Cerity Partners LLC Increases Stake in Duke Energy Corporation $DUK

Cerity Partners LLC boosted its stake in Duke Energy Corporation (NYSE:DUK) by 4.5% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 355,871 shares of the utilities provider’s stock after buying an additional 15,457 shares during the period. Cerity Partners LLC’s holdings in Duke Energy were worth $44,044,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Brighton Jones LLC grew its stake in Duke Energy by 11.6% in the fourth quarter. Brighton Jones LLC now owns 6,754 shares of the utilities provider’s stock worth $728,000 after purchasing an additional 700 shares during the period. Ashton Thomas Private Wealth LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Duke Energy by 10.7% during the 1st quarter. Ashton Thomas Private Wealth LLC now owns 19,558 shares of the utilities provider’s stock valued at $2,385,000 after buying an additional 1,892 shares in the last quarter. Signature Estate & Investment Advisors LLC increased its stake in shares of Duke Energy by 22.6% in the 1st quarter. Signature Estate & Investment Advisors LLC now owns 3,875 shares of the utilities provider’s stock worth $473,000 after acquiring an additional 714 shares in the last quarter. Empowered Funds LLC increased its stake in shares of Duke Energy by 19.6% in the 1st quarter. Empowered Funds LLC now owns 23,162 shares of the utilities provider’s stock worth $2,825,000 after acquiring an additional 3,797 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Woodline Partners LP lifted its position in Duke Energy by 41.3% during the 1st quarter. Woodline Partners LP now owns 65,560 shares of the utilities provider’s stock valued at $7,996,000 after acquiring an additional 19,169 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 65.31% of the company’s stock.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other news, EVP Robert Alexander Glenn sold 8,200 shares of the stock in a transaction on Wednesday, November 19th. The stock was sold at an average price of $123.80, for a total transaction of $1,015,160.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 11,367 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $1,407,234.60. This represents a 41.91% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. Corporate insiders own 0.14% of the company’s stock.

Trending Headlines about Duke Energy

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

• Positive Sentiment: South Carolina rate changes that begin this month should boost near‑term regulated revenue for Duke’s local subsidiaries. Duke Energy subsidiaries in South Carolina will implement rate changes starting this month
• Positive Sentiment: Duke Energy Florida unveiled the DeBary hydrogen production, storage and combustion demonstration — the first U.S. end‑to‑end system for 100% green hydrogen, which supports decarbonization and longer‑term generation flexibility. Duke Energy Florida unveils nation’s first system capable of producing, storing and combusting 100% green hydrogen
• Positive Sentiment: Duke declared a quarterly cash dividend of $1.065 per share (ex‑dividend Feb 13, record Feb 13, pay Mar 16), supporting income investors and signaling continued cash return to shareholders. Duke Energy announces dividend payments to shareholders
• Positive Sentiment: Duke filed an Early Site Permit (Belews Creek ESP), a regulatory step that preserves future nuclear development options and could add strategic long‑term generation value. Duke files Belews Creek ESP
• Neutral Sentiment: Planned operational activities — scheduled nuclear siren tests and aerial tree‑trimming in Indiana — are routine reliability/maintenance items with limited direct impact on fundamentals. Don’t be alarmed: Duke Energy to test nuclear sirens on Wednesday Duke Energy to begin aerial tree trimming in Petersburg area
• Neutral Sentiment: Community and PR items — a donation to Florence‑Darlington Technical College and unrelated local infrastructure reopenings — support goodwill but are unlikely to move the stock materially. Duke Energy gives thousands to support Florence-Darlington Technical College welding Downtown Cincinnati convention center reopens after $264 million ‘transformation’: PHOTOS
• Negative Sentiment: Multiple customer outages reported in southern Indiana and Jeffersonville increase short‑term storm/restoration costs and could pressure reliability metrics and near‑term cash flow. Thousands without power in southern Indiana Power outages reported in parts of Jeffersonville among Duke customers
• Negative Sentiment: Analyst coverage highlights near‑term risks: rising debt, storm/restoration costs and a relatively high valuation have driven caution and contributed to recent share weakness. Duke Energy Stock Falls 6.1% in Three Months: What Should You Do?

Duke Energy Trading Down 1.3%

Duke Energy stock opened at $116.26 on Thursday. Duke Energy Corporation has a one year low of $105.20 and a one year high of $130.03. The business’s fifty day moving average is $119.82 and its 200 day moving average is $121.33. The stock has a market capitalization of $90.41 billion, a PE ratio of 18.28, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.56 and a beta of 0.50. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.54, a current ratio of 0.63 and a quick ratio of 0.40.

Duke Energy (NYSE:DUK) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, November 6th. The utilities provider reported $1.81 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.75 by $0.06. Duke Energy had a net margin of 15.76% and a return on equity of 9.98%. The business had revenue of $8.54 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $8.51 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $1.62 EPS. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 4.8% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, sell-side analysts predict that Duke Energy Corporation will post 6.33 EPS for the current year.

Duke Energy Dividend Announcement

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 16th. Shareholders of record on Friday, February 13th will be given a $1.065 dividend. This represents a $4.26 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.7%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, February 13th. Duke Energy’s payout ratio is 66.98%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of brokerages have weighed in on DUK. Evercore ISI started coverage on shares of Duke Energy in a research note on Monday, October 6th. They set an “outperform” rating and a $143.00 target price for the company. TD Cowen began coverage on Duke Energy in a research note on Thursday, October 16th. They set a “buy” rating and a $143.00 price objective for the company. UBS Group dropped their target price on Duke Energy from $135.00 to $126.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, December 17th. Barclays raised their price target on Duke Energy from $131.00 to $135.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Tuesday, October 14th. Finally, Mizuho upped their price target on shares of Duke Energy from $132.00 to $140.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Monday, October 27th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eleven have issued a Buy rating, six have given a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $136.50.

Duke Energy 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.