Ausdal Financial Partners Inc. Buys 4,588 Shares of Duke Energy Corporation $DUK

Ausdal Financial Partners Inc. increased its stake in shares of Duke Energy Corporation (NYSE:DUK) by 67.5% in the third quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The firm owned 11,382 shares of the utilities provider’s stock after buying an additional 4,588 shares during the quarter. Ausdal Financial Partners Inc.’s holdings in Duke Energy were worth $1,408,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Pflug Koory LLC grew its stake in shares of Duke Energy by 3.0% during the third quarter. Pflug Koory LLC now owns 2,694 shares of the utilities provider’s stock worth $333,000 after buying an additional 79 shares during the last quarter. Cypress Wealth Services LLC lifted its stake in shares of Duke Energy by 1.7% in the 3rd quarter. Cypress Wealth Services LLC now owns 5,048 shares of the utilities provider’s stock valued at $625,000 after acquiring an additional 82 shares during the last quarter. EWA LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Duke Energy by 3.9% during the 3rd quarter. EWA LLC now owns 2,203 shares of the utilities provider’s stock valued at $273,000 after acquiring an additional 82 shares in the last quarter. Mill Creek Capital Advisors LLC grew its position in Duke Energy by 4.6% during the 3rd quarter. Mill Creek Capital Advisors LLC now owns 1,854 shares of the utilities provider’s stock worth $229,000 after acquiring an additional 82 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Blossom Wealth Management grew its position in Duke Energy by 3.5% during the 3rd quarter. Blossom Wealth Management now owns 2,530 shares of the utilities provider’s stock worth $313,000 after acquiring an additional 85 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 65.31% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities analysts have commented on DUK shares. Wells Fargo & Company increased their target price on Duke Energy from $115.00 to $135.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Wednesday, March 4th. Mizuho set a $130.00 price target on Duke Energy in a report on Tuesday, February 10th. The Goldman Sachs Group upped their price objective on Duke Energy from $141.00 to $142.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 11th. Morgan Stanley set a $139.00 target price on shares of Duke Energy in a research report on Friday, February 20th. Finally, Wall Street Zen lowered shares of Duke Energy from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating in a report on Saturday, March 7th. Nine analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, seven have assigned a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $137.80.

More Duke Energy News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Settlement reached to combine Duke Energy Carolinas and Duke Energy Progress operations in South Carolina — the deal is pitched to deliver customer savings and operational efficiencies, which could boost regulated earnings if approved by state regulators. Duke Energy Carolinas Deal Tests Regulatory Support For Efficiency And Growth
• Neutral Sentiment: Flowserve board appointment item included in feeds but is unrelated to Duke Energy operations or near-term fundamentals. Flowserve Appoints Brian Savoy to Board of Directors
• Neutral Sentiment: Duke issued multiple advisories urging customers in the Carolinas to prepare for damaging high winds and possible tornadic activity — this is a preparedness effort that helps limit safety issues and reputational risk but does not itself indicate damage. Duke Energy urges customers to prepare for damaging high winds and possible tornadic activities across the Carolinas
• Negative Sentiment: Active outages: Duke has called in extra crews to respond to power outages in Bartholomew County — this indicates on-the-ground restoration costs and short-term service disruptions. Duke Energy calls in extra help for power outages in Bartholomew County
• Negative Sentiment: Severe-weather impacts in Charlotte and across the Carolinas — on-camera updates and local reports show outages and restoration activity, underscoring potential repair and vegetation-management costs. Duke Energy updates power outages in Charlotte after severe weather
• Negative Sentiment: Multiple local outlets (WRAL, MSN, CBS17) highlight preparations for wind damage and tornado risk — elevated outage risk this week could pressure near-term operations and increase O&M spending. Duke Energy preparing for power outages, wind damage

Insider Transactions at Duke Energy

In related news, CEO Louis E. Renjel sold 6,800 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, February 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of $127.67, for a total value of $868,156.00. Following the sale, the chief executive officer owned 22,007 shares in the company, valued at $2,809,633.69. This represents a 23.61% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. Also, SVP Regis T. Repko sold 962 shares of Duke Energy stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, February 24th. The shares were sold at an average price of $127.86, for a total value of $123,001.32. Following the transaction, the senior vice president owned 3,896 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $498,142.56. This trade 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 Price Performance

Shares of DUK opened at $133.54 on Tuesday. The business’s fifty day moving average is $124.28 and its 200 day moving average is $122.70. Duke Energy Corporation has a 12-month low of $111.22 and a 12-month high of $134.27. The company has a quick ratio of 0.33, a current ratio of 0.55 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.54. The stock has a market cap of $103.85 billion, a P/E ratio of 21.13 and a beta of 0.50.

Duke Energy (NYSE:DUK) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Monday, February 9th. The utilities provider reported $1.50 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.49 by $0.01. Duke Energy had a net margin of 15.41% and a return on equity of 9.66%. The business 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. Sell-side analysts anticipate that Duke Energy Corporation will post 6.33 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Duke Energy Announces Dividend

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

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.