Advisors Capital Management LLC Boosts Stake in Duke Energy Corporation $DUK

Key Points

• Advisors Capital Management LLC increased its stake in Duke Energy by 5.5% in Q4 to 571,835 shares (about $67.0M), while institutional investors now own 65.31% of the stock and Vanguard holds roughly 78.26M shares.
• The Nuclear Regulatory Commission approved a 20‑year renewal for the Robinson nuclear plant, allowing operation until 2050 and preserving low‑cost generation that reduces near‑term replacement and capacity risk.
• Regulatory and reputational headwinds rose as state regulators paused parts of Duke’s North Carolina solar expansion and customers criticized the CEO’s ~$22M pay amid pending rate requests, creating potential delays and earnings/capex timing risk.

Advisors Capital Management LLC boosted its stake in Duke Energy Corporation (NYSE:DUK - Free Report) by 5.5% during the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 571,835 shares of the utilities provider's stock after buying an additional 29,939 shares during the quarter. Advisors Capital Management LLC owned approximately 0.07% of Duke Energy worth $67,025,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of DUK. Golden State Equity Partners lifted its stake in shares of Duke Energy by 112.7% during the 4th quarter. Golden State Equity Partners now owns 13,369 shares of the utilities provider's stock worth $1,567,000 after purchasing an additional 7,083 shares during the period. Richard C. Young & CO. LTD. lifted its stake in shares of Duke Energy by 7.8% during the 4th quarter. Richard C. Young & CO. LTD. now owns 46,039 shares of the utilities provider's stock worth $5,396,000 after purchasing an additional 3,350 shares during the period. Vanguard Group Inc. lifted its stake in shares of Duke Energy by 2.6% during the 4th quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 78,258,757 shares of the utilities provider's stock worth $9,172,709,000 after purchasing an additional 1,957,592 shares during the period. Coquina Private Wealth LLC purchased a new position in shares of Duke Energy during the 4th quarter worth $312,000. Finally, Argyle Capital Management LLC lifted its stake in shares of Duke Energy by 2.1% during the 4th quarter. Argyle Capital Management LLC now owns 31,034 shares of the utilities provider's stock worth $3,637,000 after purchasing an additional 641 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 65.31% of the company's stock.

Key Duke Energy News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Robinson nuclear license extended 20 years — The Nuclear Regulatory Commission approved a subsequent license renewal for the Robinson plant to operate until 2050, locking in low‑cost, reliable generation capacity and reducing near‑term replacement or capacity risks. Robinson Nuclear Plant receives approval from U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission to continue operating until 2050
• Positive Sentiment: Recognition for reliability and vegetation management — Duke’s tree care program earned the Arbor Day Foundation’s Tree Line USA award, supporting reliability PR and operational resilience. Duke Energy’s tree care efforts receive Arbor Day Foundation’s Tree Line USA award
• Positive Sentiment: Community/environmental grants — The Duke Energy Foundation committed ~$618K in North Carolina conservation and resilience grants, a modest PR and regulatory goodwill item. Duke Energy invests nearly $620,000 to strengthen North Carolina's natural spaces, resilience and community pride this Earth Day
• Neutral Sentiment: Investor attention and mixed valuation signals — Elevated search and coverage from Zacks and valuation pieces highlight renewed investor focus; analysts and DCFs show mixed signals that could drive trading but not immediate fundamentals. Investors Heavily Search Duke Energy Corporation (DUK): Here is What You Need to Know
• Negative Sentiment: Regulators pause solar expansion in North Carolina — State regulators have put a hold on parts of Duke’s solar expansion plan, creating project delays, potential earnings/capex timing risk and regulatory uncertainty for renewables growth. Regulators hit pause on Duke solar expansion in North Carolina
• Negative Sentiment: Pushback over CEO pay amid rate requests — Multiple outlets report customer and public criticism of ~ $22M CEO compensation as Duke pursues additional rate increases, increasing reputational and regulatory headwinds during rate cases. Duke Energy customers react to study detailing top CEO pay amid request for second rate hike
• Negative Sentiment: Electric co‑ops challenge proactive grid upgrades — Pushback from co‑ops over grid upgrade programs could complicate cost allocation or slow projects, creating execution and cost‑recovery risk. Duke Energy’s proactive grid upgrades under fire from electric co-ops
• Negative Sentiment: Analyst tone mixed with price target trim — BMO trimmed its price target to $139 from $143 but kept an outperform rating, and Morgan Stanley published a pessimistic forecast — small analyst pressure on near‑term sentiment. BMO Capital adjusts Duke Energy price target to $139 from $143; maintains outperform Morgan Stanley Issues Pessimistic Forecast for Duke Energy NYSE: DUK Stock Price

Duke Energy Stock Down 0.6%

Shares of NYSE DUK opened at $127.28 on Friday. Duke Energy Corporation has a 12-month low of $111.22 and a 12-month high of $134.49. The company has a market cap of $99.04 billion, a P/E ratio of 20.14 and a beta of 0.46. The company has a current ratio of 0.55, a quick ratio of 0.33 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.54. The stock has a fifty day moving average price of $129.73 and a 200 day moving average price of $124.23.

Duke Energy (NYSE:DUK - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Monday, February 9th. The utilities provider reported $1.50 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating 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 during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $7.57 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $1.66 EPS. Research analysts anticipate that Duke Energy Corporation will post 6.7 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

DUK has been the topic of several research reports. Capitol Sec Mgt lowered Duke Energy from a "strong-buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research report on Friday, April 10th. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a "buy (b)" rating on shares of Duke Energy in a research report on Monday, December 29th. The Goldman Sachs Group increased their target price on Duke Energy from $141.00 to $142.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research report on Wednesday, February 11th. Wall Street Zen raised Duke Energy from a "sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a research report on Saturday, March 28th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their target price on Duke Energy from $138.00 to $139.00 and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a research report on Wednesday, April 15th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, nine have issued a Buy rating and nine have issued a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Duke Energy currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $140.25.

Insider Buying and Selling at Duke Energy

In other news, CEO Louis E. Renjel sold 6,800 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction dated Thursday, February 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $127.67, for a total transaction of $868,156.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer directly owned 22,007 shares in the company, valued at $2,809,633.69. This trade represents a 23.61% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, SVP Regis T. Repko sold 962 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, February 24th. The shares were sold at an average price of $127.86, for a total value of $123,001.32. Following the sale, the senior vice president owned 3,896 shares of the company's stock, valued at $498,142.56. This represents a 19.80% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. 0.12% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Duke Energy Company Profile

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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