Transce3nd LLC Makes New $438,000 Investment in Duke Energy Co. (NYSE:DUK)

Transce3nd LLC purchased a new stake in Duke Energy Co. (NYSE:DUK) in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent filing with the SEC. The institutional investor purchased 4,065 shares of the utilities provider’s stock, valued at approximately $438,000.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of the stock. MML Investors Services LLC grew its position in Duke Energy by 24.9% in the fourth quarter. MML Investors Services LLC now owns 319,460 shares of the utilities provider’s stock valued at $34,419,000 after acquiring an additional 63,618 shares in the last quarter. MetLife Investment Management LLC lifted its holdings in Duke Energy by 1.8% in the 4th quarter. MetLife Investment Management LLC now owns 204,445 shares of the utilities provider’s stock worth $22,027,000 after buying an additional 3,711 shares in the last quarter. Norinchukin Bank The grew its stake in shares of Duke Energy by 2.7% during the fourth quarter. Norinchukin Bank The now owns 30,245 shares of the utilities provider’s stock valued at $3,259,000 after acquiring an additional 785 shares in the last quarter. Ossiam lifted its stake in shares of Duke Energy by 78.3% in the fourth quarter. Ossiam now owns 14,844 shares of the utilities provider’s stock worth $1,599,000 after acquiring an additional 6,518 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Beck Mack & Oliver LLC boosted its holdings in Duke Energy by 1.1% in the fourth quarter. Beck Mack & Oliver LLC now owns 125,299 shares of the utilities provider’s stock valued at $13,500,000 after purchasing an additional 1,400 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 65.31% of the company’s stock.

Duke Energy Price Performance

NYSE DUK opened at $121.65 on Friday. The company has a 50-day moving average price of $117.56 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $114.08. The stock has a market cap of $94.52 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 21.30, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.79 and a beta of 0.39. The company has a current ratio of 0.67, a quick ratio of 0.44 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.52. Duke Energy Co. has a 52 week low of $96.68 and a 52 week high of $125.27.

Duke Energy (NYSE:DUK) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, February 13th. The utilities provider reported $1.66 EPS for the quarter, beating 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%. Analysts forecast that Duke Energy Co. will post 6.33 EPS for the current year.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of equities analysts have issued reports on DUK shares. Guggenheim increased their target price on Duke Energy from $132.00 to $135.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Wednesday, March 5th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their price target on shares of Duke Energy from $114.00 to $121.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research report on Tuesday, March 11th. Morgan Stanley boosted their price objective on Duke Energy from $123.00 to $128.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a report on Thursday, March 20th. Barclays increased their target price on Duke Energy from $111.00 to $123.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Tuesday, April 8th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group boosted their price target on Duke Energy from $129.00 to $132.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, February 21st. Seven investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eight have given a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $123.87.

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.