Wealthfront Advisers LLC Boosts Stake in Duke Energy Corporation $DUK

Wealthfront Advisers LLC boosted its stake in shares of Duke Energy Corporation (NYSE:DUK) by 10.2% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 138,315 shares of the utilities provider’s stock after purchasing an additional 12,767 shares during the period. Wealthfront Advisers LLC’s holdings in Duke Energy were worth $17,116,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of the company. Legacy Investment Solutions LLC bought a new position in shares of Duke Energy in the second quarter worth about $28,000. Access Investment Management LLC bought a new stake in Duke Energy during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $31,000. Anfield Capital Management LLC lifted its holdings in Duke Energy by 2,608.3% during the second quarter. Anfield Capital Management LLC now owns 325 shares of the utilities provider’s stock valued at $38,000 after purchasing an additional 313 shares in the last quarter. Meeder Asset Management Inc. bought a new position in shares of Duke Energy in the third quarter worth approximately $39,000. Finally, Total Investment Management Inc. bought a new position in shares of Duke Energy in the second quarter worth approximately $46,000. Institutional investors own 65.31% of the company’s stock.

Insider Buying and Selling at Duke Energy

In related news, EVP Robert Alexander Glenn sold 8,200 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, November 19th. The shares were sold at an average price of $123.80, for a total value of $1,015,160.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 11,367 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,407,234.60. This trade represents a 41.91% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Company insiders own 0.14% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

DUK has been the topic of a number of analyst reports. The Goldman Sachs Group lifted their target price on shares of Duke Energy from $138.00 to $141.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Thursday, November 13th. Scotiabank raised their price target on Duke Energy from $137.00 to $146.00 and gave the company a “sector outperform” rating in a report on Tuesday, December 16th. TD Cowen initiated coverage on Duke Energy in a research report on Thursday, October 16th. They issued a “buy” rating and a $143.00 price objective on the stock. Mizuho set a $130.00 target price on Duke Energy in a research report on Tuesday. Finally, BTIG Research reissued a “buy” rating and set a $141.00 target price on shares of Duke Energy in a research note on Friday, January 30th. Eleven investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, six have issued a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Duke Energy has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $133.88.

Key Headlines Impacting Duke Energy

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

• Positive Sentiment: Management raised and extended its long‑term outlook — Duke expanded its five‑year capital plan to $103 billion (up about $16B) and reiterated a 5%–7% EPS growth target through 2030, signaling sustained investment-led earnings growth that underpins future rate base and earnings. Duke Energy projects 5%–7% EPS growth through 2030 while expanding $103B capital plan
• Positive Sentiment: Data‑center demand is a material growth driver — Duke signed ~1.5 GW of new data‑center deals in Q4, lifting the pipeline to ~4.5 GW, providing contracted or near‑contracted load that supports revenue visibility and justifies grid investments. Duke Energy signed 1.5 GW of new data center deals in Q4, lifting total pipeline to 4.5 GW
• Positive Sentiment: Q4 revenue beat and FY26 guidance roughly inline — revenue came in at $7.94B (above estimates) and management set FY2026 EPS guidance of $6.55–$6.80, supporting the view that demand (including AI/data center loads) is lifting top line and enabling durable cash flow. Duke Energy Q4 results and call materials
• Neutral Sentiment: Recovery of storm costs improves cash flow — the company reported recovering ~$3B in storm costs, which reduces regulatory lag on cost recovery but is largely one‑time in nature. Duke Energy recovers $3 billion in storm costs, signs new data center deals
• Neutral Sentiment: Operational reliability wins — smart, self‑healing grid tech avoided many extended outages and peak demand hit records, highlighting investment payoff but also signaling the need for continued capex. Smart, self-healing tech avoided extended outages
• Negative Sentiment: Local regulatory/competitive risk — St. Petersburg has begun studying a municipal utility option as its contract with Duke nears expiration; if pursued, this could reduce customer base and future load in that jurisdiction. St. Petersburg to study municipal electric utility as Duke Energy contract nears expiration
• Negative Sentiment: Near‑term margin pressure and mixed earnings reads — some outlets note Q4 EPS was down year‑over‑year and narrowly missed or only marginally beat certain estimates, reflecting higher costs that could compress near‑term margins despite revenue growth. Duke Energy Q4 earnings lag estimates, revenues rise y/y

Duke Energy Stock Up 1.7%

DUK opened at $123.75 on Wednesday. The company has a market capitalization of $96.24 billion, a PE ratio of 19.46, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.64 and a beta of 0.51. The firm has a 50-day simple moving average of $118.14 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $121.67. The company has a quick ratio of 0.40, a current ratio of 0.63 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.54. Duke Energy Corporation has a 52 week low of $110.51 and a 52 week high of $130.03.

Duke Energy (NYSE:DUK) last issued its earnings results on Tuesday, February 10th. The utilities provider reported $1.50 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.49 by $0.01. Duke Energy had a return on equity of 9.98% and a net margin of 15.76%.The firm had revenue of $7.94 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $7.57 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $1.66 earnings per share. Duke Energy has set its FY 2026 guidance at 6.550-6.800 EPS. Analysts forecast that Duke Energy Corporation will post 6.33 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Duke Energy Dividend Announcement

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 16th. Stockholders of record on Friday, February 13th will be given a dividend of $1.065 per share. 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 66.98%.

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.