Leo Wealth LLC Boosts Holdings in Duke Energy Corporation $DUK

Leo Wealth LLC grew its position in Duke Energy Corporation (NYSE:DUK) by 40.9% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 25,898 shares of the utilities provider’s stock after acquiring an additional 7,516 shares during the quarter. Leo Wealth LLC’s holdings in Duke Energy were worth $3,036,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other large investors have also recently made changes to their positions in DUK. Farther Finance Advisors LLC increased its stake in Duke Energy by 37.7% in the 3rd quarter. Farther Finance Advisors LLC now owns 41,642 shares of the utilities provider’s stock worth $5,153,000 after buying an additional 11,409 shares during the period. Applied Finance Capital Management LLC purchased a new stake in Duke Energy in the 3rd quarter valued at about $1,046,000. Lockheed Martin Investment Management Co. grew its stake in Duke Energy by 11.3% in the 3rd quarter. Lockheed Martin Investment Management Co. now owns 274,630 shares of the utilities provider’s stock worth $33,985,000 after acquiring an additional 27,820 shares in the last quarter. Alley Investment Management Company LLC grew its stake in Duke Energy by 13.0% in the 3rd quarter. Alley Investment Management Company LLC now owns 88,018 shares of the utilities provider’s stock worth $10,892,000 after acquiring an additional 10,108 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Greystone Financial Group LLC increased its position in shares of Duke Energy by 12.7% during the third quarter. Greystone Financial Group LLC now owns 93,766 shares of the utilities provider’s stock worth $11,604,000 after acquiring an additional 10,580 shares during the period. 65.31% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of brokerages recently issued reports on DUK. Evercore reiterated an “in-line” rating and issued a $139.00 price target on shares of Duke Energy in a report on Thursday, March 5th. BTIG Research reissued a “buy” rating and set a $141.00 target price on shares of Duke Energy in a research report on Friday, January 30th. Barclays reduced their price target on shares of Duke Energy from $135.00 to $127.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a report on Thursday, January 15th. Morgan Stanley set a $139.00 price objective on shares of Duke Energy in a research note on Friday, February 20th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company lifted their price objective on shares of Duke Energy from $115.00 to $135.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a report on Wednesday, March 4th. Nine investment 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. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $137.80.

Duke Energy Stock Performance

DUK stock opened at $132.28 on Monday. Duke Energy Corporation has a one year low of $111.22 and a one year high of $134.49. The firm has a market cap of $102.93 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 20.93 and a beta of 0.46. 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 simple moving average of $127.65 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $123.55.

Duke Energy (NYSE:DUK) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Monday, February 9th. The utilities provider reported $1.50 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.49 by $0.01. Duke Energy had a net margin of 15.41% and a return on equity of 9.66%. The firm had revenue of $7.94 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $7.57 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business posted $1.66 EPS. On average, equities analysts forecast that Duke Energy Corporation will post 6.33 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Duke Energy Dividend Announcement

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

Insider Buying and Selling at Duke Energy

In other Duke Energy news, CEO Louis E. Renjel sold 6,800 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Thursday, February 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $127.67, for a total value of $868,156.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer directly owned 22,007 shares in the company, 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 filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, SVP Regis T. Repko sold 962 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, February 24th. The stock was sold at an average price of $127.86, for a total value 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 approximately $498,142.56. This represents a 19.80% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Corporate insiders own 0.14% of the company’s stock.

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.