Duke Energy (DUK) Stock Price, Fundamentals & Analysis

What DUK does

Duke Energy (DUK) is a US stock in the Utilities sector, specifically the Utilities - Regulated Electric industry. Headquartered in Charlotte, United States, it operates through two segments: Electric Utilities and Infrastructure (EU&I), which generates, transmits, distributes, and sells electricity in the Southeast and Midwest, and Gas Utilities and Infrastructure (GU&I), which distributes natural gas and invests in pipeline transmission and storage projects. With 26,441 employees, it is a large, established utility and is part of the S&P 500.

Key numbers explained

• 114.17 USD: the current share price, representing the cost to buy one share of Duke Energy on the US market.
• 17.2 trailing P/E ratio: the price investors pay per dollar of the company's last 12 months of earnings; a lower figure often suggests the stock is priced more conservatively relative to earnings.
• 15.9 forward P/E ratio: similar to the trailing P/E but based on expected future earnings, which can reflect growth or margin outlook.
• 3.73% dividend yield: the annual dividend payment expressed as a percentage of the current share price, indicating the cash return on the invested amount.
• 64% share of earnings paid out as dividends: the proportion of net income returned to shareholders, showing how much of profit is retained for reinvestment or other uses.
• 0.36 beta: a measure of volatility relative to the market; a value below 1 suggests the stock tends to move less than the overall market.
• 16% profit margin: the percentage of revenue that remains as net income after all expenses, a key gauge of operational efficiency.
• 162.2% debt-to-equity ratio: a leverage metric showing how much debt the company uses relative to shareholder equity; higher values are common in capital-intensive utilities.

Recent news

Recent headlines highlight comparisons of Duke Energy with peers like Southern Company (SO) in terms of yield, growth, and safety, as well as broader investor attention on DUK's strategy and resilience. Other stories cover a dividend increase by a peer, a charitable donation to help Florida customers with energy bills, and an award for storm resilience.

What to watch

For a regulated utility like Duke Energy, investors typically monitor regulatory decisions on electricity rates, fuel and infrastructure costs, and the balance between dividend payouts and capital investment. The company's exposure to weather patterns, energy demand cycles, and its mix of generation sources (coal, nuclear, natural gas, hydroelectric, and renewables) are also relevant factors. Comparing its metrics with those of Entergy (ETR), Alliant Energy (LNT), or Atmos Energy (ATO) can provide context for how it fits within the broader utility landscape.