United Asset Strategies Inc. Sells 42,510 Shares of Duke Energy Corporation $DUK

Key Points

• United Asset Strategies cut its Duke Energy stake by 38.1%, selling 42,510 shares and retaining 69,037 shares valued at approximately $7.87 million. Institutional investors collectively own 65.31% of DUK.
• Analysts maintain a generally positive outlook, with Duke Energy receiving a consensus “Moderate Buy” rating and an average price target of $132.19, compared with a recent price of $125.83.
• Duke Energy reported quarterly EPS of $1.43, beating estimates of $1.30, and declared a quarterly dividend of $1.085 per share—equivalent to a 3.4% annualized yield.

United Asset Strategies Inc. decreased its position in Duke Energy Corporation (NYSE:DUK - Free Report) by 38.1% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 69,037 shares of the utilities provider's stock after selling 42,510 shares during the period. United Asset Strategies Inc.'s holdings in Duke Energy were worth $7,871,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other large investors have also made changes to their positions in DUK. Bank of New York Mellon Corp acquired a new stake in shares of Duke Energy during the second quarter worth about $605,680,000. Janus Henderson Group PLC lifted its holdings in shares of Duke Energy by 5,254.4% during the 1st quarter. Janus Henderson Group PLC now owns 2,735,816 shares of the utilities provider's stock valued at $358,227,000 after purchasing an additional 2,684,721 shares in the last quarter. Swiss National Bank grew its position in shares of Duke Energy by 7.1% in the 1st quarter. Swiss National Bank now owns 2,282,341 shares of the utilities provider's stock valued at $298,850,000 after purchasing an additional 151,400 shares during the period. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP grew its position in shares of Duke Energy by 2.9% in the 1st quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 2,092,284 shares of the utilities provider's stock valued at $273,979,000 after purchasing an additional 58,967 shares during the period. Finally, National Pension Service increased its stake in Duke Energy by 1.8% during the 2nd quarter. National Pension Service now owns 2,124,004 shares of the utilities provider's stock worth $268,856,000 after purchasing an additional 36,835 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 65.31% of the company's stock.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several research analysts have recently weighed in on DUK shares. Mizuho set a $136.00 price target on shares of Duke Energy in a report on Wednesday, August 5th. Truist Financial dropped their price objective on shares of Duke Energy from $135.00 to $130.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a report on Monday, October 12th. Jefferies Financial Group reaffirmed a "hold" rating and issued a $121.00 price objective on shares of Duke Energy in a research report on Monday, October 12th. BMO Capital Markets reduced their target price on shares of Duke Energy from $134.00 to $132.00 and set an "outperform" rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, August 5th. Finally, Wall Street Zen raised shares of Duke Energy from a "sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Saturday, October 17th. Nine investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and nine have issued a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Duke Energy presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $132.19.

Duke Energy Price Performance

NYSE DUK opened at $125.83 on Friday. The firm's 50 day moving average is $119.01 and its 200-day moving average is $124.21. The company has a quick ratio of 0.43, a current ratio of 0.66 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.47. The company has a market capitalization of $98.11 billion, a PE ratio of 18.53, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.88 and a beta of 0.36. Duke Energy Corporation has a 12-month low of $112.40 and a 12-month high of $134.49.

Duke Energy (NYSE:DUK - Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Monday, August 3rd. The utilities provider reported $1.43 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $1.30 by $0.13. The business had revenue of $7.59 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $7.66 billion. Duke Energy had a net margin of 15.78% and a return on equity of 9.78%. The firm's revenue for the quarter was up 1.1% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $1.25 earnings per share. Equities research analysts anticipate that Duke Energy Corporation will post 6.72 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Duke Energy Dividend Announcement

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, December 16th. Stockholders of record on Friday, November 13th will be paid a dividend of $1.0850 per share. The ex-dividend date is Friday, November 13th. This represents a $4.34 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.4%. Duke Energy's dividend payout ratio is currently 65.17%.

Key Stories Impacting Duke Energy

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

• Positive Sentiment: Analysts expect Duke Energy’s upcoming earnings to benefit from favorable estimates and other indicators that could support a results beat. The outlook may improve sentiment ahead of the report, although it remains dependent on actual results and guidance. Duke Energy Earnings Expected to Grow
• Positive Sentiment: A comparison with Constellation Energy highlights Duke Energy’s higher dividend yield, lower valuation and lower volatility. Those attributes may appeal to income-oriented and risk-conscious investors, particularly when market conditions are unsettled. CEG vs. DUK: Which Utility Stock Offers Better Growth Potential?
• Positive Sentiment: Duke Energy’s shares showed relative strength during a weaker broader-market session, suggesting defensive demand for the regulated utility. This supports the stock’s appeal as a steadier holding, though the move was not tied to a new material corporate announcement. Duke Energy Rises as Market Takes a Dip
• Neutral Sentiment: The company’s Florida “energy vampire” campaign encourages customers to reduce electricity usage from idle appliances. While unlikely to materially affect near-term earnings, the effort reinforces Duke’s focus on customer efficiency and demand management. Why Duke Energy Is Back in the Spotlight
• Neutral Sentiment: Duke Energy remains highlighted among utility stocks considered suitable for reliable income, supporting its defensive and dividend-investment profile. The article is sector-focused and does not identify a new catalyst specific to DUK. Utility Stocks Paying Reliable Income
• Negative Sentiment: A Duke Energy contractor was hospitalized after falling at Oxford Dam. The incident could lead to scrutiny or project disruption, although no financial impact was reported. Contractor Hospitalized After Fall at Oxford Dam
• Negative Sentiment: Nearly 600 customers in Simpsonville lost power after a crash damaged Duke Energy equipment. The localized outage may create short-term service and reputational concerns, but it is unlikely to materially change the investment thesis unless outages become widespread or persistent. Nearly 600 Without Power in Simpsonville

About Duke Energy

Duke Energy Corporation is an energy holding company that provides regulated electric and natural gas utility services in the United States. Its electric utilities generate, transmit, distribute and sell electricity to residential, commercial, industrial and other customers. The company's generation portfolio includes nuclear, natural gas, coal, hydroelectric and renewable energy resources.

Duke Energy serves customers primarily in North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky.

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