Sigma Planning Corp Has $4.86 Million Holdings in Duke Energy Corporation $DUK

Sigma Planning Corp reduced its position in Duke Energy Corporation (NYSE:DUK) by 6.9% during the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 41,163 shares of the utilities provider’s stock after selling 3,055 shares during the period. Sigma Planning Corp’s holdings in Duke Energy were worth $4,857,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in the company. Activest Wealth Management increased its holdings in shares of Duke Energy by 98.1% during the 1st quarter. Activest Wealth Management now owns 212 shares of the utilities provider’s stock valued at $26,000 after acquiring an additional 105 shares during the last quarter. Wayfinding Financial LLC bought a new stake in shares of Duke Energy in the 1st quarter worth approximately $27,000. N.E.W. Advisory Services LLC bought a new stake in shares of Duke Energy in the 1st quarter worth approximately $27,000. Mascoma Wealth Management LLC lifted its position in shares of Duke Energy by 53.7% in the 2nd quarter. Mascoma Wealth Management LLC now owns 249 shares of the utilities provider’s stock worth $29,000 after acquiring an additional 87 shares during the period. Finally, Financial Network Wealth Advisors LLC lifted its position in shares of Duke Energy by 360.0% during the 1st quarter. Financial Network Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 253 shares of the utilities provider’s stock worth $31,000 after buying an additional 198 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 65.31% of the company’s stock.

Duke Energy Price Performance

Duke Energy stock opened at $123.76 on Tuesday. The company has a current ratio of 0.66, a quick ratio of 0.42 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.55. The company has a market capitalization of $96.24 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 20.12, a PEG ratio of 3.05 and a beta of 0.44. The stock’s 50 day moving average is $123.90 and its 200-day moving average is $120.76. Duke Energy Corporation has a 12 month low of $105.20 and a 12 month high of $130.03.

Duke Energy (NYSE:DUK) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, August 5th. The utilities provider reported $1.25 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.29 by ($0.04). Duke Energy had a net margin of 15.51% and a return on equity of 9.85%. The company had revenue of $7.51 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $7.07 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $1.18 earnings per share. The company’s quarterly revenue was up 4.7% on a year-over-year basis. Equities research analysts expect that Duke Energy Corporation will post 6.33 EPS for the current year.

Duke Energy Dividend Announcement

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, December 16th. Stockholders of record on Friday, November 14th will be paid a $1.065 dividend. This represents a $4.26 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.4%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, November 14th. Duke Energy’s dividend payout ratio is presently 69.27%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of equities research analysts recently weighed in on the company. Mizuho raised their price target on Duke Energy from $132.00 to $140.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Monday, October 27th. Jefferies Financial Group lifted their price objective on Duke Energy from $134.00 to $138.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a research note on Wednesday, October 15th. TD Cowen began coverage on Duke Energy in a research note on Thursday, October 16th. They set a “buy” rating and a $143.00 price objective for the company. Cowen assumed coverage on Duke Energy in a report on Wednesday, October 15th. They set a “buy” rating on the stock. Finally, Barclays boosted their price target on Duke Energy from $131.00 to $135.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Tuesday, October 14th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twelve have issued a Buy rating and six have assigned a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, Duke Energy currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $138.00.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Duke Energy news, EVP Thomas Preston Jr. Gillespie sold 6,700 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, August 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $124.26, for a total transaction of $832,542.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 46,422 shares in the company, valued at approximately $5,768,397.72. This trade represents a 12.61% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Also, SVP Bonnie B. Titone sold 2,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, August 20th. The stock was sold at an average price of $124.38, for a total value of $248,760.00. Following the sale, the senior vice president owned 19,608 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $2,438,843.04. The trade was a 9.26% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Corporate insiders own 0.14% of the company’s stock.

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.