Company: SOJE
Filing Date: 2025-03-31
Form Type: PRE 14A
Source: 0000092122-25-000032
Chunk: 42

Company: SOUTHERN CO
Filing Date: 2025-03-31
Form: PRE 14A
Chunk 42
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 adjusted EPS growth through 2024.

Southern Company’s annualized TSR consistently has been in the top quartile and higher than the average TSR for its peer group*

* Industry peers selected by the Committee for determining TSR performance are generally consistent over the last five years, with minor adjustments for mergers or other business combinations and refinements, based on recommendations from our independent compensation consultant, to better match the Company’s profile (see page 61 ), and are disclosed in the applicable proxy statement for the year the grant was made.

#### Southern Company2025 Proxy Statement43
Over the last three years, we have demonstrated strong adjusted EPS growth.

4 We delivered strong adjusted EPS results at or above the top end of our projected EPS guidance ranges. These results were driven by a combination of constructive regulatory outcomes for customers and stockholders and effective cost discipline.

4 We believe that evaluating performance based on adjusted EPS is aligned with stockholder interests, with the Committee's engagement on evaluating potential EPS adjustments for compensation payout purposes. For a discussion of the Committee's review of the financial goal payouts, see page 57 .

4 GAAP reported EPS was $3.28 in 2022, $3.64 in 2023 and $4.02 in 2024. For a reconciliation of adjusted EPS to EPS under GAAP, see page 98 .

Over the last three years, our market capitalization grew and we increased dividends to our stockholders.

Our track record of robust financial performance has supported the Board's decision to provide an annual increase to dividends per share for 23 consecutive years. We have paid a dividend equal to or greater than the prior year for the last 77 years. From the beginning of 2022 through the end of 2024, our market capitalization has grown by approximately $17 billion and we have paid out $9 billion in dividends to our stockholders, creating approximately $26 billion in value over the three-year period.

(1) Market capitalization calculated based on the closing stock price on December 31, 2021 and December 31, 2024, respectively.

#### Executive Compensation Best Practices
| What We Do                                                                                                    |     |                                                                                                                                                                  |     | What We Don’t Do                                                                                                 |
| Align actual payouts with performance and stockholder interests                                               
 100% of short- and long-term incentive awards are performance based                                           
 Independent compensation consultant retained by the Committee                                                 
 Policy against hedging and pledging of stock by Directors and executive officers                              
 Executive officers receive limited perquisites that make