Atlanta, GA-based Southern Company (SO - Analyst Report) is one of the largest generators of electricity in the nation, serving both regulated and competitive markets across the southeastern U.S. It is a holding company for four regulated Southern electric utilities that serve about 4.4 million customers – Georgia Power, Alabama Power, Gulf Power, and Mississippi Power.

Currently, Southern Company has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) but that could change following its third quarter 2015 earnings report which has just released. Coming to earnings surprise history, the company has a mixed track record: its beaten estimates in 2 of the last four quarters.

We have highlighted some of the key details from the just-released announcement below:

Earnings: Southern Company beats on earnings. Earnings per share (excluding certain one-time items) came in at $1.17, a penny ahead of the Zacks Consensus Estimate.

Revenue: Revenues below expectations. Revenues of $5,401 million were under the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $5,665 million.

Key Stats: Southern Company’s total retail sales rose 1.3%, mainly on higher residential and commercial sales. The power supplier’s operations and maintenance cost increased 7% to $1,097 million, though the company’s total operating expense for the period – at $3,752 million – was approximately 8% lower than the prior-year level.