Duke Energy Corporation $DUK Shares Sold by Oppenheimer & Co. Inc.

Oppenheimer & Co. Inc. decreased its position in Duke Energy Corporation (NYSE:DUK) by 7.1% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 139,808 shares of the utilities provider’s stock after selling 10,618 shares during the quarter. Oppenheimer & Co. Inc.’s holdings in Duke Energy were worth $16,387,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in DUK. Vanguard Group Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of Duke Energy by 2.6% in the 4th quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 78,258,757 shares of the utilities provider’s stock worth $9,172,709,000 after purchasing an additional 1,957,592 shares during the last quarter. ANTIPODES PARTNERS Ltd bought a new stake in shares of Duke Energy in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $86,309,000. Caisse de depot et placement du Quebec lifted its holdings in shares of Duke Energy by 19.1% in the 3rd quarter. Caisse de depot et placement du Quebec now owns 2,613,595 shares of the utilities provider’s stock worth $323,432,000 after purchasing an additional 419,992 shares during the last quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of Duke Energy by 4.1% in the 3rd quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. now owns 7,281,986 shares of the utilities provider’s stock worth $901,146,000 after purchasing an additional 288,499 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Liberty One Investment Management LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Duke Energy by 92.8% in the 3rd quarter. Liberty One Investment Management LLC now owns 522,137 shares of the utilities provider’s stock worth $64,634,000 after purchasing an additional 251,257 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 65.31% of the company’s stock.

Insider Buying and Selling at Duke Energy

In other Duke Energy news, CEO Louis E. Renjel sold 6,800 shares of Duke Energy stock in a transaction 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 sale, the chief executive officer owned 22,007 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $2,809,633.69. The trade was a 23.61% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, SVP Regis T. Repko sold 962 shares of Duke Energy stock in a transaction on Tuesday, February 24th. The shares were sold at an average price of $127.86, for a total value of $123,001.32. Following the sale, the senior vice president directly owned 3,896 shares in the company, valued at $498,142.56. The trade was a 19.80% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. 0.12% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

DUK has been the topic of several recent research reports. The Goldman Sachs Group raised their price target on Duke Energy from $141.00 to $142.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, February 11th. BMO Capital Markets cut their price target on Duke Energy from $143.00 to $139.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, April 22nd. UBS Group raised their price target on Duke Energy from $136.00 to $140.00 in a report on Monday, March 9th. Wells Fargo & Company raised their price target on Duke Energy from $135.00 to $136.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a report on Monday, April 20th. Finally, Morgan Stanley cut their price target on Duke Energy from $142.00 to $141.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, April 21st. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, nine have given a Buy rating and nine have issued a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Duke Energy currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $140.25.

Duke Energy News Roundup

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

• Positive Sentiment: South Carolina regulator approved a settlement for combining Duke Energy Carolinas and Duke Energy Progress that projects billions in long‑term customer savings and includes shareholder guarantees — lowers merger/regulatory execution risk and frames future rate outcomes more predictably. South Carolina customers projected to benefit from billions in long-term savings from approved combination of Duke Energy utilities
• Positive Sentiment: The NRC renewed the operating license for Duke’s H.B. Robinson nuclear plant for 20 years (through 2050), supporting long‑lived regulated generation assets and removing near‑term replacement power risk. NRC Renews License for Duke Energy (DUK)’s Robinson Nuclear Plant
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst previews and coverage suggest Duke is likely to beat Q1 earnings estimates, supported by rate base growth and grid investments — this helps explain investor optimism around short‑term EPS upside. DUK Likely to Beat Q1 Earnings Estimates: How to Play the Stock?
• Neutral Sentiment: Duke is engaging communities on future powerline plans (open houses) and making small philanthropic grants for SC green spaces — helpful for local relations but limited direct financial impact. Duke Energy hosts open house for future powerline plans Duke Energy Foundation awards $275,000 for SC green spaces
• Neutral Sentiment: Sector/peer previews (AEP, Atmos, NiSource, XLU ETF coverage) provide context for utilities fund flows and relative valuation but don’t directly change Duke’s fundamentals. American Electric Power to Release Q1 Earnings: What’s in the Cards?
• Negative Sentiment: Customer rallies and media coverage opposing a proposed rate hike (reports of potential increases up to ~18%) create political and PR headwinds that could complicate rate proceedings and timing of approved increases. Resident in Charlotte rally against Duke Energy rate hike that could reach up to 18% Corporate greed or justified costs? Duke Energy customers rally against proposed rate hike
• Negative Sentiment: Duke is monitoring extreme drought conditions that could force mandatory water restrictions and create operational challenges or higher costs for certain generation assets. Duke Energy continues to monitor extreme drought conditions, mandatory water restrictions possible

Duke Energy Stock Up 2.6%

Shares of Duke Energy stock opened at $129.79 on Friday. The business’s fifty day moving average price is $129.82 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $124.30. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.54, a current ratio of 0.55 and a quick ratio of 0.33. The company has a market capitalization of $100.99 billion, a P/E ratio of 20.54 and a beta of 0.46. Duke Energy Corporation has a 1-year low of $111.22 and a 1-year high of $134.49.

Duke Energy (NYSE:DUK) last announced its earnings results on Monday, February 9th. The utilities provider reported $1.50 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.49 by $0.01. The firm had revenue of $7.94 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $7.57 billion. Duke Energy had a return on equity of 9.66% and a net margin of 15.41%.During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $1.66 EPS. As a group, research analysts forecast that Duke Energy Corporation will post 6.7 EPS for the current year.

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.