Duke Energy Rises to No. 3 in Utility Rankings
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: 1h ago
0mins
Should l Buy DUK?
Source: Newsfilter
- 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.
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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: 122.210
Low
126.00
Averages
136.31
High
150.00
Current: 122.210
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 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
Duke Energy Foundation Awards Grants to Community Colleges
- Funding Amount: Duke Energy Foundation is allocating $500,000 to community colleges across the state, providing $25,000 grants to each institution to enhance training programs for energy and skilled trades, thereby supporting the development of future skilled workers.
- Program Scope: The grants will be used to expand or strengthen training programs in critical careers such as lineworker training, electrical, mechanical and electronics engineering technology, welding, plumbing, construction trades, and vehicle maintenance to meet the growing energy demands in North Carolina.
- Application Timeline: Eligible community colleges can apply for funding until February 25, 2026, with application details available on the Duke Energy Foundation's website, ensuring timely participation in this significant initiative.
- Strategic Importance: As North Carolina experiences rapid growth and record energy demand, cultivating a skilled workforce is crucial for ensuring reliable energy supply and meeting market needs, with Duke Energy's investment providing robust support for local economic development.
See More
Duke Energy Thanks Customers for Reducing Power Usage
- Customer Conservation Impact: Duke Energy expressed gratitude to its customers in the Carolinas for reducing electricity usage on Monday morning, which significantly alleviated strain on the electric grid during extreme cold, demonstrating customer engagement in addressing severe weather challenges.
- Grid Operations Support: Vice President Gerald Wilson noted that customer conservation played a crucial role in ensuring reliable service during the cold morning, with the company's teams working tirelessly to ensure power plants and the grid can meet customer energy demands, showcasing operational capability in high-demand situations.
- Energy Management Advocacy: Duke Energy encourages customers to maintain energy-saving habits and offers various low- and no-cost tips to help manage energy use and winter bills effectively, further enhancing customer awareness of energy conservation.
- Customer Base and Services: Duke Energy serves approximately 4.7 million electric customers in the Carolinas, with about 3.8 million in North Carolina and nearly 860,000 in South Carolina, highlighting the company's extensive reach and service capabilities in the region.
See More
Duke Energy Thanks Customers for Energy Conservation Amid Cold Snap
- Customer Conservation Impact: Duke Energy expressed gratitude to its Florida customers for reducing electricity usage during a cold snap on Monday morning, which significantly alleviated strain on the electric grid and ensured reliable service, highlighting the crucial role of customer actions in managing peak energy demand.
- Company Response: Melissa Seixas, Duke Energy Florida state president, noted that customer conservation made a meaningful difference, and the company's teams are working tirelessly to ensure power plants and the grid can meet customer energy needs, demonstrating the company's resilience in extreme weather conditions.
- Energy Supply Capacity: Duke Energy Florida, a subsidiary, owns 12,300 megawatts of energy capacity, supplying electricity to 2 million residential, commercial, and industrial customers across a 13,000-square-mile service area, showcasing its strong market position and service capability.
- Future Development Strategy: Duke Energy is executing an ambitious energy transition focused on grid upgrades and cleaner generation, including natural gas, nuclear, renewables, and energy storage, aiming to meet the increasing energy demands in Florida and support economic growth.
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 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
Duke Energy Foundation Awards Grants to Community Colleges
- Funding Amount: Duke Energy Foundation is allocating $500,000 to community colleges across the state, providing $25,000 grants to each institution to enhance training programs for energy and skilled trades, thereby supporting the development of future skilled workers.
- Program Scope: The grants will be used to expand or strengthen training programs in critical careers such as lineworker training, electrical, mechanical and electronics engineering technology, welding, plumbing, construction trades, and vehicle maintenance to meet the growing energy demands in North Carolina.
- Application Timeline: Eligible community colleges can apply for funding until February 25, 2026, with application details available on the Duke Energy Foundation's website, ensuring timely participation in this significant initiative.
- Strategic Importance: As North Carolina experiences rapid growth and record energy demand, cultivating a skilled workforce is crucial for ensuring reliable energy supply and meeting market needs, with Duke Energy's investment providing robust support for local economic development.
See More
Duke Energy Thanks Customers for Reducing Power Usage
- Customer Conservation Impact: Duke Energy expressed gratitude to its customers in the Carolinas for reducing electricity usage on Monday morning, which significantly alleviated strain on the electric grid during extreme cold, demonstrating customer engagement in addressing severe weather challenges.
- Grid Operations Support: Vice President Gerald Wilson noted that customer conservation played a crucial role in ensuring reliable service during the cold morning, with the company's teams working tirelessly to ensure power plants and the grid can meet customer energy demands, showcasing operational capability in high-demand situations.
- Energy Management Advocacy: Duke Energy encourages customers to maintain energy-saving habits and offers various low- and no-cost tips to help manage energy use and winter bills effectively, further enhancing customer awareness of energy conservation.
- Customer Base and Services: Duke Energy serves approximately 4.7 million electric customers in the Carolinas, with about 3.8 million in North Carolina and nearly 860,000 in South Carolina, highlighting the company's extensive reach and service capabilities in the region.
See More
Duke Energy Thanks Customers for Energy Conservation Amid Cold Snap
- Customer Conservation Impact: Duke Energy expressed gratitude to its Florida customers for reducing electricity usage during a cold snap on Monday morning, which significantly alleviated strain on the electric grid and ensured reliable service, highlighting the crucial role of customer actions in managing peak energy demand.
- Company Response: Melissa Seixas, Duke Energy Florida state president, noted that customer conservation made a meaningful difference, and the company's teams are working tirelessly to ensure power plants and the grid can meet customer energy needs, demonstrating the company's resilience in extreme weather conditions.
- Energy Supply Capacity: Duke Energy Florida, a subsidiary, owns 12,300 megawatts of energy capacity, supplying electricity to 2 million residential, commercial, and industrial customers across a 13,000-square-mile service area, showcasing its strong market position and service capability.
- Future Development Strategy: Duke Energy is executing an ambitious energy transition focused on grid upgrades and cleaner generation, including natural gas, nuclear, renewables, and energy storage, aiming to meet the increasing energy demands in Florida and support economic growth.
See More
