United Asset Strategies Inc. decreased its holdings in Duke Energy Corporation (NYSE:DUK – Free Report) by 38.1% during the 3rd quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The institutional investor owned 69,037 shares of the utilities provider’s stock after selling 42,510 shares during the quarter. United Asset Strategies Inc.’s holdings in Duke Energy were worth $7,871,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.
A number of other hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in the business. Merit Financial Group LLC increased its holdings in shares of Duke Energy by 15.7% during the second quarter. Merit Financial Group LLC now owns 70,388 shares of the utilities provider’s stock worth $8,910,000 after purchasing an additional 9,562 shares during the period. Sarasin & Partners LLP boosted its stake in shares of Duke Energy by 15.3% in the second quarter. Sarasin & Partners LLP now owns 1,283,213 shares of the utilities provider’s stock valued at $162,429,000 after buying an additional 170,700 shares during the period. Nykredit A S bought a new stake in shares of Duke Energy in the second quarter valued at approximately $17,106,000. V. M. Manning & CO. Inc. acquired a new stake in Duke Energy during the second quarter worth approximately $2,432,000. Finally, Cohen Klingenstein LLC acquired a new stake in Duke Energy during the second quarter worth approximately $2,051,000. 65.31% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.
Duke Energy Stock Up 1.8%
Shares of DUK opened at $125.83 on Friday. The firm has a 50 day simple moving average of $119.01 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $124.21. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.47, a current ratio of 0.66 and a quick ratio of 0.43. Duke Energy Corporation has a one year low of $112.40 and a one year high of $134.49. The company has a market cap of $98.11 billion, a P/E ratio of 18.53, a P/E/G ratio of 2.88 and a beta of 0.36.
Duke Energy (NYSE:DUK – Get Free Report) last issued 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 firm had revenue of $7.59 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $7.66 billion. Duke Energy had a return on equity of 9.78% and a net margin of 15.78%. The company’s revenue was up 1.1% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $1.25 EPS. Research analysts forecast that Duke Energy Corporation will post 6.72 EPS for the current fiscal year.
Duke Energy Dividend Announcement
The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, December 16th. Shareholders of record on Friday, November 13th will be given a $1.0850 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Friday, November 13th. This represents a $4.34 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.4%. Duke Energy’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 65.17%.
Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth
A number of research firms have commented on DUK. Wall Street Zen raised Duke Energy from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Saturday, October 17th. Morgan Stanley increased their target price on Duke Energy from $127.00 to $128.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a report on Wednesday, October 21st. BMO Capital Markets decreased their price target on Duke Energy from $134.00 to $132.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, August 5th. KeyCorp cut their price objective on shares of Duke Energy from $139.00 to $128.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, October 13th. Finally, Mizuho set a $136.00 price objective on shares of Duke Energy in a research report on Wednesday, August 5th. Nine equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and nine have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $132.19.
Get Our Latest Stock Report on Duke Energy
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
Duke Energy Company Profile
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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