Clarity Financial LLC Has $22.40 Million Holdings in Duke Energy Corporation $DUK

Key Points

• Clarity Financial LLC raised its stake in Duke Energy by 11.1% in Q4 to 191,138 shares worth $22.40 million, making DUK the fund’s 20th-largest holding and 2.1% of its portfolio.
• Duke Energy beat the quarter’s expectations (EPS $1.50 vs. $1.49; revenue $7.94B vs. $7.57B) and carries an analyst consensus of “Moderate Buy” with a $140.50 average price target.
• Near-term risks include recent insider sales (including the CEO) and concerns that a roughly $103 billion planned capex program could compress the company’s credit cushion, prompting mixed analyst price‑target revisions.

Clarity Financial LLC raised its holdings in Duke Energy Corporation (NYSE:DUK - Free Report) by 11.1% during the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 191,138 shares of the utilities provider's stock after acquiring an additional 19,071 shares during the period. Duke Energy comprises 2.1% of Clarity Financial LLC's holdings, making the stock its 20th biggest holding. Clarity Financial LLC's holdings in Duke Energy were worth $22,403,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently made changes to their positions in the stock. ANTIPODES PARTNERS Ltd bought a new stake in shares of Duke Energy during the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $86,309,000. Vanguard Group Inc. lifted its stake in Duke Energy by 0.8% in the 3rd quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 76,301,165 shares of the utilities provider's stock valued at $9,442,269,000 after purchasing an additional 584,382 shares during the last quarter. Caisse de depot et placement du Quebec lifted its stake in Duke Energy by 19.1% in the 3rd quarter. Caisse de depot et placement du Quebec now owns 2,613,595 shares of the utilities provider's stock valued at $323,432,000 after purchasing an additional 419,992 shares during the last quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. boosted its position in Duke Energy by 4.1% in the third quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. now owns 7,281,986 shares of the utilities provider's stock valued at $901,146,000 after buying an additional 288,499 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Liberty One Investment Management LLC grew its stake in shares of Duke Energy by 92.8% during the third quarter. Liberty One Investment Management LLC now owns 522,137 shares of the utilities provider's stock worth $64,634,000 after buying an additional 251,257 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 65.31% of the company's stock.

Duke Energy Stock Performance

Shares of Duke Energy stock opened at $125.79 on Wednesday. The stock has a market cap of $97.88 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 19.90 and a beta of 0.46. Duke Energy Corporation has a twelve month low of $111.22 and a twelve month high of $134.49. The company's fifty day moving average is $129.70 and its 200 day moving average is $124.18. The company has a quick ratio of 0.33, a current ratio of 0.55 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.54.

Duke Energy (NYSE:DUK - Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Monday, February 9th. The utilities provider reported $1.50 earnings per share (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 business had revenue of $7.94 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $7.57 billion. During the same period last year, the company earned $1.66 EPS. Sell-side analysts forecast that Duke Energy Corporation will post 6.7 EPS for the current year.

Key Stories Impacting Duke Energy

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

• Positive Sentiment: Wells Fargo nudged its price target higher to $136 (from $135) while keeping an "equal weight" rating — a modest positive signal that supports upside vs. the current price. Wells Fargo raises PT to $136
• Neutral Sentiment: Company PR highlights lineworkers advancing to the International Lineman's Rodeo — positive for operational reliability and employee recognition but unlikely to move the stock materially. Powering Reliability: Duke Energy lineworkers sharpen skills
• Neutral Sentiment: Market reports and summaries note DUK closed lower in recent sessions — descriptive coverage of the pullback rather than new fundamental news. Duke Energy sees a dip vs. market
• Negative Sentiment: Morgan Stanley trimmed its price target slightly to $141 (from $142) while maintaining an "equal weight" rating — a small headwind to sentiment and a signal of conservative near-term expectations. Morgan Stanley lowers PT to $141
• Negative Sentiment: An opinion piece flags Duke's roughly $103B planned capex as compressing its credit cushion — a reminder that heavy spending could pressure credit metrics and valuation if not offset by regulatory recoveries or higher returns. That theme likely weighs on risk sentiment for the name. Capex is compressing the credit cushion

Insider Transactions at Duke Energy

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

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of research analysts have recently commented on the company. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their price target on Duke Energy from $138.00 to $139.00 and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a research note on Wednesday, April 15th. Wells Fargo & Company boosted their price objective on Duke Energy from $135.00 to $136.00 and gave the stock an "equal weight" rating in a research report on Monday. Morgan Stanley dropped their target price on Duke Energy from $142.00 to $141.00 and set an "equal weight" rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday. The Goldman Sachs Group lifted their price target on Duke Energy from $141.00 to $142.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 11th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group boosted their price target on Duke Energy from $125.00 to $141.00 and gave the stock a "hold" rating in a report on Tuesday, February 17th. Ten research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and nine have given a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Duke Energy currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $140.50.

Duke Energy 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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