| Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported) | August 3, 2026 | |||||||
| Commission File Number | Registrant, State of Incorporation, Address and Telephone Number | I.R.S. Employer Identification No. | ||||||||||||||||||
| 1-3526 | The Southern Company | 58-0690070 | ||||||||||||||||||
☐ | Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425) | ||||
☐ | Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12) | ||||
☐ | Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b)) | ||||
☐ | Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c)) | ||||
| Registrant | Title of each class | Trading Symbol(s) | Name of each exchange on which registered | ||||||||
| The Southern Company | Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share | SO | New York Stock Exchange | ||||||||
| The Southern Company | Series 2017B 5.25% Junior Subordinated Notes due 2077 | SOJC | New York Stock Exchange | ||||||||
| The Southern Company | Series 2020A 4.95% Junior Subordinated Notes due 2080 | SOJD | New York Stock Exchange | ||||||||
| The Southern Company | Series 2020C 4.20% Junior Subordinated Notes due 2060 | SOJE | New York Stock Exchange | ||||||||
| The Southern Company | Series 2021B 1.875% Fixed-to-Fixed Reset Rate Junior Subordinated Notes due 2081 | SO 81 | New York Stock Exchange | ||||||||
| The Southern Company | Series 2025A 6.50% Junior Subordinated Notes due 2085 | SOJF | New York Stock Exchange | ||||||||
| The Southern Company | 2025 Series A Corporate Units | SOMN | New York Stock Exchange | ||||||||
| Item 8.01. | Other Events. | ||||
| Item 9.01. | Financial Statements and Exhibits. | ||||
| (d) Exhibits. | |||||
| 99.1 | |||||
| 104 | Cover Page Interactive Data File – The cover page iXBRL tags are embedded within the inline XBRL document. | ||||
| Date: August 3, 2026 | THE SOUTHERN COMPANY | |||||||
| By | /s/Melissa K. Caen | |||||||
| Melissa K. Caen Assistant Secretary | ||||||||