Stockholders' Equity (Tables)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2017

Shares used to compute diluted earnings per share were as follows:



	Three Months Ended September 30, 2017	Three Months Ended September 30, 2016	Nine Months Ended September 30, 2017	Nine Months Ended September 30, 2016
	(in millions)
As reported shares	1,003	968	998	940
Effect of options and performance share award units	7	7	7	5
Diluted shares	1,010	975	1,005	945

Changes in Stockholders' Equity

The following table presents year-to-date changes in stockholders' equity of Southern Company:



	Number of Common Shares			Common Stockholders' Equity			Preferred and Preference Stock of Subsidiaries						Total Stockholders' Equity
	Issued	Treasury		Common Stockholders' Equity			Preferred and Preference Stock of Subsidiaries			Noncontrolling Interests^(*)			Total Stockholders' Equity
	(in thousands)			(in millions)
Balance at December 31, 2016	991,213	(819	)	$	24,758		$	609		$	1,245		$	26,612
Consolidated net income attributable to Southern Company	—	—		347			—			—			347
Other comprehensive income (loss)	—	—		(2		)	—			—			(2		)
Stock issued	13,308	—		613			—			—			613
Stock-based compensation	—	—		97			—			—			97
Cash dividends on common stock	—	—		(1,716		)	—			—			(1,716		)
Preference stock redemption	—	—		—			(150		)	—			(150		)
Contributions from noncontrolling interests	—	—		—			—			77			77
Distributions to noncontrolling interests	—	—		—			—			(87		)	(87		)
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	—	—		—			—			45			45
Reclassification from redeemable noncontrolling interests	—	—		—			—			114			114
Other	—	(75	)	(15		)	3			1			(11		)
Balance at September 30, 2017	1,004,521	(894	)	$	24,082		$	462		$	1,395		$	25,939

Balance at December 31, 2015	915,073	(3,352	)	$	20,592		$	609		$	781		$	21,982
Consolidated net income attributable to Southern Company	—	—		2,251			—			—			2,251
Other comprehensive income (loss)	—	—		(95		)	—			—			(95		)
Stock issued	65,725	2,599		3,265			—			—			3,265
Stock-based compensation	—	—		94			—			—			94
Cash dividends on common stock	—	—		(1,553		)	—			—			(1,553		)
Contributions from noncontrolling interests	—	—		—			—			357			357
Distributions to noncontrolling interests	—	—		—			—			(21		)	(21		)
Purchase of membership interests from noncontrolling interests	—	—		—			—			(129		)	(129		)
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	—	—		—			—			36			36
Other	—	(46	)	(7		)	—			—			(7		)
Balance at September 30, 2016	980,798	(799	)	$	24,547		$	609		$	1,024		$	26,180

(*)

Related to Southern Power Company and excludes redeemable noncontrolling interests. In April 2017, approximately $114 million was reclassified from redeemable noncontrolling interests to noncontrolling interests, included in stockholder's equity, due to the expiration of SunPower Corp's option to require Southern Power to purchase its membership interests in one of the solar partnerships. See Note 10 to the financial statements of Southern Power in Item 8 of the Form 10-K for additional information.