Public Sector Pension Investment Board Has $13.12 Million Position in Duke Energy Co. (NYSE:DUK)

Public Sector Pension Investment Board raised its stake in Duke Energy Co. (NYSE:DUK) by 49.7% in the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 130,902 shares of the utilities provider’s stock after acquiring an additional 43,475 shares during the period. Public Sector Pension Investment Board’s holdings in Duke Energy were worth $13,120,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other institutional investors have also recently modified their holdings of the stock. Northwest Investment Counselors LLC bought a new stake in shares of Duke Energy during the 1st quarter valued at approximately $25,000. Fortitude Family Office LLC grew its position in Duke Energy by 69.6% during the 2nd quarter. Fortitude Family Office LLC now owns 290 shares of the utilities provider’s stock worth $29,000 after acquiring an additional 119 shares during the last quarter. Olistico Wealth LLC bought a new position in Duke Energy in the second quarter valued at about $30,000. Riverview Trust Co acquired a new stake in shares of Duke Energy during the first quarter valued at about $30,000. Finally, Sachetta LLC grew its holdings in shares of Duke Energy by 41.9% during the second quarter. Sachetta LLC now owns 325 shares of the utilities provider’s stock worth $36,000 after purchasing an additional 96 shares during the last quarter. 65.31% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Insider Buying and Selling at Duke Energy

In related news, EVP Louis E. Renjel sold 540 shares of Duke Energy stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, August 8th. The shares were sold at an average price of $113.64, for a total value of $61,365.60. Following the sale, the executive vice president now owns 19,884 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $2,259,617.76. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. Corporate insiders own 0.10% of the company’s stock.

Duke Energy Stock Performance

NYSE DUK opened at $117.31 on Tuesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.56, a current ratio of 0.81 and a quick ratio of 0.53. The company has a fifty day moving average price of $112.79 and a 200-day moving average price of $104.13. Duke Energy Co. has a 1 year low of $83.06 and a 1 year high of $118.31. The firm has a market cap of $90.54 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 29.47, a PEG ratio of 3.19 and a beta of 0.47.

Duke Energy (NYSE:DUK) last posted its earnings results on Tuesday, August 6th. The utilities provider reported $1.18 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.02 by $0.16. The firm had revenue of $7.17 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $6.84 billion. Duke Energy had a net margin of 14.29% and a return on equity of 9.71%. The company’s quarterly revenue was up 9.0% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $0.91 EPS. As a group, equities research analysts predict that Duke Energy Co. will post 5.97 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Duke Energy Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, September 16th. Investors of record on Friday, August 16th were issued a dividend of $1.045 per share. This represents a $4.18 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.56%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, August 16th. This is an increase from Duke Energy’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.03. Duke Energy’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 105.03%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several equities research analysts recently commented on DUK shares. Morgan Stanley lifted their target price on shares of Duke Energy from $99.00 to $114.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Thursday, August 15th. Evercore ISI raised their target price on Duke Energy from $108.00 to $115.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Wednesday, August 7th. Jefferies Financial Group assumed coverage on Duke Energy in a research report on Thursday, September 19th. They issued a “buy” rating and a $138.00 price target on the stock. Scotiabank increased their target price on shares of Duke Energy from $104.00 to $113.00 and gave the company a “sector perform” rating in a research report on Tuesday, August 20th. Finally, Barclays lifted their target price on shares of Duke Energy from $99.00 to $102.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Thursday, July 11th. Seven equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seven have given a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $116.36.

About Duke Energy

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.