Barclays Issues Positive Forecast for Duke Energy (NYSE:DUK) Stock Price

Duke Energy (NYSE:DUK - Free Report) had its price objective lifted by Barclays from $111.00 to $123.00 in a research report released on Tuesday morning,Benzinga reports. They currently have an overweight rating on the utilities provider's stock.

A number of other brokerages have also recently commented on DUK. Morgan Stanley increased their price target on Duke Energy from $123.00 to $128.00 and gave the company an "equal weight" rating in a research note on Thursday, March 20th. Jefferies Financial Group increased their target price on Duke Energy from $129.00 to $132.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research report on Friday, February 21st. BMO Capital Markets boosted their price target on Duke Energy from $123.00 to $128.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a report on Tuesday, March 11th. Scotiabank raised their price objective on shares of Duke Energy from $113.00 to $120.00 and gave the company a "sector perform" rating in a report on Thursday, December 12th. Finally, UBS Group upped their price target on shares of Duke Energy from $123.00 to $127.00 and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a research report on Friday, March 21st. Seven research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eight have issued a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, Duke Energy has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $123.87.

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Duke Energy Price Performance

Shares of DUK traded up $1.97 during midday trading on Tuesday, hitting $118.81. The company's stock had a trading volume of 6,054,003 shares, compared to its average volume of 3,369,563. The company has a quick ratio of 0.44, a current ratio of 0.67 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.52. Duke Energy has a one year low of $92.75 and a one year high of $125.27. The stock has a market capitalization of $92.32 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 20.81, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.79 and a beta of 0.39. The company's fifty day simple moving average is $116.98 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $113.90.

Duke Energy (NYSE:DUK - Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, February 13th. The utilities provider reported $1.66 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.61 by $0.05. Duke Energy had a return on equity of 9.50% and a net margin of 14.90%. As a group, equities analysts expect that Duke Energy will post 6.33 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Duke Energy

Several institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Vermillion Wealth Management Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Duke Energy during the 4th quarter valued at $27,000. Parkworth Wealth Management Inc. bought a new stake in Duke Energy in the fourth quarter valued at $28,000. Mattson Financial Services LLC bought a new position in shares of Duke Energy during the 4th quarter worth about $28,000. WealthTrak Capital Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Duke Energy in the 4th quarter valued at about $30,000. Finally, Sierra Ocean LLC bought a new position in Duke Energy in the fourth quarter worth approximately $31,000. 65.31% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Duke Energy Company Profile

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.