Commonwealth Equity Services LLC Has $73.40 Million Stock Holdings in Duke Energy Corporation (NYSE:DUK)

Commonwealth Equity Services LLC raised its stake in shares of Duke Energy Corporation (NYSE:DUK - Free Report) by 2.8% during the first quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 601,797 shares of the utilities provider's stock after purchasing an additional 16,499 shares during the quarter. Commonwealth Equity Services LLC owned 0.08% of Duke Energy worth $73,401,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Several other large investors also recently modified their holdings of DUK. Toth Financial Advisory Corp boosted its stake in Duke Energy by 31.6% in the 1st quarter. Toth Financial Advisory Corp now owns 346 shares of the utilities provider's stock valued at $42,000 after buying an additional 83 shares in the last quarter. Reyes Financial Architecture Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of Duke Energy by 4.8% during the first quarter. Reyes Financial Architecture Inc. now owns 1,827 shares of the utilities provider's stock valued at $223,000 after acquiring an additional 83 shares during the period. Revolve Wealth Partners LLC boosted its stake in shares of Duke Energy by 2.8% in the 1st quarter. Revolve Wealth Partners LLC now owns 3,034 shares of the utilities provider's stock valued at $370,000 after purchasing an additional 84 shares in the last quarter. Lokken Investment Group LLC grew its holdings in shares of Duke Energy by 3.3% in the 1st quarter. Lokken Investment Group LLC now owns 2,633 shares of the utilities provider's stock worth $321,000 after purchasing an additional 84 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Sheets Smith Wealth Management increased its position in shares of Duke Energy by 0.3% during the 1st quarter. Sheets Smith Wealth Management now owns 27,517 shares of the utilities provider's stock worth $3,356,000 after purchasing an additional 85 shares in the last quarter. 65.31% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Duke Energy Stock Performance

Shares of Duke Energy stock opened at $122.97 on Monday. Duke Energy Corporation has a 52 week low of $105.20 and a 52 week high of $125.27. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.57, a quick ratio of 0.50 and a current ratio of 0.77. The stock has a market capitalization of $95.58 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 20.39, a PEG ratio of 2.97 and a beta of 0.36. The firm has a fifty day moving average of $117.35 and a two-hundred day moving average of $117.05.

Duke Energy (NYSE:DUK - Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Tuesday, May 6th. The utilities provider reported $1.76 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $1.59 by $0.17. The firm had revenue of $8.25 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $7.70 billion. Duke Energy had a return on equity of 9.88% and a net margin of 15.40%. The company's revenue was up 7.5% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the business earned $1.44 earnings per share. As a group, equities research analysts predict that Duke Energy Corporation will post 6.33 EPS for the current year.

Duke Energy Increases Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 16th. Stockholders of record on Friday, August 15th will be issued a $1.065 dividend. This is a positive change from Duke Energy's previous quarterly dividend of $1.05. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, August 15th. This represents a $4.26 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.5%. Duke Energy's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 69.32%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of equities analysts have commented on DUK shares. Barclays reduced their price target on shares of Duke Energy from $123.00 to $122.00 and set an "overweight" rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, July 1st. Citigroup boosted their target price on Duke Energy from $130.00 to $142.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a report on Wednesday, May 7th. Raymond James Financial started coverage on Duke Energy in a report on Friday, June 13th. They set a "market perform" rating for the company. Morgan Stanley cut their price objective on Duke Energy from $125.00 to $124.00 and set an "equal weight" rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, June 18th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company lifted their price target on Duke Energy from $127.00 to $138.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a report on Wednesday, May 7th. Seven equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and ten have given a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $127.25.

Duke Energy Company Profile

Duke Energy Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, operates as an energy company in the United States. It operates through two segments: Electric Utilities and Infrastructure (EU&I), and Gas Utilities and Infrastructure (GU&I). The EU&I segment generates, transmits, distributes, and sells electricity in the Carolinas, Florida, and the Midwest.

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