Bollard Group LLC Has $21.92 Million Stock Holdings in Duke Energy Corporation $DUK

Bollard Group LLC lessened its holdings in Duke Energy Corporation (NYSE:DUK) by 22.5% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 187,007 shares of the utilities provider’s stock after selling 54,176 shares during the period. Duke Energy makes up 0.5% of Bollard Group LLC’s portfolio, making the stock its 24th biggest position. Bollard Group LLC’s holdings in Duke Energy were worth $21,919,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Dorato Capital Management acquired a new stake in shares of Duke Energy in the 4th quarter valued at $26,000. Evolution Wealth Management Inc. boosted its stake in shares of Duke Energy by 1,111.1% in the 4th quarter. Evolution Wealth Management Inc. now owns 218 shares of the utilities provider’s stock valued at $26,000 after purchasing an additional 200 shares in the last quarter. KERR FINANCIAL PLANNING Corp acquired a new stake in shares of Duke Energy in the 3rd quarter valued at $27,000. Triumph Capital Management boosted its stake in shares of Duke Energy by 68.6% in the 4th quarter. Triumph Capital Management now owns 231 shares of the utilities provider’s stock valued at $27,000 after purchasing an additional 94 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Lodestone Wealth Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Duke Energy in the 4th quarter valued at $30,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 65.31% of the company’s stock.

Duke Energy Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE:DUK opened at $124.91 on Friday. The company has a market capitalization of $97.38 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 19.13 and a beta of 0.39. The firm’s 50 day simple moving average is $126.16 and its 200 day simple moving average is $124.01. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.45, a current ratio of 0.66 and a quick ratio of 0.44. Duke Energy Corporation has a fifty-two week low of $113.66 and a fifty-two week high of $134.49.

Duke Energy (NYSE:DUK) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Monday, May 4th. The utilities provider reported $1.93 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.87 by $0.06. The business had revenue of $9.18 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $8.44 billion. Duke Energy had a net margin of 15.49% and a return on equity of 9.73%. Duke Energy’s revenue for the quarter was up 11.3% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the company posted $1.76 EPS. As a group, sell-side analysts forecast that Duke Energy Corporation will post 6.71 earnings per share for the current year.

Duke Energy Dividend Announcement

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, June 16th. Investors of record on Friday, May 15th will be given a $1.065 dividend. This represents a $4.26 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.4%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, May 15th. Duke Energy’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 65.24%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

DUK has been the topic of several research reports. UBS Group reduced their price target on shares of Duke Energy from $137.00 to $135.00 in a research report on Monday, May 11th. Mizuho upped their price target on shares of Duke Energy from $130.00 to $139.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Wednesday, May 6th. Capitol Sec Mgt downgraded shares of Duke Energy from a “strong-buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Friday, April 10th. Wells Fargo & Company upped their price target on shares of Duke Energy from $135.00 to $136.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Monday, April 20th. Finally, Barclays upped their target price on shares of Duke Energy from $127.00 to $143.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Tuesday, April 7th. Nine equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and eight have assigned a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $138.93.

Trending Headlines about Duke Energy

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

• Positive Sentiment: Analysts and market commentary are highlighting Duke Energy as a defensive, low-volatility utility pick as inflation jumps and oil prices surge, which can draw investors toward stable dividend names like DUK. 3 Low-Beta Utility Stocks to Buy as Inflation Jumps to Three-Year High
• Positive Sentiment: A Seeking Alpha piece argues Duke Energy could keep rising, reinforcing bullish sentiment around the company’s earnings outlook, utility stability, and rate-driven growth profile. Duke Energy: Why This Utility Could Keep Rising
• Positive Sentiment: Duke Energy received up to $96 million in federal coal plant grants, which could help offset refurbishment costs and support grid reliability without passing as much expense to customers. How Investors Are Reacting To Duke Energy (DUK) Winning US$96 Million In Federal Coal Plant Grants
• Positive Sentiment: Brokerage coverage remains constructive, with Duke Energy carrying an average “Moderate Buy” recommendation. Duke Energy Corporation (NYSE:DUK) Given Average Recommendation of “Moderate Buy” by Brokerages

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, CEO Harry K. Sideris sold 20,000 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, May 8th. The shares were sold at an average price of $124.37, for a total value of $2,487,400.00. Following the sale, the chief executive officer directly owned 96,102 shares in the company, valued at $11,952,205.74. This trade represents a 17.23% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. Also, CEO Louis E. Renjel sold 3,500 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, May 11th. The shares were sold at an average price of $125.15, for a total transaction of $438,025.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer owned 21,415 shares in the company, valued at $2,680,087.25. This represents a 14.05% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Company insiders own 0.12% of the company’s stock.

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.