Truist Securities Cuts Duke Energy (DUK) Price Target to $130

Truist Securities has reiterated its Buy rating on Duke Energy with a new price target of $130, a 7.41% upside from the current price.

By EarningsIQ Research Desk · Published Oct 16, 2026, 2:02 PM EDT

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Truist Securities cut its price target on Duke Energy Corporation ($DUK) to $130 from $135 on October 12, 2026, and rates the stock "Buy".

Since the rating, $DUK is up 3.2% to date (from the $117.69 close on Oct 12, 2026).

DUK Duke Energy Corporation

$121.47 +6.14% year to date

Daily close · Oct 16, 2026

Key Points

On October 12, 2026, Truist Securities reiterated its Buy rating on Duke Energy and set a new price target of $130, down from $135.
Truist Securities's $130 price target implies 7.41% upside from Duke Energy Corporation's ($DUK) current $121.03 share price.
Duke Energy's stock recently traded around $121.03, which is about 6.9% below the analyst's target.
The company has a dividend rate of $4.34 per share, with a payout ratio of 64.2%.

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Not investment advice. EarningsIQ is not a registered investment adviser, and this automated Duke Energy Corporation alert may contain errors. Disclosures

Truist Securities has reiterated its Buy rating on Duke Energy Corporation (NYSE: DUK) and set a new price target of $130 on October 12, 2026. This marks a decrease from the previous target of $135.

Duke Energy's stock is currently trading around $121.03 as of October 16, 2026, which is about 6.9% below Truist's new price target. The stock's performance in relation to the target may influence investor sentiment moving forward.

Other Institutional Activity in Duke Energy

Blackrock Inc. holds 70,543,988 shares of Duke Energy, worth approximately $8.57 billion, after increasing its stake by 1,220,100 shares. Vanguard Capital Management LLC owns 50,837,658 shares valued at about $6.18 billion, having added 313,251 shares. State Street Corporation has 44,953,588 shares worth around $5.46 billion, increasing its holdings by 423,040 shares. Geode Capital Management, LLC holds 20,367,382 shares, valued at about $2.47 billion, after an increase of 318,773 shares. Vanguard Portfolio Management LLC has 20,366,327 shares worth approximately $2.47 billion, having added 287,132 shares.

Duke Energy Corporation Stock Up 3.0%

Duke Energy's stock is trading below its analyst price target, which may prompt investor scrutiny. The shares have been performing in a range that reflects broader market sentiments in the utilities sector.

12-month forecast

$DUK price target

Duke Energy Corporation daily closes and this analyst's $130 target. Not advice.

Recent Earnings

Duke Energy reported trailing twelve-month revenue of approximately $32.8 billion, with an EPS of 6.64. The next earnings report is scheduled for November 5, 2026, which may provide further insights into the company’s performance.

Earnings drift grade

Outlook vs expectations on the last report — not price action.

C- 55/100

Reported May 5, 2026

Forward outlook
2 target cuts vs 1 raises.
EPS & revenue
EPS beat estimates by 2.2%. Revenue beat estimates by 7.8%.
Profit surprise
EBITDA beat by 10 percent. Operating income beat by 16 percent.
Pre-earnings setup
Expectations were about average.
Analyst signal
1 target raise, 2 target cuts.
Earnings quality
Gross margin up 16.1 points. Operating margin up 1.3 points. Positive free cash flow.

Earnings Call Summary

Duke delivered $1.93 in adjusted earnings per share, beating the $1.79 target, driven by infrastructure spending and favorable weather. The company signed $2.7 billion in data center contracts this quarter, bringing total to $7.6 billion, with 15.4 billion in discussions. Major wins include $3.1 billion in clean energy tax credits for customers and approval to combine two Carolina utilities, saving customers $2.3 billion by 2040. The company closed over $5 billion in asset sales and is executing its largest regulated capital plan.

Guidance Duke reaffirmed its 2026 earnings target of $6.55 to $6.80 per share and 5 to 7 percent yearly growth through 2030, with confidence to hit the top half of the range starting in 2028. The company expects data center customers to begin taking power in late 2027 and into 2028, ramping through the early 2030s. Management will update load forecasts more frequently as deals accelerate.

Underwhelming report. Mixed results that may lead to slightly lower expectations.

Insider Buying and Selling at Duke Energy Corporation

On March 2, 2026, Officer Kodwo Ghartey-Tagoe sold 18,246 shares, valued at approximately $2.4 million. On the same day, Officer Regis T Repko sold 663 shares at an average price of $131, totaling about $86,853. CEO Harry K. Sideris sold 20,000 shares on May 8, 2026, at an average price of $124.37, amounting to roughly $2.49 million. Additionally, Officer Louis E Renjel sold 3,500 shares on May 11, 2026, at an average price of $125.15, valued at about $438,025.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

On October 12, 2026, Truist Securities maintained its Buy rating on Duke Energy with a target price of $130, down from $135. The consensus among analysts for Duke Energy is varied, with Morgan Stanley maintaining an Equal-Weight rating and a target of $127, while Barclays has an Overweight rating with a target of $124.

About Duke Energy

Duke Energy Corporation, based in Charlotte, NC, operates as an energy company in the U.S. It generates and sells electricity through its Electric Utilities and Infrastructure segment and provides natural gas through its Gas Utilities and Infrastructure segment. The company focuses on serving customers in the Southeast and Midwest regions.

Bottom Line

Investors should keep an eye on Duke Energy's upcoming earnings report on November 5, 2026, for potential updates on its performance. The adjustments in analyst ratings reflect ongoing evaluations of the company's market position and financial health.