Duke Energy (NYSE:DUK) Price Target Raised to $141.00 at Jefferies Financial Group

Duke Energy (NYSE:DUK) had its price target upped by Jefferies Financial Group from $125.00 to $141.00 in a research note published on Tuesday,MarketScreener reports. They currently have a hold rating on the utilities provider’s stock.

Several other equities research analysts have also commented on DUK. JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut their target price on Duke Energy from $136.00 to $126.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, December 11th. BMO Capital Markets restated an “outperform” rating and set a $136.00 price target on shares of Duke Energy in a report on Wednesday, February 11th. Scotiabank lifted their price objective on shares of Duke Energy from $137.00 to $146.00 and gave the company a “sector outperform” rating in a research note on Tuesday, December 16th. Morgan Stanley reissued an “underperform” rating and set a $130.00 target price on shares of Duke Energy in a research note on Wednesday, January 21st. Finally, UBS Group reduced their price target on shares of Duke Energy from $135.00 to $126.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, December 17th. Eleven research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, six have issued 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 $135.19.

Duke Energy Stock Down 1.1%

Duke Energy stock opened at $126.75 on Tuesday. The firm has a market cap of $98.57 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 20.06, a PEG ratio of 2.78 and a beta of 0.51. Duke Energy has a 52-week low of $110.51 and a 52-week high of $130.03. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.54, a quick ratio of 0.33 and a current ratio of 0.55. The firm has a 50 day moving average price of $119.16 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $121.90.

Duke Energy (NYSE:DUK) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, February 10th. The utilities provider reported $1.50 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.49 by $0.01. The company had revenue of $7.94 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $7.57 billion. Duke Energy had a net margin of 15.41% and a return on equity of 9.66%. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $1.66 earnings per share. Duke Energy has set its FY 2026 guidance at 6.550-6.800 EPS. Equities analysts predict that Duke Energy will post 6.33 EPS for the current year.

Duke Energy Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced 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. This represents a $4.26 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.4%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, February 13th. Duke Energy’s dividend payout ratio is currently 67.41%.

Insider Transactions at Duke Energy

In other Duke Energy news, CEO Louis E. Renjel sold 6,800 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, February 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $127.67, for a total transaction of $868,156.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer directly owned 22,007 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $2,809,633.69. The trade was a 23.61% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Company insiders own 0.14% of the company’s stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Duke Energy

Several hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the company. Dorato Capital Management purchased a new position in Duke Energy in the fourth quarter worth $26,000. Evolution Wealth Management Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of Duke Energy by 1,111.1% in the 4th quarter. Evolution Wealth Management Inc. now owns 218 shares of the utilities provider’s stock worth $26,000 after buying an additional 200 shares during the last quarter. KERR FINANCIAL PLANNING Corp bought a new position in Duke Energy during the third quarter valued at about $27,000. Triumph Capital Management increased its holdings in Duke Energy by 68.6% during the fourth quarter. Triumph Capital Management now owns 231 shares of the utilities provider’s stock worth $27,000 after buying an additional 94 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Cornerstone Financial Management LLC bought a new stake in Duke Energy in the fourth quarter worth about $28,000. Institutional investors own 65.31% of the company’s stock.

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.