Duke Energy Corporation (NYSE:DUK) Given Average Recommendation of "Moderate Buy" by Brokerages

Key Points

• Analyst sentiment is moderately positive: Eighteen brokerages give Duke Energy an average “Moderate Buy” rating, with 10 buys and 8 holds. The average 12-month price target is $137.56, though several firms recently reduced their targets.
• Recent operating results and dividend growth support the stock: Duke reported quarterly EPS of $1.43, beating estimates of $1.30, while revenue rose 1.1% year over year. The company increased its quarterly dividend to $1.085 per share, equivalent to a 3.7% annual yield.
• Regulatory and operational risks remain: North Carolina regulators rejected Duke’s $584 million gas-turbine proposal near an Amazon data center, potentially delaying capacity additions. Legal liabilities, weather-related outages and the stock’s recent decline also weigh on the outlook.

Shares of Duke Energy Corporation (NYSE:DUK - Get Free Report) have earned an average recommendation of "Moderate Buy" from the eighteen ratings firms that are presently covering the firm, Marketbeat.com reports. Eight analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and ten have assigned a buy rating to the company. The average 1 year price target among brokerages that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $137.5625.

Several equities analysts have recently issued reports on the stock. Morgan Stanley decreased their price target on shares of Duke Energy from $133.00 to $127.00 and set an "equal weight" rating for the company in a report on Friday. Barclays dropped their price target on Duke Energy from $140.00 to $132.00 and set an "overweight" rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, August 5th. Wall Street Zen lowered Duke Energy from a "hold" rating to a "sell" rating in a report on Saturday. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their price objective on Duke Energy from $136.00 to $141.00 and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a research report on Thursday, July 16th. Finally, Truist Financial decreased their price objective on Duke Energy from $138.00 to $135.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a report on Monday, August 17th.

Institutional Trading of Duke Energy

A number of institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Ables Iannone Moore & Associates Inc. increased its stake in Duke Energy by 1.2% in the 2nd quarter. Ables Iannone Moore & Associates Inc. now owns 6,623 shares of the utilities provider's stock valued at $838,000 after buying an additional 80 shares during the last quarter. Sharp Wealth Advisory LLC boosted its stake in shares of Duke Energy by 4.5% during the 1st quarter. Sharp Wealth Advisory LLC now owns 1,876 shares of the utilities provider's stock worth $246,000 after buying an additional 81 shares during the last quarter. Absher Wealth Management LLC grew its holdings in shares of Duke Energy by 2.3% in the 1st quarter. Absher Wealth Management LLC now owns 3,648 shares of the utilities provider's stock valued at $478,000 after acquiring an additional 81 shares in the last quarter. Elm Partners Management LLC increased its position in shares of Duke Energy by 0.9% in the fourth quarter. Elm Partners Management LLC now owns 9,254 shares of the utilities provider's stock valued at $1,085,000 after acquiring an additional 83 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Sovereign Financial Group Inc. increased its position in shares of Duke Energy by 2.8% in the first quarter. Sovereign Financial Group Inc. now owns 3,052 shares of the utilities provider's stock valued at $400,000 after acquiring an additional 84 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 65.31% of the company's stock.

Trending Headlines about Duke Energy

Here are the key news stories impacting Duke Energy this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Strong electricity demand highlights system growth: Unusually hot September weather has driven elevated power usage across North and South Carolina. Duke asked customers to voluntarily reduce consumption during the peak 2–8 p.m. period, underscoring demand for its electricity and the importance of grid reliability. Duke Energy asks Carolinas customers to reduce electricity use during today's peak-demand period
• Positive Sentiment: Storm response recognized: The Edison Electric Institute honored Duke for restoring service to nearly 200,000 customers after Winter Storm Fern, supporting the company’s reputation for operational execution and customer service. EEI recognizes Duke Energy for outstanding response to Winter Storm Fern
• Neutral Sentiment: Outage recovery continues: Most of Greensboro’s power had been restored by Friday evening after outages, limiting the potential for a prolonged customer-impact issue but highlighting ongoing reliability and weather-related operating risks. The majority of Greensboro's power has been restored
• Negative Sentiment: Morgan Stanley lowered its price target: The firm cut its target for Duke from $133 to $127 and maintained an “equal weight” rating. While the revised target still implies upside, the reduction signals more limited near-term appreciation potential and was likely the clearest market-specific catalyst.
• Negative Sentiment: North Carolina rejected a $584 million gas-turbine proposal: State regulators denied Duke’s plan for generation near an Amazon data center. The decision could delay capacity additions, weaken expected data-center growth opportunities, and complicate recovery of investment costs from customers. NC regulators deny Duke Energy's gas turbine proposal
• Negative Sentiment: Legal and regulatory liabilities remain concerns: Duke dropped its challenge to a workplace-safety fine tied to a lineman’s electrocution death, while a separate lawsuit alleges negligence in a power-line death. Potential penalties, litigation costs, and reputational damage are modest but unfavorable overhangs.

Duke Energy Trading Down 0.9%

NYSE DUK opened at $117.44 on Friday. Duke Energy has a 12 month low of $113.89 and a 12 month high of $134.49. The stock has a 50-day simple moving average of $123.16 and a 200 day simple moving average of $125.84. The company has a current ratio of 0.66, a quick ratio of 0.43 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.47. The company has a market capitalization of $91.57 billion, a PE ratio of 17.63, a P/E/G ratio of 2.77 and a beta of 0.37.

Duke Energy (NYSE:DUK - Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Monday, August 3rd. The utilities provider reported $1.43 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.30 by $0.13. Duke Energy had a return on equity of 9.78% and a net margin of 15.78%.The company had revenue of $7.59 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $7.66 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned $1.25 EPS. The company's revenue for the quarter was up 1.1% compared to the same quarter last year. Research analysts forecast that Duke Energy will post 6.72 EPS for the current year.

Duke Energy Increases Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, September 16th. Stockholders of record on Friday, August 14th were paid a dividend of $1.085 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, August 14th. This represents a $4.34 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.7%. This is an increase from Duke Energy's previous quarterly dividend of $1.06. Duke Energy's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 65.17%.

Duke Energy Company Profile

Duke Energy Corporation is an electric and natural gas utility holding company headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina. The company generates, transmits, distributes and sells electricity, with a generation portfolio that includes natural gas, nuclear, coal, hydroelectric and renewable energy resources. It also operates natural gas distribution businesses and provides related energy services.

Duke Energy's regulated electric utilities serve residential, commercial and industrial customers across the Carolinas, Florida, Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky.

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