Duke Energy Corporation (NYSE:DUK) Receives $138.62 Average Target Price from Brokerages

Shares of Duke Energy Corporation (NYSE:DUK) have earned an average rating of “Moderate Buy” from the eighteen analysts that are currently covering the firm, MarketBeat reports. Eight investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation and ten have assigned a buy recommendation to the company. The average 12-month price objective among analysts that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $138.6250.

A number of research analysts have commented on the company. Jefferies Financial Group lowered their target price on Duke Energy from $143.00 to $138.00 in a research note on Monday, May 11th. Wells Fargo & Company lifted their price target on Duke Energy from $135.00 to $136.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a report on Monday, April 20th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their price target on Duke Energy from $136.00 to $141.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research note on Thursday, July 16th. BMO Capital Markets dropped their price objective on Duke Energy from $138.00 to $134.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a report on Monday, July 20th. Finally, Barclays reduced their target price on shares of Duke Energy from $143.00 to $134.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, June 18th.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, CEO Harry K. Sideris sold 20,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, May 8th. The stock was sold at an average price of $124.37, for a total value of $2,487,400.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer directly owned 96,102 shares in the company, valued at approximately $11,952,205.74. The trade was a 17.23% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. Also, CEO Louis E. Renjel sold 3,500 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, May 11th. The stock was sold at an average price of $125.15, for a total value of $438,025.00. Following the sale, the chief executive officer directly owned 21,415 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $2,680,087.25. The trade was a 14.05% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Corporate insiders own 0.12% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Trading of Duke Energy

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the company. Merit Financial Group LLC boosted its holdings in Duke Energy by 15.7% during the second quarter. Merit Financial Group LLC now owns 70,388 shares of the utilities provider’s stock valued at $8,910,000 after acquiring an additional 9,562 shares during the period. Intergy Private Wealth LLC increased its stake in shares of Duke Energy by 16.1% in the second quarter. Intergy Private Wealth LLC now owns 2,858 shares of the utilities provider’s stock worth $362,000 after purchasing an additional 396 shares during the period. Diversified Trust Co. lifted its position in shares of Duke Energy by 3.8% during the 2nd quarter. Diversified Trust Co. now owns 12,644 shares of the utilities provider’s stock worth $1,601,000 after purchasing an additional 462 shares during the last quarter. Cary Street Partners Financial LLC boosted its stake in Duke Energy by 14.9% during the 2nd quarter. Cary Street Partners Financial LLC now owns 46,487 shares of the utilities provider’s stock valued at $5,884,000 after purchasing an additional 6,035 shares during the period. Finally, Rosenberg Matthew Hamilton grew its holdings in Duke Energy by 15.4% in the 2nd quarter. Rosenberg Matthew Hamilton now owns 3,100 shares of the utilities provider’s stock valued at $392,000 after buying an additional 414 shares during the last quarter. 65.31% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Duke Energy News Roundup

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

• Positive Sentiment: Q2 earnings beat expectations. Duke Energy reported adjusted EPS of $1.43, up from $1.25 a year earlier and ahead of analyst estimates near $1.30. Higher electricity demand and recovery of rate-based infrastructure investments helped offset rising expenses. Duke Energy’s profit beats as higher power demand offsets rising expenses
• Positive Sentiment: Full-year guidance was reaffirmed. Management maintained 2026 adjusted EPS guidance of $6.55 to $6.80, broadly consistent with the consensus estimate, and reiterated its long-term adjusted EPS growth target of 5% to 7% through 2030. Duke Energy Corp Q2 2026 Earnings Call Highlights
• Positive Sentiment: Demand and investment trends remain supportive. Customer growth, increasing power consumption and Duke’s substantial capital plan provide potential earnings support, particularly as infrastructure investments are incorporated into regulated rates. Management is also negotiating potential data-center load growth.
• Neutral Sentiment: Revenue growth was modest but slightly below forecasts. Operating revenue rose 1.1% year over year to $7.592 billion, missing estimates of approximately $7.66 billion. GAAP EPS was $1.38, with adjusted results excluding charges related to regulatory settlements. Duke Energy Q2 Earnings Beat Estimates
• Negative Sentiment: Execution and cost risks remain. Rising depreciation and interest expense, customer affordability pressures and demands that data centers legally guarantee their share of costs could limit the benefits of demand growth. Duke must also fund an extensive capital program while managing regulatory settlements.
• Negative Sentiment: Sector weakness may have restrained the stock. Energy stocks broadly declined during afternoon trading, creating a market-related headwind despite Duke’s earnings beat.

Duke Energy Stock Up 0.3%

DUK stock opened at $124.65 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.45, a current ratio of 0.66 and a quick ratio of 0.44. The firm has a market capitalization of $97.17 billion, a P/E ratio of 19.09, a P/E/G ratio of 2.74 and a beta of 0.38. Duke Energy has a 52-week low of $113.89 and a 52-week high of $134.49. The company’s 50 day simple moving average is $125.61 and its 200-day simple moving average is $126.32.

Duke Energy (NYSE:DUK) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, August 4th. The utilities provider reported $1.43 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.30 by $0.13. Duke Energy had a net margin of 15.49% and a return on equity of 9.73%. The firm had revenue of $7.59 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $7.66 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $1.25 EPS. The company’s quarterly revenue was up 1.1% compared to the same quarter last year. Duke Energy has set its FY 2026 guidance at 6.550-6.800 EPS. As a group, equities research analysts anticipate that Duke Energy will post 6.72 EPS for the current year.

Duke Energy Increases Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, September 16th. Investors of record on Friday, August 14th will be paid a $1.085 dividend. This represents a $4.34 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.5%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, August 14th. This is a boost from Duke Energy’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.06. Duke Energy’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 65.24%.

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.