Zacks Research Has Positive View of Duke Energy Q2 Earnings

Duke Energy Corporation (NYSE:DUK) – Stock analysts at Zacks Research increased their Q2 2025 EPS estimates for Duke Energy in a research note issued to investors on Thursday, June 19th. Zacks Research analyst R. Department now forecasts that the utilities provider will post earnings of $1.25 per share for the quarter, up from their prior forecast of $1.22. The consensus estimate for Duke Energy’s current full-year earnings is $6.33 per share. Zacks Research also issued estimates for Duke Energy’s Q4 2025 earnings at $1.63 EPS, Q1 2026 earnings at $1.75 EPS, Q3 2026 earnings at $1.86 EPS, Q4 2026 earnings at $1.78 EPS and Q1 2027 earnings at $1.78 EPS.

Other equities research analysts have also recently issued reports about the stock. Barclays lifted their price target on shares of Duke Energy from $111.00 to $123.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Tuesday, April 8th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their price objective on shares of Duke Energy from $114.00 to $121.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research report on Tuesday, March 11th. Wells Fargo & Company boosted their target price on Duke Energy from $127.00 to $138.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Wednesday, May 7th. BMO Capital Markets decreased their price target on Duke Energy from $128.00 to $123.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, April 10th. Finally, Morgan Stanley lowered their price target on Duke Energy from $125.00 to $124.00 and set an “equal weight” rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, June 18th. Eight equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and nine have given a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $125.75.

Duke Energy Stock Up 1.4%

Shares of DUK opened at $116.98 on Monday. The company’s 50-day moving average price is $117.88 and its 200 day moving average price is $114.95. Duke Energy has a 12-month low of $99.21 and a 12-month high of $125.27. The company has a current ratio of 0.77, a quick ratio of 0.50 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.57. The firm has a market cap of $90.92 billion, a P/E ratio of 19.40, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.88 and a beta of 0.37.

Duke Energy (NYSE:DUK) last released its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, May 6th. The utilities provider reported $1.76 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.59 by $0.17. Duke Energy had a return on equity of 9.88% and a net margin of 15.40%. The firm had revenue of $8.25 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $7.70 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $1.44 earnings per share. The firm’s quarterly revenue was up 7.5% on a year-over-year basis.

Duke Energy Announces Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, June 16th. Investors of record on Friday, May 16th were issued a $1.045 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, May 16th. This represents a $4.18 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.57%. Duke Energy’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 69.32%.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Activest Wealth Management lifted its position in shares of Duke Energy by 98.1% during the 1st quarter. Activest Wealth Management now owns 212 shares of the utilities provider’s stock worth $26,000 after purchasing an additional 105 shares during the last quarter. Vermillion Wealth Management Inc. purchased a new position in Duke Energy in the fourth quarter valued at $27,000. Wayfinding Financial LLC acquired a new stake in Duke Energy in the first quarter valued at $27,000. N.E.W. Advisory Services LLC purchased a new stake in Duke Energy during the 1st quarter worth about $27,000. Finally, Parkworth Wealth Management Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Duke Energy during the 4th quarter worth about $28,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 65.31% of the company’s stock.

About Duke Energy

Duke Energy Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, operates as an energy company in the United States. It operates through two segments: Electric Utilities and Infrastructure (EU&I), and Gas Utilities and Infrastructure (GU&I). The EU&I segment generates, transmits, distributes, and sells electricity in the Carolinas, Florida, and the Midwest.