Xponance Inc. Grows Stock Position in Duke Energy Co. (NYSE:DUK)

Xponance Inc. raised its holdings in Duke Energy Co. (NYSE:DUK) by 4.0% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 110,162 shares of the utilities provider’s stock after acquiring an additional 4,278 shares during the quarter. Xponance Inc.’s holdings in Duke Energy were worth $11,869,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

Several other hedge funds also recently bought and sold shares of DUK. United Bank grew its position in Duke Energy by 2.7% in the 3rd quarter. United Bank now owns 4,764 shares of the utilities provider’s stock valued at $549,000 after acquiring an additional 127 shares during the last quarter. Empowered Funds LLC grew its position in Duke Energy by 9.4% in the 3rd quarter. Empowered Funds LLC now owns 16,601 shares of the utilities provider’s stock valued at $1,914,000 after acquiring an additional 1,432 shares during the last quarter. Quest Partners LLC bought a new position in Duke Energy in the 3rd quarter valued at $1,678,000. Meeder Advisory Services Inc. grew its position in Duke Energy by 5.8% in the 3rd quarter. Meeder Advisory Services Inc. now owns 12,995 shares of the utilities provider’s stock valued at $1,498,000 after acquiring an additional 708 shares during the last quarter. Finally, New England Asset Management Inc. grew its position in shares of Duke Energy by 0.6% during the 3rd quarter. New England Asset Management Inc. now owns 75,680 shares of the utilities provider’s stock worth $8,726,000 after buying an additional 465 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 65.31% of the company’s stock.

Duke Energy Price Performance

Shares of NYSE DUK opened at $120.85 on Wednesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.52, a quick ratio of 0.44 and a current ratio of 0.67. The company has a market cap of $93.84 billion, a PE ratio of 21.17, a P/E/G ratio of 2.79 and a beta of 0.48. The business has a 50-day simple moving average of $113.44 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $113.57. Duke Energy Co. has a fifty-two week low of $92.75 and a fifty-two week high of $121.47.

Duke Energy (NYSE:DUK) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 13th. The utilities provider reported $1.66 earnings per share 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 Co. will post 6.33 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Duke Energy Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, March 17th. Shareholders of record on Friday, February 14th were issued a $1.045 dividend. This represents a $4.18 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.46%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, February 14th. Duke Energy’s dividend payout ratio is presently 73.20%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of equities analysts have recently issued reports on the company. Guggenheim increased their price target on Duke Energy from $132.00 to $135.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday, March 5th. Scotiabank increased their price target on Duke Energy from $113.00 to $120.00 and gave the stock a “sector perform” rating in a research report on Thursday, December 12th. Jefferies Financial Group increased their price target on Duke Energy from $129.00 to $132.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, February 21st. Morgan Stanley dropped their price target on Duke Energy from $122.00 to $118.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, November 22nd. Finally, BMO Capital Markets upped their price objective on Duke Energy from $123.00 to $128.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Tuesday, March 11th. Six investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eight have assigned a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $122.93.

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.