Duke Energy (DUK) AI Stock Analysis

• Market Cap: $96.15B
• Dividend Yield: 3.43%
• Average Volume (3M): 2.75M
• Price to Earnings (P/E): 20.1
• Beta (1Y): -0.02
• Revenue Growth: 4.07%
• EPS Growth: 9.94%
• Country: US
• Employees: 26,413
• Sector: Utilities
• Sector Strength: 65
• Industry: Regulated Electric
• EPS (TTM): 1.25
• Shares Outstanding: 777,624,450
• 10 Day Avg. Volume: 2,678,774
• 30 Day Avg. Volume: 2,752,809
• PEG Ratio: N/A
• Price to Book (P/B): N/A
• Price to Sales (P/S): N/A
• P/FCF Ratio: N/A
• Enterprise Value/Market Cap: 1.89
• Enterprise Value/Revenue: 5.81
• Enterprise Value/Gross Profit: 12.59
• Enterprise Value/Ebitda: 11.63
• 1Y Price Target: $130.80
• Price Target Upside: 6.32% Upside
• Rating Consensus: Moderate Buy
• Number of Analyst Covering: 11

• Rating: 71 Outperform
• Price Target: $134.00 ▲(8.93% Upside)

Duke Energy's overall stock score is driven by strong earnings call sentiment and solid financial performance, despite some technical and valuation concerns. The company's strategic investments and legislative achievements position it well for future growth, although high debt levels and liquidity challenges remain areas to watch.

Positive Factors

Strategic Investments

The $6 billion investment by Brookfield Infrastructure enhances Duke Energy's credit profile and supports a $4 billion capital expansion in Florida, indicating strong future growth potential.

Legislative and Regulatory Achievements

Legislative achievements like the Power Bill Reduction Act and Energy Security Act support economic growth and regulatory efficiency, enhancing Duke Energy's operational stability.

Revenue and Profitability Growth

The growth in adjusted earnings per share reflects strong performance across Electric Utilities, indicating robust revenue growth and profitability.

Negative Factors

High Debt Levels

The high debt level could pose risks if interest rates rise or cash flows decrease, potentially impacting financial flexibility and stability.

Negative Free Cash Flow

Negative free cash flow suggests challenges in converting earnings into cash, which could affect liquidity and limit investment opportunities.

Higher Planned O&M and Interest Expense

Increased operational and interest expenses may pressure margins and limit profitability, affecting long-term financial performance.

Duke Energy Business Overview & Revenue Model

Company Description

Duke Energy Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, operates as an energy company in the United States. It operates through three segments: Electric Utilities and Infrastructure, Gas Utilities and Infrastructure, and Commercial Renewables. The Electric Utilities and Infrastructure segment generates, transmits, distributes, and sells electricity in the Carolinas, Florida, and the Midwest; and uses coal, hydroelectric, natural gas, oil, renewable generation, and nuclear fuel to generate electricity. It also engages in the wholesale of electricity to municipalities, electric cooperative utilities, and load-serving entities. This segment serves approximately 8.2 million customers in 6 states in the Southeast and Midwest regions of the United States covering a service territory of approximately 91,000 square miles; and owns approximately 50,259 megawatts (MW) of generation capacity. The Gas Utilities and Infrastructure segment distributes natural gas to residential, commercial, industrial, and power generation natural gas customers; and owns, operates, and invests in pipeline transmission and natural gas storage facilities. It has approximately 1.6 million customers, including 1.1 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee, as well as 550,000 customers in southwestern Ohio and northern Kentucky. The Commercial Renewables segment acquires, owns, develops, builds, and operates wind and solar renewable generation projects, including nonregulated renewable energy and energy storage services to utilities, electric cooperatives, municipalities, and corporate customers. It has 23 wind, 178 solar, and 2 battery storage facilities, as well as 71 fuel cell locations with a capacity of 3,554 MW across 22 states. The company was formerly known as Duke Energy Holding Corp. and changed its name to Duke Energy Corporation in April 2005. The company was founded in 1904 and is headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina.

How the Company Makes Money

Duke Energy generates revenue primarily through the sale of electricity and natural gas to residential, commercial, and industrial customers. The company operates regulated utility businesses, which are granted the ability to earn a return on investments in infrastructure and receive cost recovery through regulated rates approved by state regulatory commissions. Key revenue streams include residential electricity sales, commercial and industrial electricity sales, and natural gas delivery services. Additionally, Duke Energy has invested in renewable energy projects, which can provide additional revenue through power purchase agreements and subsidies. The company often engages in partnerships with local governments and private entities to expand its energy infrastructure and enhance service delivery, thereby contributing to its overall earnings.

Duke Energy Financial Statement Overview

Summary

Duke Energy demonstrates strong revenue growth and profitability, supported by efficient operations. However, the balance sheet reflects moderate leverage with high debt levels, and cash flow performance is mixed, indicating potential liquidity challenges.

Income Statement

Duke Energy demonstrates strong revenue growth with a TTM increase of 8.6% and consistent profitability, evidenced by a healthy gross profit margin of 62.5% and a net profit margin of 15.5%. The EBIT and EBITDA margins are robust, indicating efficient operations. However, the slight decline in gross profit from the previous year suggests potential cost pressures.

Balance Sheet

The company maintains a stable equity base with a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.87, indicating moderate leverage. Return on equity is solid at 9.6%, reflecting effective use of shareholder funds. However, the high level of total debt could pose risks if interest rates rise or cash flows decrease.

Cash Flow

Duke Energy's operating cash flow remains strong, but the negative free cash flow and its ratio to net income highlight potential liquidity concerns. Despite a significant improvement in free cash flow growth, the negative free cash flow to net income ratio suggests challenges in converting earnings into cash.

Breakdown	TTM	Dec 2024	Dec 2023	Dec 2022	Dec 2021	Dec 2020
Income Statement
Total Revenue	31.27B	30.36B	29.06B	28.77B	24.62B	23.37B
Gross Profit	14.44B	15.20B	13.76B	12.98B	11.96B	11.35B
EBITDA	15.64B	15.00B	13.87B	12.36B	11.86B	8.50B
Net Income	4.84B	4.51B	4.30B	2.55B	3.91B	1.38B
Balance Sheet
Total Assets	189.71B	186.34B	176.89B	178.09B	169.59B	162.39B
Cash, Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments	344.00M	314.00M	253.00M	409.00M	341.00M	259.00M
Total Debt	88.45B	85.23B	80.46B	74.91B	68.26B	64.08B
Total Liabilities	137.68B	135.09B	126.71B	126.23B	118.45B	113.20B
Stockholders Equity	50.89B	50.13B	49.11B	49.32B	49.30B	47.96B
Cash Flow
Free Cash Flow	-563.00M	48.00M	-2.73B	-5.44B	-1.43B	-1.05B
Operating Cash Flow	11.94B	12.33B	9.88B	5.93B	8.29B	8.86B
Investing Cash Flow	-12.81B	-13.12B	-12.47B	-11.97B	-10.94B	-10.60B
Financing Cash Flow	830.00M	859.00M	2.35B	6.13B	2.61B	1.73B

Duke Energy Technical Analysis

• Technical Analysis Sentiment: Positive
• Last Price: 123.02
• 50DMA: Positive
• 100DMA: Positive
• 200DMA: Positive
• MACD: Negative
• RSI: Neutral
• STOCH: Negative

Evaluating momentum and price trends is crucial in stock analysis to make informed investment decisions. For DUK, the sentiment is Positive. The current price of 123.02 is above the 20-day moving average (MA) of 121.58, above the 50-day MA of 121.65, and above the 200-day MA of 115.37, indicating a bullish trend. The MACD of 0.17 indicates Negative momentum. The RSI at 52.51 is Neutral, neither overbought nor oversold. The STOCH value of 81.94 is Negative, not indicating any strong overbought or oversold conditions. Overall, these indicators collectively point to a Positive sentiment for DUK.

Duke Energy Peers Comparison

Name	Overall Rating	Market Cap	P/E Ratio	ROE	Dividend Yield	Revenue Growth	EPS Growth
D	75 Outperform	52.08B	21.08	8.39%	4.47%	7.60%	55.99%
AEP	74 Outperform	58.23B	15.95	12.22%	3.45%	5.84%	36.33%
NGG	72 Outperform	69.47B	18.09	7.68%	4.36%	-6.02%	7.24%
DUK	71 Outperform	$96.15B	20.13	9.60%	3.43%	4.07%	9.94%
EXC	68 Neutral	44.67B	16.79	9.61%	3.61%	4.46%	8.68%
SO	66 Neutral	103.86B	24.38	12.59%	3.12%	8.53%	-7.53%
Sector *	66 Neutral	$17.65B	18.10	5.60%	3.62%	6.62%	11.55%

Duke Energy Corporate Events

Duke Energy Completes $1.75 Billion Senior Notes Sale

On September 11, 2025, Duke Energy Corporation completed the issuance and sale of $1.75 billion in senior notes, consisting of $1 billion of 4.95% Senior Notes due 2035 and $750 million of 5.70% Senior Notes due 2055. This strategic financial move, executed with several major underwriters, is expected to bolster the company’s financial position and support its ongoing operations and growth initiatives.

The most recent analyst rating on (DUK) stock is a Buy with a $132.00 price target. To see the full list of analyst forecasts on Duke Energy stock, see the DUK Stock Forecast page.