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Duke Energy (DUK) Increases Yet Falls Behind Market: What Investors Need to Know

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The latest trading session saw Duke Energy (DUK - Free Report) ending at $99.39, denoting a +0.86% adjustment from its last day's close. The stock fell short of the S&P 500, which registered a gain of 1.41% for the day. At the same time, the Dow added 0.58%, and the tech-heavy Nasdaq gained 2.2%.

Shares of the electric utility have appreciated by 4.4% over the course of the past month, outperforming the Utilities sector's gain of 3.13% and the S&P 500's gain of 2.9%.

The investment community will be paying close attention to the earnings performance of Duke Energy in its upcoming release. In that report, analysts expect Duke Energy to post earnings of $1.55 per share. This would mark year-over-year growth of 39.64%. Meanwhile, the latest consensus estimate predicts the revenue to be $7.55 billion, indicating a 2.7% increase compared to the same quarter of the previous year.

Additionally, investors should keep an eye on any recent revisions to analyst forecasts for Duke Energy. These recent revisions tend to reflect the evolving nature of short-term business trends. Hence, positive alterations in estimates signify analyst optimism regarding the company's business and profitability.

Our research shows that these estimate changes are directly correlated with near-term stock prices. To capitalize on this, we've crafted the Zacks Rank, a unique model that incorporates these estimate changes and offers a practical 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 0.14% higher. Duke Energy is holding a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold) right now.

In terms of valuation, Duke Energy is presently being traded at a Forward P/E ratio of 16.53. This valuation marks a premium compared to its industry's average Forward P/E of 15.2.

Also, we should mention that DUK has a PEG ratio of 2.61. Comparable to the widely accepted P/E ratio, the PEG ratio also accounts for the company's projected earnings growth. As of the close of trade yesterday, the Utility - Electric Power industry held an average PEG ratio of 2.7.

The Utility - Electric Power industry is part of the Utilities sector. This industry currently has a Zacks Industry Rank of 76, which puts it in the top 31% of all 250+ industries.

The Zacks Industry Rank evaluates the power of our distinct industry groups by determining the average Zacks Rank of the individual stocks forming the groups. Our research shows that the top 50% rated industries outperform the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1.

To follow DUK in the coming trading sessions, be sure to utilize Zacks.com.


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