BMO Capital Markets Boosts Duke Energy (NYSE:DUK) Price Target to $143.00

Key Points

• BMO Capital Markets raised its price target on Duke Energy to $143 from $136 and kept an "outperform" rating, implying roughly a 7.5% upside from the prior close.
• Several other firms bumped targets (e.g., Scotiabank $146, Goldman $142, BTIG $141), but the MarketBeat consensus remains a "Hold" with a consensus price target of $139.33.
• Duke Energy reported Q results with $1.50 EPS (beating estimates by $0.01) and $7.94B revenue; the stock trades near $133 with a market cap of about $103.5B and a PE of 21.05.

Duke Energy (NYSE:DUK - Get Free Report) had its price objective boosted by analysts at BMO Capital Markets from $136.00 to $143.00 in a research note issued to investors on Friday,MarketScreener reports. The firm presently has an "outperform" rating on the utilities provider's stock. BMO Capital Markets' price objective would suggest a potential upside of 7.52% from the company's previous close.

Other research analysts also recently issued reports about the stock. Scotiabank upped their target price on shares of Duke Energy from $137.00 to $146.00 and gave the company a "sector outperform" rating in a research note on Tuesday, December 16th. BTIG Research reiterated a "buy" rating and issued a $141.00 price objective on shares of Duke Energy in a report on Friday, January 30th. The Goldman Sachs Group raised their target price on Duke Energy from $141.00 to $142.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 11th. Wells Fargo & Company lifted their target price on Duke Energy from $115.00 to $135.00 and gave the stock an "equal weight" rating in a research report on Wednesday, March 4th. Finally, Mizuho set a $130.00 price target on Duke Energy in a research note on Tuesday, February 10th. Nine investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, seven have given a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of "Hold" and a consensus price target of $139.33.

Duke Energy Trading Up 1.1%

Shares of DUK opened at $132.99 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.54, a current ratio of 0.55 and a quick ratio of 0.33. Duke Energy has a 12 month low of $111.22 and a 12 month high of $134.49. The stock has a market cap of $103.48 billion, a PE ratio of 21.05 and a beta of 0.46. The stock's 50-day moving average is $128.60 and its two-hundred day moving average is $123.82.

Duke Energy (NYSE:DUK - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Monday, February 9th. The utilities provider reported $1.50 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.49 by $0.01. Duke Energy had a return on equity of 9.66% and a net margin of 15.41%.The firm had revenue of $7.94 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $7.57 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $1.66 EPS. Equities analysts forecast that Duke Energy will post 6.33 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insider Activity at Duke Energy

In other Duke Energy news, SVP Regis T. Repko sold 962 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, February 24th. The stock was sold at an average price of $127.86, for a total transaction of $123,001.32. Following the transaction, the senior vice president owned 3,896 shares of the company's stock, valued at $498,142.56. This trade represents a 19.80% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. Also, CEO Louis E. Renjel sold 6,800 shares of the business's stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, February 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of $127.67, for a total value of $868,156.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer owned 22,007 shares of the company's stock, valued at $2,809,633.69. This trade represents a 23.61% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Corporate insiders own 0.12% of the company's stock.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of large investors have recently modified their holdings of the business. Old North State Trust LLC raised its position in shares of Duke Energy by 15.0% during the 4th quarter. Old North State Trust LLC now owns 30,734 shares of the utilities provider's stock worth $3,602,000 after purchasing an additional 4,005 shares during the period. Purpose Unlimited Inc. bought a new stake in Duke Energy in the fourth quarter valued at $143,000. Cornerstone Planning LLC acquired a new position in shares of Duke Energy during the fourth quarter valued at $1,602,000. Rockefeller Capital Management L.P. increased its holdings in shares of Duke Energy by 2.4% in the 4th quarter. Rockefeller Capital Management L.P. now owns 233,089 shares of the utilities provider's stock worth $27,320,000 after acquiring an additional 5,494 shares during the period. Finally, World Investment Advisors lifted its position in Duke Energy by 62.7% in the 4th quarter. World Investment Advisors now owns 42,680 shares of the utilities provider's stock valued at $5,002,000 after purchasing an additional 16,450 shares during the last quarter. 65.31% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

About Duke Energy

Duke Energy Corporation is a U.S.-based electric power holding company headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina. The company's core business is the generation, transmission and distribution of electricity to residential, commercial and industrial customers. Duke Energy operates a mix of regulated electric utilities and non-regulated energy businesses, providing essential energy infrastructure and services across multiple states.

Its operating activities include owning and operating generation assets across a portfolio that encompasses nuclear, natural gas, coal, hydroelectric and an expanding array of renewable resources, as well as battery storage and grid modernization projects.

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