Duke Energy Corporation Price Target Cut by BTIG
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: 3h ago
0mins
Should l Buy DUK?
Source: Yahoo Finance
- Rating Adjustments: BTIG lowered its price target for Duke Energy Corporation (NYSE:DUK) from $150 to $141 while maintaining a Buy rating, reflecting cautious expectations for utility companies' 2025 results.
- Market Trends: RBC Capital also cut its target from $143 to $140, keeping a Sector Perform rating, noting that utility companies have frequently updated capital plans over the past 18 months, indicating industry uncertainty.
- Valuation Changes: Wells Fargo reduced Duke Energy's target from $126 to $115 and updated its valuation approach, suggesting the company is currently trading at a premium compared to its historical discounted valuation, reflecting market caution about its future performance.
- Investment Outlook: While Duke Energy is seen as a potential investment, analysts suggest that certain AI stocks may offer greater upside potential and lower downside risk, indicating that investors should choose carefully.
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Analyst Views on DUK
Wall Street analysts forecast DUK stock price to rise over the next 12 months. According to Wall Street analysts, the average 1-year price target for DUK is 136.31 USD with a low forecast of 126.00 USD and a high forecast of 150.00 USD. However, analyst price targets are subjective and often lag stock prices, so investors should focus on the objective reasons behind analyst rating changes, which better reflect the company's fundamentals.
13 Analyst Rating
8 Buy
5 Hold
0 Sell
Moderate Buy
Current: 123.410
Low
126.00
Averages
136.31
High
150.00
Current: 123.410
Low
126.00
Averages
136.31
High
150.00
About DUK
Duke Energy Corporation is an energy holding company. The Company operates through two segments: Electric Utilities and Infrastructure (EU&I) and Gas Utilities and Infrastructure (GU&I). The EU&I segment conducts operations primarily through the regulated public utilities of Duke Energy Carolinas, Duke Energy Progress, Duke Energy Florida, Duke Energy Indiana and Duke Energy Ohio. EU&I provides retail electric service through the generation, transmission, distribution, and sale of electricity to customers within the Southeast and Midwest regions of the United States. The GU&I segment conducts natural gas operations primarily through the regulated public utilities of Piedmont, Duke Energy Ohio, and Duke Energy Kentucky. GU&I serves residential, commercial, industrial, and power generation natural gas customers, including customers served by municipalities who are wholesale customers. It also purchases a diverse portfolio of transportation and storage services from interstate pipelines.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
Duke Energy Foundation Funds Community Colleges for Workforce Development
- Funding Support: Duke Energy Foundation is awarding $500,000 to community colleges in North Carolina to expand and strengthen programs that support energy and technical careers, particularly in fields like electrical, welding, and mechanical engineering.
- Application Process: Up to 20 community colleges can apply for $25,000 grants, with applications open until February 25, 2026, directly enhancing local workforce skills and job opportunities.
- Economic Impact: As North Carolina experiences rapid growth in energy demand, establishing a strong pipeline of skilled workers is crucial, with Duke Energy Foundation having invested over $6 million in local workforce development over the past five years to address this challenge.
- Strategic Commitment: Duke Energy's state president, Kendal Bowman, emphasized that this investment reflects the company's long-term commitment to developing a local skilled workforce, ensuring the ongoing growth of North Carolina's economy and the stability of its energy grid.
See More
Duke Energy Corporation Price Target Cut by BTIG
- Rating Adjustments: BTIG lowered its price target for Duke Energy Corporation (NYSE:DUK) from $150 to $141 while maintaining a Buy rating, reflecting cautious expectations for utility companies' 2025 results.
- Market Trends: RBC Capital also cut its target from $143 to $140, keeping a Sector Perform rating, noting that utility companies have frequently updated capital plans over the past 18 months, indicating industry uncertainty.
- Valuation Changes: Wells Fargo reduced Duke Energy's target from $126 to $115 and updated its valuation approach, suggesting the company is currently trading at a premium compared to its historical discounted valuation, reflecting market caution about its future performance.
- Investment Outlook: While Duke Energy is seen as a potential investment, analysts suggest that certain AI stocks may offer greater upside potential and lower downside risk, indicating that investors should choose carefully.
See More
U.S. Jobs and Inflation Data Set for Release
- Job Data Expectations: The U.S. is expected to add 60,000 jobs in January, up from 50,000 in December, which could influence the Fed's monetary policy direction amidst ongoing economic uncertainty.
- Inflation Metrics Analysis: The January Consumer Price Index is projected to rise by 0.29% month-over-month and 2.5% year-over-year, showing improvement but still falling short of the Fed's 2% target, potentially affecting investor rate expectations.
- Market Reaction and Risks: Recent signs of labor market weakness, including an ADP report indicating only 22,000 new private sector jobs, may heighten expectations for further Fed rate cuts, although investors remain optimistic about economic resilience.
- Stock Market Rotation Trend: A significant rotation within the stock market is underway, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average rising over 2% this week, reflecting confidence in economic recovery, despite ongoing weakness in tech stocks.
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- Strong Cash Flow and Financial Health: The company generated $3.7 billion in free cash flow in 2025 and ended the year with nearly $9 billion in cash, indicating a solid financial position that supports future investments and shareholder returns.
- Increased Shareholder Returns: GE Vernova doubled its dividend per share and raised its stock repurchase program from $6 billion to $10 billion in 2025, reflecting strong confidence in future cash flows and likely attracting more investor interest.
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Duke Energy Recognized as One of the World's Most Admired Companies
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- Increased Customer Trust: CEO Harry Sideris noted that this recognition reflects the trust customers have in Duke Energy, as the company excels in modernizing the grid and meeting rising customer demand, showcasing its adaptability during a transformative period in the energy industry.
- Energy Transition Strategy: Duke Energy is executing an ambitious energy transition, investing in electric grid upgrades and cleaner generation sources, including natural gas, nuclear, renewables, and energy storage, ensuring customer reliability and value.
- Broad Customer Base: Duke Energy's electric utilities serve 8.6 million customers, while its natural gas utilities serve 1.7 million customers across North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Indiana, Ohio, and Kentucky, underscoring its significant presence in the U.S. energy market.
See More
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- Industry Recognition: Duke Energy has been ranked No. 3 in Fortune's 2026 World's Most Admired Companies list among electric and gas utilities, moving up one spot from last year, marking its ninth consecutive year on the list, which reflects growing customer trust in its leadership and services.
- Customer Reliability Assurance: The implementation of smart, self-healing grid technology helped Duke Energy avoid 2.2 million customer outages in 2025, saving a total of 5.2 million hours of outage time, with nearly 75% of customers benefiting from this technology, significantly enhancing customer satisfaction.
- Future Infrastructure Investment: Duke Energy plans to add over 13 gigawatts of new generation capacity over the next five years, enough to power nearly 10 million homes, and invest more than $35 billion in grid modernization, which supports reliability and customer value while contributing to the decarbonization of its system.
- Community Resilience Support: Since 2016, Duke Energy and its employees have invested over $34.2 million in nonprofits to support community resilience, emergency preparedness, and disaster relief, demonstrating the company's commitment to social responsibility.
See More
Duke Energy Foundation Funds Community Colleges for Workforce Development
- Funding Support: Duke Energy Foundation is awarding $500,000 to community colleges in North Carolina to expand and strengthen programs that support energy and technical careers, particularly in fields like electrical, welding, and mechanical engineering.
- Application Process: Up to 20 community colleges can apply for $25,000 grants, with applications open until February 25, 2026, directly enhancing local workforce skills and job opportunities.
- Economic Impact: As North Carolina experiences rapid growth in energy demand, establishing a strong pipeline of skilled workers is crucial, with Duke Energy Foundation having invested over $6 million in local workforce development over the past five years to address this challenge.
- Strategic Commitment: Duke Energy's state president, Kendal Bowman, emphasized that this investment reflects the company's long-term commitment to developing a local skilled workforce, ensuring the ongoing growth of North Carolina's economy and the stability of its energy grid.
See More
Duke Energy Corporation Price Target Cut by BTIG
- Rating Adjustments: BTIG lowered its price target for Duke Energy Corporation (NYSE:DUK) from $150 to $141 while maintaining a Buy rating, reflecting cautious expectations for utility companies' 2025 results.
- Market Trends: RBC Capital also cut its target from $143 to $140, keeping a Sector Perform rating, noting that utility companies have frequently updated capital plans over the past 18 months, indicating industry uncertainty.
- Valuation Changes: Wells Fargo reduced Duke Energy's target from $126 to $115 and updated its valuation approach, suggesting the company is currently trading at a premium compared to its historical discounted valuation, reflecting market caution about its future performance.
- Investment Outlook: While Duke Energy is seen as a potential investment, analysts suggest that certain AI stocks may offer greater upside potential and lower downside risk, indicating that investors should choose carefully.
See More
U.S. Jobs and Inflation Data Set for Release
- Job Data Expectations: The U.S. is expected to add 60,000 jobs in January, up from 50,000 in December, which could influence the Fed's monetary policy direction amidst ongoing economic uncertainty.
- Inflation Metrics Analysis: The January Consumer Price Index is projected to rise by 0.29% month-over-month and 2.5% year-over-year, showing improvement but still falling short of the Fed's 2% target, potentially affecting investor rate expectations.
- Market Reaction and Risks: Recent signs of labor market weakness, including an ADP report indicating only 22,000 new private sector jobs, may heighten expectations for further Fed rate cuts, although investors remain optimistic about economic resilience.
- Stock Market Rotation Trend: A significant rotation within the stock market is underway, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average rising over 2% this week, reflecting confidence in economic recovery, despite ongoing weakness in tech stocks.
See More
GE Vernova Reports Strong 2025 Performance with Significant Growth Projections
- Significant Order Growth: GE Vernova secured $10.2 billion in orders in Q1 2025, totaling $59 billion for the year, highlighting robust demand in the natural gas and wind turbine markets, which further solidifies its market leadership.
- Strong Cash Flow and Financial Health: The company generated $3.7 billion in free cash flow in 2025 and ended the year with nearly $9 billion in cash, indicating a solid financial position that supports future investments and shareholder returns.
- Increased Shareholder Returns: GE Vernova doubled its dividend per share and raised its stock repurchase program from $6 billion to $10 billion in 2025, reflecting strong confidence in future cash flows and likely attracting more investor interest.
- Market Expansion and Acquisition: The company acquired the remaining 50% stake in transformer maker Prolec GE for $5.3 billion, further solidifying its dominance in the North American grid infrastructure market to meet surging power demand.
See More
Duke Energy Recognized as One of the World's Most Admired Companies
- Ranking Improvement: Duke Energy has been ranked third on Fortune's 2026 World's Most Admired Companies list, moving up from fourth last year, marking the company's ninth consecutive year on the list and highlighting its leadership in the electric and gas utility sector.
- Increased Customer Trust: CEO Harry Sideris noted that this recognition reflects the trust customers have in Duke Energy, as the company excels in modernizing the grid and meeting rising customer demand, showcasing its adaptability during a transformative period in the energy industry.
- Energy Transition Strategy: Duke Energy is executing an ambitious energy transition, investing in electric grid upgrades and cleaner generation sources, including natural gas, nuclear, renewables, and energy storage, ensuring customer reliability and value.
- Broad Customer Base: Duke Energy's electric utilities serve 8.6 million customers, while its natural gas utilities serve 1.7 million customers across North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Indiana, Ohio, and Kentucky, underscoring its significant presence in the U.S. energy market.
See More
Duke Energy Rises to No. 3 in Utility Rankings
- Industry Recognition: Duke Energy has been ranked No. 3 in Fortune's 2026 World's Most Admired Companies list among electric and gas utilities, moving up one spot from last year, marking its ninth consecutive year on the list, which reflects growing customer trust in its leadership and services.
- Customer Reliability Assurance: The implementation of smart, self-healing grid technology helped Duke Energy avoid 2.2 million customer outages in 2025, saving a total of 5.2 million hours of outage time, with nearly 75% of customers benefiting from this technology, significantly enhancing customer satisfaction.
- Future Infrastructure Investment: Duke Energy plans to add over 13 gigawatts of new generation capacity over the next five years, enough to power nearly 10 million homes, and invest more than $35 billion in grid modernization, which supports reliability and customer value while contributing to the decarbonization of its system.
- Community Resilience Support: Since 2016, Duke Energy and its employees have invested over $34.2 million in nonprofits to support community resilience, emergency preparedness, and disaster relief, demonstrating the company's commitment to social responsibility.
See More
