$143.4M
$466.0M
Q3 24
$169.3M
$1.5B
Q2 24
$205.3M
$1.2B
Q1 24
$228.0M
$1.1B
Gross Margin
LH
LH
SO
SO
Q4 25
28.2%
Q3 25
28.8%
Q2 25
29.7%
Q1 25
28.3%
Q4 24
26.9%
Q3 24
27.6%
Q2 24
28.8%
Q1 24
28.2%
Operating Margin
LH
LH
SO
SO
Q4 25
7.6%
13.1%
Q3 25
11.1%
33.2%
Q2 25
11.2%
25.3%
Q1 25
9.7%
25.9%
Q4 24
6.5%
16.7%
Q3 24
7.7%
32.6%
Q2 24
9.2%
30.0%
Q1 24
10.1%
25.6%
Net Margin
LH
LH
SO
SO
Q4 25
4.7%
4.9%
Q3 25
7.3%
21.9%
Q2 25
6.7%
12.6%
Q1 25
6.4%
16.3%
Q4 24
4.3%
7.3%
Q3 24
5.2%
21.1%
Q2 24
6.4%
18.6%
Q1 24
7.2%
16.1%
EPS (diluted)
LH
LH
SO
SO
Q4 25
$1.98
$0.38
Q3 25
$3.12
$1.54
Q2 25
$2.84
$0.79
Q1 25
$2.52
$1.21
Q4 24
$1.72
$0.48
Q3 24
$2.00
$1.39
Q2 24
$2.43
$1.09
Q1 24
$2.69
$1.03

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

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

Metric
LH
LH
SO
SO
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$532.3M
$1.6B
Total DebtLower is stronger
$65.6B
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$8.6B
$36.0B
Total Assets
$18.4B
$155.7B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
1.82×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
LH
LH
SO
SO
Q4 25
$532.3M
$1.6B
Q3 25
$598.1M
$3.3B
Q2 25
$647.3M
$1.3B
Q1 25
$369.4M
$2.3B
Q4 24
$1.5B
$1.1B
Q3 24
$1.5B
$1.0B
Q2 24
$265.1M
$1.2B
Q1 24
$99.3M
$713.0M
Total Debt
LH
LH
SO
SO
Q4 25
$65.6B
Q3 25
$64.6B
Q2 25
$63.0B
Q1 25
$62.9B
Q4 24
$58.8B
Q3 24
$61.3B
Q2 24
$59.9B
Q1 24
$59.4B
Stockholders' Equity
LH
LH
SO
SO
Q4 25
$8.6B
$36.0B
Q3 25
$8.7B
$38.3B
Q2 25
$8.5B
$37.3B
Q1 25
$8.3B
$37.2B
Q4 24
$8.1B
$33.2B
Q3 24
$8.2B
$36.9B
Q2 24
$8.0B
$36.1B
Q1 24
$8.0B
$35.6B
Total Assets
LH
LH
SO
SO
Q4 25
$18.4B
$155.7B
Q3 25
$18.3B
$153.2B
Q2 25
$18.1B
$148.9B
Q1 25
$17.6B
$148.1B
Q4 24
$18.4B
$145.2B
Q3 24
$18.6B
$144.0B
Q2 24
$16.7B
$141.9B
Q1 24
$16.5B
$140.1B
Debt / Equity
LH
LH
SO
SO
Q4 25
1.82×
Q3 25
1.69×
Q2 25
1.69×
Q1 25
1.69×
Q4 24
1.77×
Q3 24
1.66×
Q2 24
1.66×
Q1 24
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
LH
LH
SO
SO
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$614.2M
$2.6B
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$490.3M
$-1.7B
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
13.9%
-24.2%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
3.5%
61.4%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
3.73×
7.62×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$1.2B
$-2.9B

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
LH
LH
SO
SO
Q4 25
$614.2M
$2.6B
Q3 25
$387.2M
$3.8B
Q2 25
$620.6M
$2.2B
Q1 25
$18.5M
$1.3B
Q4 24
$777.2M
$2.2B
Q3 24
$277.3M
$3.6B
Q2 24
$561.1M
$2.7B
Q1 24
$-29.8M
$1.3B
Free Cash Flow
LH
LH
SO
SO
Q4 25
$490.3M
$-1.7B
Q3 25
$280.5M
$559.0M
Q2 25
$542.7M
$-619.0M
Q1 25
$-107.5M
$-1.2B
Q4 24
$665.1M
$-576.0M
Q3 24
$161.5M
$1.3B
Q2 24
$432.9M
$563.0M
Q1 24
$-163.6M
$-459.0M
FCF Margin
LH
LH
SO
SO
Q4 25
13.9%
-24.2%
Q3 25
7.9%
7.1%
Q2 25
15.4%
-8.9%
Q1 25
-3.2%
-15.3%
Q4 24
20.0%
-9.1%
Q3 24
4.9%
17.9%
Q2 24
13.4%
8.7%
Q1 24
-5.2%
-6.9%
Capex Intensity
LH
LH
SO
SO
Q4 25
3.5%
61.4%
Q3 25
3.0%
41.1%
Q2 25
2.2%
40.2%
Q1 25
3.8%
31.3%
Q4 24
3.4%
43.4%
Q3 24
3.5%
31.8%
Q2 24
4.0%
32.9%
Q1 24
4.2%
26.6%
Cash Conversion
LH
LH
SO
SO
Q4 25
3.73×
7.62×
Q3 25
1.48×
2.21×
Q2 25
2.61×
2.48×
Q1 25
0.09×
0.98×
Q4 24
5.42×
4.66×
Q3 24
1.64×
2.36×
Q2 24
2.73×
2.23×
Q1 24
-0.13×
1.22×

Financial Flow Comparison

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

Revenue Breakdown by Segment

LH
LH

Diagnostics$2.7B78%
Biopharma Laboratory Services$793.0M23%

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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