Financial Counselors Inc. Has $15.82 Million Stock Position in Duke Energy Corporation (NYSE:DUK)

Financial Counselors Inc. decreased its position in Duke Energy Corporation (NYSE:DUK - Free Report) by 18.4% in the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 129,736 shares of the utilities provider's stock after selling 29,334 shares during the quarter. Financial Counselors Inc.'s holdings in Duke Energy were worth $15,824,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Vermillion Wealth Management Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Duke Energy in the 4th quarter worth approximately $27,000. Wayfinding Financial LLC bought a new stake in shares of Duke Energy in the 1st quarter worth approximately $27,000. Parkworth Wealth Management Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Duke Energy in the 4th quarter worth approximately $28,000. Mattson Financial Services LLC bought a new stake in shares of Duke Energy in the 4th quarter worth approximately $28,000. Finally, WealthTrak Capital Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of Duke Energy in the 4th quarter worth approximately $30,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 65.31% of the company's stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several analysts recently issued reports on DUK shares. Raymond James Financial started coverage on Duke Energy in a report on Friday, June 13th. They issued a "market perform" rating on the stock. Citigroup raised their price target on Duke Energy from $130.00 to $142.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a report on Wednesday, May 7th. BMO Capital Markets cut their price target on Duke Energy from $128.00 to $123.00 and set an "outperform" rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, April 10th. Wells Fargo & Company lifted their target price on Duke Energy from $127.00 to $138.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a research note on Wednesday, May 7th. Finally, Morgan Stanley cut their target price on Duke Energy from $125.00 to $124.00 and set an "equal weight" rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, June 18th. Seven research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and ten have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $126.88.

Duke Energy Price Performance

NYSE DUK traded up $0.96 during trading hours on Thursday, reaching $118.13. 2,072,651 shares of the company's stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 3,478,498. The stock has a market cap of $91.82 billion, a PE ratio of 19.59, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.90 and a beta of 0.37. Duke Energy Corporation has a one year low of $100.90 and a one year high of $125.27. The firm has a fifty day moving average of $116.94 and a 200-day moving average of $115.57. The company has a current ratio of 0.77, a quick ratio of 0.50 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.57.

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

Duke Energy Announces Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, June 16th. Stockholders of record on Friday, May 16th were paid a $1.045 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, May 16th. This represents a $4.18 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.54%. Duke Energy's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 69.32%.

About Duke Energy

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.