Epoch Investment Partners Inc. Sells 4,847 Shares of Duke Energy Corporation $DUK

Epoch Investment Partners Inc. lessened its holdings in Duke Energy Corporation (NYSE:DUK) by 1.2% in the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The firm owned 400,755 shares of the utilities provider’s stock after selling 4,847 shares during the quarter. Epoch Investment Partners Inc. owned 0.05% of Duke Energy worth $46,972,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of DUK. Vanguard Group Inc. boosted its position in shares of Duke Energy by 2.6% in the fourth quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 78,258,757 shares of the utilities provider’s stock valued at $9,172,709,000 after acquiring an additional 1,957,592 shares during the period. Franklin Resources Inc. boosted its position in shares of Duke Energy by 13.1% in the fourth quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. now owns 8,236,893 shares of the utilities provider’s stock valued at $965,446,000 after acquiring an additional 954,907 shares during the period. Milford Funds Ltd. bought a new stake in shares of Duke Energy in the fourth quarter valued at about $97,905,000. Cohen & Steers Inc. boosted its position in shares of Duke Energy by 83.3% in the fourth quarter. Cohen & Steers Inc. now owns 1,711,445 shares of the utilities provider’s stock valued at $200,598,000 after acquiring an additional 777,878 shares during the period. Finally, ANTIPODES PARTNERS Ltd bought a new stake in shares of Duke Energy in the third quarter valued at about $86,309,000. Institutional investors own 65.31% of the company’s stock.

More Duke Energy News

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 Activity

In other Duke Energy news, CEO Harry K. Sideris sold 20,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, May 8th. The stock was sold at an average price of $124.37, for a total transaction of $2,487,400.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer owned 96,102 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $11,952,205.74. The trade was a 17.23% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, CEO Louis E. Renjel sold 3,500 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, May 11th. The stock was sold at an average price of $125.15, for a total value of $438,025.00. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer directly owned 21,415 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $2,680,087.25. The trade was a 14.05% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. 0.12% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Duke Energy Stock Down 0.0%

Shares of NYSE DUK opened at $124.91 on Monday. The company has a current ratio of 0.66, a quick ratio of 0.44 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.45. The company has a market cap of $97.38 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 19.13 and a beta of 0.39. Duke Energy Corporation has a 12 month low of $113.66 and a 12 month high of $134.49. The stock has a 50-day moving average price of $126.16 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $124.02.

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

Duke Energy Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, June 16th. Shareholders of record on Friday, May 15th will be paid a dividend of $1.065 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, May 15th. This represents a $4.26 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.4%. Duke Energy’s payout ratio is presently 65.24%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

DUK has been the subject of a number of recent research reports. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reduced their target price on shares of Duke Energy from $139.00 to $136.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, May 13th. Barclays boosted 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. Truist Financial cut their price objective on shares of Duke Energy from $142.00 to $137.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research report on Monday, May 18th. Morgan Stanley cut their price objective on shares of Duke Energy from $141.00 to $132.00 in a research report on Thursday, May 21st. Finally, BMO Capital Markets cut their price objective on shares of Duke Energy from $139.00 to $138.00 in a research report on Wednesday, May 6th. Nine investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and eight have issued a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $138.93.

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.