Duke Energy (DUK) Laps the Stock Market: Here's Why

In the latest trading session, Duke Energy (DUK) closed at $123.54, marking a +1.62% move from the previous day. The stock exceeded the S&P 500, which registered a gain of 0.01% for the day. Meanwhile, the Dow gained 0.51%, and the Nasdaq, a tech-heavy index, lost 0.28%. Coming into today, shares of the electric utility had gained 0.58% in the past month. In that same time, the Utilities sector gained 3.65%, while the S&P 500 gained 4.83%. Investors will be eagerly watching for the performance of Duke Energy in its upcoming earnings disclosure. On that day, Duke Energy is projected to report earnings of $1.7 per share, which would represent year-over-year growth of 4.94%. In the meantime, our current consensus estimate forecasts the revenue to be $8.41 billion, indicating a 3.15% growth compared to the corresponding quarter of the prior year. In terms of the entire fiscal year, the Zacks Consensus Estimates predict earnings of $6.32 per share and a revenue of $31.76 billion, indicating changes of +7.12% and +4.62%, respectively, from the former year. Investors should also take note of any recent adjustments to analyst estimates for Duke Energy. These latest adjustments often mirror the shifting dynamics of short-term business patterns. As a result, upbeat changes in estimates indicate analysts' favorable outlook on the business health and profitability. Our research shows that these estimate changes are directly correlated with near-term stock prices. To benefit from this, we have developed the Zacks Rank, a proprietary model which takes these estimate changes into account and provides an actionable rating system. The Zacks Rank system, which varies between #1 (Strong Buy) and #5 (Strong Sell), carries an impressive track record of exceeding expectations, confirmed by external audits, with stocks at #1 delivering an average annual return of +25% since 1988. Over the past month, the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate has shifted 0.01% upward. As of now, Duke Energy holds a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold). Looking at its valuation, Duke Energy is holding a Forward P/E ratio of 19.23. Its industry sports an average Forward P/E of 18.82, so one might conclude that Duke Energy is trading at a premium comparatively. Meanwhile, DUK's PEG ratio is currently 2.93. This popular metric is similar to the widely-known P/E ratio, with the difference being that the PEG ratio also takes into account the company's expected earnings growth rate. As the market closed yesterday, the Utility - Electric Power industry was having an average PEG ratio of 2.77. The Utility - Electric Power industry is part of the Utilities sector. With its current Zacks Industry Rank of 85, this industry ranks in the top 35% of all industries, numbering over 250. The strength of our individual industry groups is measured by the Zacks Industry Rank, which is calculated based on the average Zacks Rank of the individual stocks within these groups. Our research shows that the top 50% rated industries outperform the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1. Remember to apply Zacks.com to follow these and more stock-moving metrics during the upcoming trading sessions. Research Chief Names "Single Best Pick to Double"From thousands of stocks, 5 Zacks experts each have chosen their favorite to skyrocket +100% or more in months to come. From those 5, Director of Research Sheraz Mian hand-picks one to have the most explosive upside of all.This company targets millennial and Gen Z audiences, generating nearly $1 billion in revenue last quarter alone. A recent pullback makes now an ideal time to jump aboard. Of course, all our elite picks aren’t winners but this one could far surpass earlier Zacks’ Stocks Set to Double like Nano-X Imaging which shot up +129.6% in little more than 9 months.Free: See Our Top Stock And 4 Runners UpWant the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Duke Energy Corporation (DUK): Free Stock Analysis ReportThis article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).Zacks Investment ResearchWeiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Zacks Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Zacks