Advocate Group LLC Buys 4,104 Shares of Duke Energy Corporation $DUK

Advocate Group LLC increased its stake in Duke Energy Corporation (NYSE:DUK) by 5.8% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 75,070 shares of the utilities provider’s stock after buying an additional 4,104 shares during the quarter. Duke Energy makes up 1.4% of Advocate Group LLC’s holdings, making the stock its 27th biggest position. Advocate Group LLC’s holdings in Duke Energy were worth $8,799,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Princeton Global Asset Management LLC lifted its stake in Duke Energy by 13.4% in the fourth quarter. Princeton Global Asset Management LLC now owns 1,348 shares of the utilities provider’s stock valued at $158,000 after acquiring an additional 159 shares during the last quarter. JB Capital LLC raised its holdings in shares of Duke Energy by 27.4% in the 4th quarter. JB Capital LLC now owns 3,837 shares of the utilities provider’s stock valued at $450,000 after purchasing an additional 826 shares during the period. LifePlan Financial LLC lifted its stake in Duke Energy by 5.3% in the 4th quarter. LifePlan Financial LLC now owns 10,751 shares of the utilities provider’s stock valued at $1,260,000 after purchasing an additional 543 shares during the last quarter. Moseley Investment Management Inc. grew its holdings in Duke Energy by 423.6% during the fourth quarter. Moseley Investment Management Inc. now owns 9,749 shares of the utilities provider’s stock worth $1,143,000 after purchasing an additional 7,887 shares during the period. Finally, Sovran Advisors LLC increased its position in Duke Energy by 5.2% during the fourth quarter. Sovran Advisors LLC now owns 2,695 shares of the utilities provider’s stock worth $320,000 after buying an additional 133 shares during the last quarter. 65.31% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several analysts have issued reports on DUK shares. Scotiabank upped their price objective on Duke Energy from $137.00 to $146.00 and gave the company a “sector outperform” rating in a research note on Tuesday, December 16th. Mizuho set a $130.00 target price on Duke Energy in a report on Tuesday, February 10th. Morgan Stanley set a $139.00 price target on Duke Energy in a research note on Friday, February 20th. Barclays reduced their price objective on shares of Duke Energy from $135.00 to $127.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, January 15th. Finally, Weiss Ratings reiterated a “buy (b)” rating on shares of Duke Energy in a report on Monday, December 29th. Nine research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, seven have given a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Duke Energy presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $137.80.

Insider Transactions at Duke Energy

In related news, CEO Louis E. Renjel sold 6,800 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, February 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of $127.67, for a total transaction of $868,156.00. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer directly owned 22,007 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $2,809,633.69. This trade represents a 23.61% 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. Also, SVP Regis T. Repko sold 962 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, February 24th. The shares were sold at an average price of $127.86, for a total transaction of $123,001.32. Following the completion of the sale, the senior vice president directly owned 3,896 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $498,142.56. This represents a 19.80% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. 0.14% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Duke Energy Price Performance

Duke Energy stock opened at $132.28 on Friday. The company has a market capitalization of $102.93 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 20.93 and a beta of 0.46. The company has a current ratio of 0.55, a quick ratio of 0.33 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.54. Duke Energy Corporation has a 12 month low of $111.22 and a 12 month high of $134.49. The stock’s 50 day moving average is $127.65 and its 200-day moving average is $123.53.

Duke Energy (NYSE:DUK) last released its quarterly earnings results on Monday, February 9th. The utilities provider reported $1.50 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.49 by $0.01. The business had revenue of $7.94 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $7.57 billion. Duke Energy had a return on equity of 9.66% and a net margin of 15.41%.During the same period last year, the firm posted $1.66 EPS. Equities research analysts expect that Duke Energy Corporation will post 6.33 EPS for the current year.

Duke Energy Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, March 16th. Investors of record on Friday, February 13th were paid a $1.065 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Friday, February 13th. This represents a $4.26 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.2%. Duke Energy’s dividend payout ratio is 67.41%.

More Duke Energy News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Investor/analyst bullishness driven by clean‑energy and nuclear strength — recent coverage highlights that DUK has risen materially over the past months on a story of nuclear stability and aggressive renewable expansion, supporting the stock’s momentum. Duke Energy Stock Rises 11.7% in 3 Months: Should You Buy Now?
• Positive Sentiment: Utilities sector strength and defensive flows (e.g., VPU outperformance) are supporting investor demand for regulated names like Duke. This sector tailwind can help stabilize the stock amid company‑specific noise. VPU Is Up 7% While the S&P 500 Falls…
• Neutral Sentiment: Spire has closed the acquisition of Piedmont Natural Gas (previously part of Duke’s asset sales), which reduces Duke’s gas footprint but provides cash proceeds management can redeploy or use to shore up the balance sheet—net effect depends on how proceeds are used. Spire Closes Piedmont Natural Gas Acquisition, Expands in Tennessee
• Neutral Sentiment: Community and safety outreach (811 safe‑digging campaigns with Piedmont) and PR items continue; positive for regulatory relations but unlikely to move fundamentals materially. Duke Energy, Piedmont highlight 811 safety during digging season
• Neutral Sentiment: Operational/legal misc.: Duke sued over abandoned boats on Lake Norman — mostly a localized legal/reputational matter with limited broad financial impact. Duke Energy sues over abandoned boats on Lake Norman
• Negative Sentiment: Rate‑hike proposal faces heavy backlash at North Carolina Utilities Commission hearings — large turnout of angry customers and local officials increases the risk of rate relief being scaled back or delayed, a direct regulatory threat to near‑term revenue recovery. Duke Energy rate hike proposal draws backlash at NCUC hearings
• Negative Sentiment: Strong consumer pushback in North Carolina — profiles of customers saying they can’t afford higher bills amplify political/regulatory pressure and could influence the NCUC’s final decision. ‘There are days I don’t even turn anything on.’ Ratepayers push back against Duke Energy Progress rate hikes
• Negative Sentiment: NC Utilities Commission will formally consider Duke’s rate request — that formal regulatory review is a binary event: approval as filed would boost earnings; modifications or delays would be a headwind, so outcome uncertainty is weighing on sentiment. NC Utilities Commission to consider Duke Energy’s request for rate hike

Duke Energy Company 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.