Analyst Ratings February 11, 2026

BTIG Sticks With Buy on Duke Energy After 2025 Results, Cites Steady Execution

Broker reaffirms $141 target as company posts stable EPS, updates guidance and capital plans while flagging larger equity issuances

By Marcus Reed DUK
BTIG Sticks With Buy on Duke Energy After 2025 Results, Cites Steady Execution
DUK

BTIG maintained its Buy rating and $141 price target on Duke Energy following the company's 2025 earnings release on February 10. Management met consensus EPS expectations, provided 2026 guidance, updated its capital plan and rate base growth, and announced additions to its generation portfolio and energy supply pipeline. Analysts and market metrics show a relatively high P/E and a PEG above 1.8, while BTIG flagged a material increase in planned equity issuance as a monitoring point.

Key Points

  • BTIG reiterated Buy and a $141 price target after Duke Energy’s 2025 earnings release on February 10; share-price targets among analysts range from $115 to $146.
  • Duke reported diluted EPS of $6.32 for the last twelve months and revenue of $32.24 billion, a 7.7% increase; fourth-quarter EPS was $1.50 on revenue of $7.94 billion, both slightly above expectations.
  • Company initiated 2026 guidance, updated capital and rate base plans, added generation and Energy Supply Agreement pipeline capacity, and maintained a "de-risked approach" to data center build-outs; dividend streak stands at 56 years with a 3.45% yield.

BTIG has reiterated a Buy rating and kept a $141.00 price target on Duke Energy after the utility’s 2025 earnings report issued on February 10. The stock was trading around $123.11 at the time of the latest brokerage note, and analyst targets for the shares span a range from $115 to $146.

The company reported earnings per share in line with both BTIG’s forecast and the broader consensus, underscoring what the brokerage views as Duke Energy’s ability to meet targets and execute on its plans. Over the last twelve months the utility posted diluted EPS of $6.32 and generated $32.24 billion in revenue, a year-over-year increase of 7.7%.

Along with its results, Duke Energy initiated guidance for fiscal 2026, reiterated its long-term growth outlook and provided updates to its capital spending plan and rate base growth assumptions. BTIG characterized those updates as largely consistent with expectations.

Analysts are modeling EPS of $6.76 for fiscal 2026. Market valuation metrics referenced in recent analysis show the shares trading at a price-to-earnings ratio of 19.3 on near-term earnings, and a PEG ratio of 1.83.

On strategic operating items, Duke announced additions to its generation portfolio and to its pipeline of Energy Supply Agreements. The company also described its data center build-out plans as taking a measured tack; BTIG labeled that stance a "de-risked approach." The utility continues a long record of returning cash to shareholders, having paid dividends for 56 consecutive years and currently offering a yield of 3.45%.

BTIG pointed to a notable change in Duke’s financing plan: planned equity issuances are set to more than double. The brokerage called that increase "an area worth monitoring," while it kept a positive rating on the company.

On the balance-sheet side, Duke carries a substantial debt load of $90.87 billion and a reported current ratio of 0.55.


Quarterly detail and other broker notes

In related fourth-quarter disclosure for 2025, Duke Energy posted EPS of $1.50, slightly above the $1.49 analysts had projected. Revenue for the quarter came in at $7.94 billion versus an expected $7.57 billion, indicating a modest beat on the top line as well as the bottom.

Separately, Mizuho adjusted its price target for Duke to $130 from $131 while maintaining an Outperform rating. Mizuho’s adjusted EPS for 2025 was reported as $6.31, in line with consensus.

Management extended its medium-term earnings outlook, carrying forward a 5-7% EPS compound annual growth rate target through 2030 (previously through 2029). Duke reiterated its expectation to achieve results in the top half of that range beginning in 2028.


Context for investors

The combination of executed results, an updated capital plan, and a re-confirmed growth trajectory supports broker confidence in the stock, but valuation metrics and the planned increase in equity issuance are elements investors and analysts will continue to watch. The company’s large debt position and low current ratio are additional financial items that factor into risk assessments.

Risks

  • Planned equity issuances are set to more than double under the new financing plan - this is a financing risk investors should monitor (affects equity markets and utility sector financing).
  • The company’s sizeable debt burden of $90.87 billion and a current ratio of 0.55 point to leverage and short-term liquidity considerations (impacts credit and fixed-income markets as well as corporate financing costs).
  • Valuation metrics show a relatively high P/E of 19.3 and a PEG of 1.83 versus near-term earnings growth, which could limit upside if earnings momentum slows (relevant to equity investors and market valuation comparisons).

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