Duke Energy Corporation $DUK Shares Sold by Oppenheimer & Co. Inc.

Key Points

• Oppenheimer & Co. Inc. cut its stake in Duke Energy by 7.1% in Q4, selling 10,618 shares and leaving it with 139,808 shares valued at about $16.39 million.
• Sell‑side coverage gives Duke Energy an average rating of “Moderate Buy” with a consensus price target of $140.25 (1 Strong Buy, 9 Buy, 9 Hold); recent notes include Truist initiating coverage with a Buy ($142) and UBS raising its target to $140.
• Key company developments include South Carolina approval for combining Duke Energy Carolinas and Duke Energy Progress (projected long‑term customer savings) and the NRC’s 20‑year license renewal for the H.B. Robinson nuclear plant, both reducing regulatory and replacement‑power risks.

Oppenheimer & Co. Inc. lowered its stake in Duke Energy Corporation (NYSE:DUK - Free Report) by 7.1% in the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 139,808 shares of the utilities provider's stock after selling 10,618 shares during the quarter. Oppenheimer & Co. Inc.'s holdings in Duke Energy were worth $16,387,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Other large investors have also modified their holdings of the company. Dorato Capital Management acquired a new stake in shares of Duke Energy in the fourth quarter valued at about $26,000. KERR FINANCIAL PLANNING Corp acquired a new stake in shares of Duke Energy in the third quarter valued at about $27,000. Lodestone Wealth Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Duke Energy in the fourth quarter valued at about $30,000. Mowery & Schoenfeld Wealth Management LLC grew its stake in shares of Duke Energy by 300.0% in the fourth quarter. Mowery & Schoenfeld Wealth Management LLC now owns 280 shares of the utilities provider's stock valued at $33,000 after buying an additional 210 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Wiser Advisor Group LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Duke Energy in the third quarter valued at about $34,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 65.31% of the company's stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of equities research analysts have recently issued reports on the company. Truist Financial assumed coverage on Duke Energy in a research note on Monday, April 20th. They issued a "buy" rating and a $142.00 target price for the company. UBS Group raised their price objective on Duke Energy from $136.00 to $140.00 in a research note on Monday, March 9th. BTIG Research restated a "buy" rating and set a $141.00 price objective on shares of Duke Energy in a research note on Friday, January 30th. Royal Bank Of Canada lowered their price objective on Duke Energy from $143.00 to $140.00 and set a "sector perform" rating for the company in a research note on Friday, January 23rd. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company raised their price objective on Duke Energy from $135.00 to $136.00 and gave the company an "equal weight" rating in a research note on Monday, April 20th. 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 stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Duke Energy presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $140.25.

More Duke Energy News

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

• Positive Sentiment: South Carolina regulator approved a settlement for combining Duke Energy Carolinas and Duke Energy Progress that projects billions in long‑term customer savings and includes shareholder guarantees — lowers merger/regulatory execution risk and frames future rate outcomes more predictably. South Carolina customers projected to benefit from billions in long-term savings from approved combination of Duke Energy utilities
• Positive Sentiment: The NRC renewed the operating license for Duke’s H.B. Robinson nuclear plant for 20 years (through 2050), supporting long‑lived regulated generation assets and removing near‑term replacement power risk. NRC Renews License for Duke Energy (DUK)’s Robinson Nuclear Plant
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst previews and coverage suggest Duke is likely to beat Q1 earnings estimates, supported by rate base growth and grid investments — this helps explain investor optimism around short‑term EPS upside. DUK Likely to Beat Q1 Earnings Estimates: How to Play the Stock?
• Neutral Sentiment: Duke is engaging communities on future powerline plans (open houses) and making small philanthropic grants for SC green spaces — helpful for local relations but limited direct financial impact. Duke Energy hosts open house for future powerline plans Duke Energy Foundation awards $275,000 for SC green spaces
• Neutral Sentiment: Sector/peer previews (AEP, Atmos, NiSource, XLU ETF coverage) provide context for utilities fund flows and relative valuation but don’t directly change Duke’s fundamentals. American Electric Power to Release Q1 Earnings: What's in the Cards?
• Negative Sentiment: Customer rallies and media coverage opposing a proposed rate hike (reports of potential increases up to ~18%) create political and PR headwinds that could complicate rate proceedings and timing of approved increases. Resident in Charlotte rally against Duke Energy rate hike that could reach up to 18% Corporate greed or justified costs? Duke Energy customers rally against proposed rate hike
• Negative Sentiment: Duke is monitoring extreme drought conditions that could force mandatory water restrictions and create operational challenges or higher costs for certain generation assets. Duke Energy continues to monitor extreme drought conditions, mandatory water restrictions possible

Duke Energy Price Performance

Shares of NYSE DUK opened at $129.79 on Friday. Duke Energy Corporation has a fifty-two week low of $111.22 and a fifty-two week high of $134.49. The business has a 50 day moving average price of $129.82 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $124.30. The company has a quick ratio of 0.33, a current ratio of 0.55 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.54. The firm has a market cap of $100.99 billion, a PE ratio of 20.54 and a beta of 0.46.

Duke Energy (NYSE:DUK - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Monday, February 9th. The utilities provider reported $1.50 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $1.49 by $0.01. The firm had revenue of $7.94 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $7.57 billion. Duke Energy had a return on equity of 9.66% and a net margin of 15.41%.During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $1.66 EPS. Sell-side analysts expect that Duke Energy Corporation will post 6.7 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insider Activity at Duke Energy

In other 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 completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer owned 22,007 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,809,633.69. This trade represents a 23.61% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, SVP Regis T. Repko sold 962 shares of Duke Energy stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, February 24th. The stock was sold at an average price of $127.86, for a total value of $123,001.32. Following the completion of the transaction, the senior vice president owned 3,896 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $498,142.56. The trade was a 19.80% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. 0.12% of the stock is currently owned by company 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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