Wintrust Investments LLC Boosts Position in Duke Energy Co. (NYSE:DUK)

Wintrust Investments LLC raised its stake in Duke Energy Co. (NYSE:DUK) by 109.8% during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 1,345 shares of the utilities provider’s stock after buying an additional 704 shares during the quarter. Wintrust Investments LLC’s holdings in Duke Energy were worth $144,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of the company. Vestcor Inc grew its holdings in Duke Energy by 1.1% during the 4th quarter. Vestcor Inc now owns 120,784 shares of the utilities provider’s stock worth $13,013,000 after acquiring an additional 1,360 shares in the last quarter. Connor Clark & Lunn Investment Management Ltd. raised its position in Duke Energy by 13.6% in the fourth quarter. Connor Clark & Lunn Investment Management Ltd. now owns 269,354 shares of the utilities provider’s stock worth $29,020,000 after acquiring an additional 32,164 shares in the last quarter. Rakuten Securities Inc. increased its stake in Duke Energy by 1,500.0% in the 4th quarter. Rakuten Securities Inc. now owns 288 shares of the utilities provider’s stock valued at $31,000 after purchasing an additional 270 shares in the last quarter. Avantax Advisory Services Inc. boosted its stake in shares of Duke Energy by 6.9% during the fourth quarter. Avantax Advisory Services Inc. now owns 104,385 shares of the utilities provider’s stock valued at $11,246,000 after acquiring an additional 6,705 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Essential Planning LLC. purchased a new position in Duke Energy during the fourth quarter worth about $1,808,000. 65.31% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Duke Energy Trading Down 0.9 %

Shares of DUK stock opened at $116.69 on Thursday. The firm has a market capitalization of $90.61 billion, a PE ratio of 20.44, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.79 and a beta of 0.48. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $112.40 and a two-hundred day moving average of $113.36. Duke Energy Co. has a 1 year low of $92.75 and a 1 year high of $121.25. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.52, a quick ratio of 0.44 and a current ratio of 0.67.

Duke Energy (NYSE:DUK) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, February 13th. The utilities provider reported $1.66 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates 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, research analysts expect that Duke Energy Co. will post 6.33 EPS for the current year.

Duke Energy Dividend Announcement

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 17th. Investors of record on Friday, February 14th will be given a $1.045 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Friday, February 14th. This represents a $4.18 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.58%. Duke Energy’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 73.20%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of research analysts have weighed in on DUK shares. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their price target on shares of Duke Energy from $114.00 to $121.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research report on Tuesday. Jefferies Financial Group lifted their target price on Duke Energy from $129.00 to $132.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, February 21st. BMO Capital Markets upped their price target on shares of Duke Energy from $123.00 to $128.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Tuesday. Scotiabank upped their price objective on Duke Energy from $113.00 to $120.00 and gave the company a “sector perform” rating in a research note on Thursday, December 12th. Finally, Morgan Stanley reduced their target price on Duke Energy from $122.00 to $118.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a report on Friday, November 22nd. Six research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eight have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $122.93.

Duke Energy 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.