Fox Hill Wealth Management Raises Stake in Duke Energy Co. (NYSE:DUK)

Fox Hill Wealth Management increased its stake in shares of Duke Energy Co. (NYSE:DUK) by 5.3% during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 26,125 shares of the utilities provider’s stock after purchasing an additional 1,314 shares during the period. Duke Energy accounts for 1.6% of Fox Hill Wealth Management’s investment portfolio, making the stock its 16th largest position. Fox Hill Wealth Management’s holdings in Duke Energy were worth $2,815,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

A number of other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in DUK. Baron Wealth Management LLC raised its stake in Duke Energy by 3.5% during the third quarter. Baron Wealth Management LLC now owns 2,730 shares of the utilities provider’s stock valued at $315,000 after buying an additional 92 shares during the last quarter. Wilmington Savings Fund Society FSB raised its stake in Duke Energy by 0.3% during the fourth quarter. Wilmington Savings Fund Society FSB now owns 31,353 shares of the utilities provider’s stock valued at $3,378,000 after buying an additional 93 shares during the last quarter. Pallas Capital Advisors LLC raised its stake in Duke Energy by 2.8% during the fourth quarter. Pallas Capital Advisors LLC now owns 3,456 shares of the utilities provider’s stock valued at $372,000 after buying an additional 95 shares during the last quarter. Intergy Private Wealth LLC raised its stake in Duke Energy by 4.8% during the fourth quarter. Intergy Private Wealth LLC now owns 2,113 shares of the utilities provider’s stock valued at $228,000 after buying an additional 96 shares during the last quarter. Finally, V Square Quantitative Management LLC raised its stake in Duke Energy by 1.3% during the fourth quarter. V Square Quantitative Management LLC now owns 7,233 shares of the utilities provider’s stock valued at $779,000 after buying an additional 96 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 65.31% of the company’s stock.

Duke Energy Stock Performance

Shares of DUK opened at $120.85 on Wednesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.52, a current ratio of 0.67 and a quick ratio of 0.44. Duke Energy Co. has a one year low of $92.75 and a one year high of $121.47. The firm has a market capitalization of $93.84 billion, a P/E ratio of 21.17, a PEG ratio of 2.79 and a beta of 0.48. The business has a fifty day moving average of $113.44 and a 200 day moving average of $113.57.

Duke Energy (NYSE:DUK) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 13th. The utilities provider reported $1.66 earnings per share (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%. As a group, sell-side analysts anticipate that Duke Energy Co. will post 6.33 EPS for the current year.

Duke Energy Announces Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, March 17th. Shareholders of record on Friday, February 14th were issued a dividend of $1.045 per share. This represents a $4.18 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.46%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, February 14th. Duke Energy’s dividend payout ratio is presently 73.20%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

DUK has been the subject of a number of recent research reports. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their price objective on Duke Energy from $114.00 to $121.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research note on Tuesday, March 11th. Scotiabank lifted 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. BMO Capital Markets lifted their target price on Duke Energy from $123.00 to $128.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Tuesday, March 11th. Guggenheim lifted their target price on Duke Energy from $132.00 to $135.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, March 5th. Finally, 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 report on Friday, February 21st. Six analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eight have issued a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target 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.