In the latest market close, Duke Energy (DUK) reached $114.52, with a +0.58% movement compared to the previous day. This change outpaced the S&P 500's 0.36% gain on the day. Elsewhere, the Dow saw a downswing of 0.28%, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq appreciated by 0.51%.

Heading into today, shares of the electric utility had gained 5.2% over the past month, outpacing the Utilities sector's gain of 0.92% and the S&P 500's gain of 2.11% in that time.

The upcoming earnings release of Duke Energy will be of great interest to investors. The company's earnings report is expected on February 13, 2025. The company's earnings per share (EPS) are projected to be $1.61, reflecting a 6.62% increase from the same quarter last year. Meanwhile, our latest consensus estimate is calling for revenue of $7.72 billion, up 7.06% from the prior-year quarter.

Investors should also take note of any recent adjustments to analyst estimates for Duke Energy. Recent revisions tend to reflect the latest near-term business trends. As such, positive estimate revisions reflect analyst optimism about the company's business and profitability.

Our research reveals that these estimate alterations are directly linked with the stock price performance in the near future. 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, stretching from #1 (Strong Buy) to #5 (Strong Sell), has a noteworthy track record of outperforming, validated by third-party audits, with stocks rated #1 producing an average annual return of +25% since the year 1988. The Zacks Consensus EPS estimate has moved 0.16% lower within the past month. Duke Energy currently has a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold).

With respect to valuation, Duke Energy is currently being traded at a Forward P/E ratio of 17.98. This denotes a premium relative to the industry's average Forward P/E of 17.07.

It is also worth noting that DUK currently has a PEG ratio of 2.81. The PEG ratio is similar to the widely-used P/E ratio, but this metric also takes the company's expected earnings growth rate into account. Utility - Electric Power stocks are, on average, holding a PEG ratio of 2.57 based on yesterday's closing prices.

The Utility - Electric Power industry is part of the Utilities sector. At present, this industry carries a Zacks Industry Rank of 135, placing it within the bottom 47% of over 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.

Ensure to harness Zacks.com to stay updated with all these stock-shifting metrics, among others, in the next trading sessions.

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