M Holdings Securities Inc. Has $3.52 Million Stock Holdings in Duke Energy Corporation $DUK

M Holdings Securities Inc. raised its stake in Duke Energy Corporation (NYSE:DUK) by 72.5% in the 4th quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The fund owned 30,009 shares of the utilities provider’s stock after buying an additional 12,612 shares during the quarter. M Holdings Securities Inc.’s holdings in Duke Energy were worth $3,517,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Dorato Capital Management acquired a new position in Duke Energy in the 4th quarter valued at $26,000. Evolution Wealth Management Inc. raised its holdings in 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 acquiring an additional 200 shares in the last quarter. KERR FINANCIAL PLANNING Corp acquired a new position in Duke Energy in the 3rd quarter valued at $27,000. Lodestone Wealth Management LLC acquired a new position in Duke Energy in the 4th quarter valued at $30,000. Finally, Mowery & Schoenfeld Wealth Management LLC raised its holdings in Duke Energy by 300.0% in the 4th quarter. Mowery & Schoenfeld Wealth Management LLC now owns 280 shares of the utilities provider’s stock valued at $33,000 after acquiring an additional 210 shares in the last quarter. 65.31% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

More Duke Energy News

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

• Positive Sentiment: The U.S. Department of Energy selected Duke Energy for up to $61.8 million in additional grants to refurbish coal-fired plants in Kentucky and North Carolina, adding to an earlier $34 million award. The funding could help Duke lower the amount customers or shareholders ultimately bear for plant upgrades while supporting grid reliability. How Investors Are Reacting To Duke Energy (DUK) Winning US$96 Million In Federal Coal Plant Grants
• Positive Sentiment: Ohio’s Supreme Court approved a natural gas rate hike for Duke Energy customers, a reminder that regulators can allow higher rates to flow through the system, which can help protect the company’s earnings. Ohio Supreme Court approves natural gas rate hike for Duke Energy customers
• Positive Sentiment: Duke Energy remains in the market spotlight, with investors watching it as a trending stock and debating whether it is a buy. That attention can help trading interest in DUK. Is Trending Stock Duke Energy Corporation (DUK) a Buy Now?
• Neutral Sentiment: Regulators’ pause in Duke Energy’s solar procurement has raised concerns about future customer bills, but it also signals ongoing scrutiny of how the utility balances clean-energy spending with affordability. Regulators’ pause in Duke Energy solar procurement raises concerns about bills
• Neutral Sentiment: At a state hearing, Duke Energy faced questions over how it is helping attract new data centers to North Carolina. Data-center load growth could be a long-term upside, but the hearing suggests the plan may face political or regulatory pushback. At state hearing, Duke Energy faces questions over its role in attracting new data centers to NC
• Negative Sentiment: Questions over a possible $150 bill credit for customers suggest Duke Energy is still under pressure on affordability, which could weigh on sentiment if it leads to lower near-term revenue recovery. Duke Energy customers may be able to get $150 bill credit. But there’s a catch

Insider Transactions at Duke Energy

In other Duke Energy news, CEO Harry K. Sideris sold 20,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, May 8th. The stock was sold at an average price of $124.37, for a total value 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 $11,952,205.74. This represents a 17.23% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. Also, CEO Louis E. Renjel sold 3,500 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, May 11th. The shares were sold at an average price of $125.15, for a total value 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 trade represents a 14.05% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. 0.12% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several equities analysts have weighed in on the company. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “buy (b)” rating on shares of Duke Energy in a report on Monday, May 4th. Morgan Stanley dropped their price objective on Duke Energy from $141.00 to $132.00 in a report on Thursday, May 21st. BMO Capital Markets lowered their price target on Duke Energy from $139.00 to $138.00 in a report on Wednesday, May 6th. Barclays boosted their price target on Duke Energy from $127.00 to $143.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Tuesday, April 7th. Finally, Truist Financial lowered their price target on Duke Energy from $142.00 to $137.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a report on Monday, May 18th. Nine analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and nine have issued a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $138.93.

Duke Energy Price Performance

Shares of DUK opened at $125.13 on Thursday. Duke Energy Corporation has a 12-month low of $113.66 and a 12-month high of $134.49. The business has a 50-day simple moving average of $126.42 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $123.99. The company has a quick ratio of 0.44, a current ratio of 0.66 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.45. The stock has a market cap of $97.55 billion, a PE ratio of 19.16 and a beta of 0.39.

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

Duke Energy Announces Dividend

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

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.