Duke Energy (DUK) ended the recent trading session at $110.77, demonstrating a +1.38% swing from the preceding day's closing price. The stock exceeded the S&P 500, which registered a gain of 0.88% for the day. At the same time, the Dow added 1.24%, and the tech-heavy Nasdaq gained 0.65%.
The electric utility's shares have seen an increase of 0.64% over the last month, surpassing the Utilities sector's loss of 0.89% and falling behind the S&P 500's gain of 1.17%.
Market participants will be closely following the financial results of Duke Energy in its upcoming release. The company plans to announce its earnings on February 13, 2025. The company is forecasted to report an EPS of $1.62, showcasing a 7.28% upward movement from the corresponding quarter of the prior year. Meanwhile, our latest consensus estimate is calling for revenue of $7.7 billion, up 6.83% from the prior-year quarter.
Investors should also pay attention to any latest changes in analyst estimates for Duke Energy. Recent revisions tend to reflect the latest near-term business trends. As a result, upbeat changes in estimates indicate analysts' favorable outlook on the company's business health and profitability.
Our research shows that these estimate changes are directly correlated with near-term stock prices. To take advantage of this, we've established the Zacks Rank, an exclusive model that considers these estimated changes and delivers an operational rating system.
The Zacks Rank system, spanning from #1 (Strong Buy) to #5 (Strong Sell), boasts an impressive track record of outperformance, audited externally, with #1 ranked stocks yielding an average annual return of +25% since 1988. Over the last 30 days, the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate has moved 0.18% lower. Duke Energy is currently a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).
Investors should also note Duke Energy's current valuation metrics, including its Forward P/E ratio of 17.25. This expresses a premium compared to the average Forward P/E of 16.91 of its industry.
Meanwhile, DUK's PEG ratio is currently 2.72. The PEG ratio bears resemblance to the frequently used P/E ratio, but this parameter also includes the company's expected earnings growth trajectory. DUK's industry had an average PEG ratio of 2.62 as of yesterday's close.
The Utility - Electric Power industry is part of the Utilities sector. This group has a Zacks Industry Rank of 85, putting it in the top 34% of all 250+ industries.
The Zacks Industry Rank assesses the vigor of our specific industry groups by computing the average Zacks Rank of the individual stocks incorporated in the groups. Our research shows that the top 50% rated industries outperform the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1.
You can find more information on all of these metrics, and much more, on Zacks.com.
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