Charlotte, North Carolina-based Duke Energy Corporation (DUK) is an energy company that transmits, distributes, and sells electricity. Valued at a market cap of $100.5 billion, the company generates electricity through coal, hydroelectric, natural gas, oil, renewables, and nuclear fuel.
Companies valued at $10 billion or more are typically classified as “large-cap stocks,” and DUK fits the label perfectly, with its market cap exceeding this threshold, underscoring its size, influence, and dominance within the utilities - regulated electric industry. The company’s regulated business model and extensive asset base provide stable and predictable revenue, allowing consistent investment in grid modernization and reliable energy delivery.
This utility giant is currently trading marginally below its 52-week high of $130.03, reached on Oct. 22, 2025. Shares of DUK have gained 4.7% over the past three months, slightly underperforming the State Street Utilities Select Sector SPDR ETF’s (XLU) 4.9% rise during the same time frame.
Moreover, on a YTD basis, shares of DUK are up 10.3%, compared to XLU’s 10.5% gain. In the longer term, DUK has surged 11.1% over the past 52 weeks, lagging behind XLU’s 18.3% uptick over the same time frame.
To confirm its bullish trend, DUK has been trading above its 200-day and 50-day moving averages since late January, with slight fluctuations.
On Feb. 10, shares of DUK soared 1.6% after delivering mixed Q4 results. The company’s total operating revenue increased 7.9% year-over-year to $7.9 billion, surpassing consensus estimates by 3.9%. However, its adjusted EPS of $1.50 decreased 9.6% from the same period last year, missing analyst expectations of $1.51.
DUK has trailed its rival, NextEra Energy, Inc. (NEE), which soared 29.6% over the past 52 weeks and 14.6% on a YTD basis.
Despite DUK’s recent slight underperformance, analysts remain moderately optimistic about its prospects. The stock has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy” from the 24 analysts covering it, and the mean price target of $135.26 suggests a 4.7% premium to its current price levels.
On the date of publication, Neharika Jain did not have (either directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. For more information please view the Barchart Disclosure Policy here.
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