BMO Capital Markets Cuts Duke Energy (NYSE:DUK) Price Target to $130.00

Duke Energy (NYSE:DUK) had its price target trimmed by BMO Capital Markets from $136.00 to $130.00 in a report released on Tuesday morning,MarketScreener reports. The brokerage currently has an outperform rating on the utilities provider’s stock.

Other analysts have also recently issued research reports about the company. JPMorgan Chase & Co. decreased their target price on Duke Energy from $136.00 to $126.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, December 11th. Scotiabank raised their price objective on Duke Energy from $137.00 to $146.00 and gave the stock a “sector outperform” rating in a research report on Tuesday, December 16th. Morgan Stanley set a $126.00 target price on Duke Energy in a report on Tuesday, December 16th. The Goldman Sachs Group increased their price target on shares of Duke Energy from $138.00 to $141.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, November 13th. Finally, Mizuho boosted their price objective on shares of Duke Energy from $132.00 to $140.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Monday, October 27th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eleven have issued a Buy rating, six have assigned a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $135.56.

Duke Energy Stock Performance

Duke Energy stock opened at $118.80 on Tuesday. Duke Energy has a fifty-two week low of $105.90 and a fifty-two week high of $130.03. The firm’s 50 day simple moving average is $119.03 and its 200-day simple moving average is $121.34. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.54, a current ratio of 0.63 and a quick ratio of 0.40. The company has a market cap of $92.39 billion, a P/E ratio of 18.68, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.58 and a beta of 0.50.

Duke Energy (NYSE:DUK) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, November 6th. The utilities provider reported $1.81 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 during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $8.51 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $1.62 EPS. The firm’s quarterly revenue was up 4.8% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, equities research analysts predict that Duke Energy will post 6.33 EPS for the current year.

Duke Energy Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 16th. Investors of record on Friday, February 13th will be issued a $1.065 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Friday, February 13th. This represents a $4.26 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.6%. Duke Energy’s dividend payout ratio is currently 66.98%.

Insider Transactions at Duke Energy

In other Duke Energy news, EVP Robert Alexander Glenn sold 8,200 shares of Duke Energy stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, November 19th. The shares were sold at an average price of $123.80, for a total value of $1,015,160.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 11,367 shares in the company, valued at $1,407,234.60. The trade was a 41.91% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. 0.14% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Duke Energy

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of DUK. Pflug Koory LLC lifted its position in shares of Duke Energy by 3.0% in the third quarter. Pflug Koory LLC now owns 2,694 shares of the utilities provider’s stock worth $333,000 after buying an additional 79 shares during the last quarter. WealthShield Partners LLC increased its holdings in shares of Duke Energy by 0.3% during the 2nd quarter. WealthShield Partners LLC now owns 25,453 shares of the utilities provider’s stock valued at $3,003,000 after acquiring an additional 80 shares during the last quarter. Cypress Wealth Services LLC raised its stake in shares of Duke Energy by 1.7% in the 3rd quarter. Cypress Wealth Services LLC now owns 5,048 shares of the utilities provider’s stock valued at $625,000 after acquiring an additional 82 shares in the last quarter. EWA LLC lifted its holdings in Duke Energy by 3.9% in the 3rd quarter. EWA LLC now owns 2,203 shares of the utilities provider’s stock worth $273,000 after purchasing an additional 82 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Mill Creek Capital Advisors LLC boosted its position in Duke Energy by 4.6% during the third quarter. Mill Creek Capital Advisors LLC now owns 1,854 shares of the utilities provider’s stock worth $229,000 after purchasing an additional 82 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 65.31% of the company’s stock.

Trending Headlines about Duke Energy

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

• Positive Sentiment: Duke brought a $100M, 50‑MW battery online at the retired Allen coal plant and announced plans for a follow‑on 167‑MW system, accelerating its grid‑scale storage rollout and tapping tax credits that can lower long‑term costs. Duke Energy brings new grid battery on line
• Positive Sentiment: South Carolina regulators approved rate increases for Duke, supporting utility cash flows and regulated earnings in that jurisdiction. Rate increase approved in SC
• Neutral Sentiment: EVP/chief generation officer Preston Gillespie announced his retirement after 40 years; management succession is underway — a routine but watchable governance development. Leadership changes announced
• Neutral Sentiment: Coverage note: market commentary flagged DUK rising as broader markets dipped — a contextual price move rather than company‑specific news. Zacks market note
• Neutral Sentiment: Coverage questioning Duke’s retreat from a planned pumped‑hydro expansion — strategic pivot that bears monitoring for implications on long‑term renewables mix. Article on pumped‑hydro retreat
• Negative Sentiment: BMO cut its price target to $130 from $136 (but kept an “outperform” rating), trimming upside expectations and signaling slightly more conservative near‑term views. BMO price target note
• Negative Sentiment: Jefferies lowered its price target to $125 from $126 and maintained a “hold,” another modest analyst trim that reduces analyst‑driven upside. Jefferies price target note
• Negative Sentiment: DUK’s Florida unit will remove a storm cost‑recovery charge from customer bills one month early, meaning roughly $33 then $11 reductions for residential customers — good for PR and customer relief but a near‑term hit to recovered storm costs and utility cash flows. Storm charge removal details

About Duke Energy

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.