Duke Energy stock slips after Morgan Stanley cuts target

Published on 09/19/2026 at 17:37 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS

Morgan Stanley cut Duke Energy stock to Equal-Weight on September 18, 2026, and lowered its target from USD 133 to USD 127. The shares traded at USD 117.44 on September 19, 2026.

DUK, US2635341090, Illustration mit AI erstellt.

Duke Energy stock (ISIN US2635341090) traded at USD 117.44 on September 19, 2026, with a market value of about USD 91.57 billion and a 52-week range of USD 113.89 to USD 134.49. The shares opened at USD 117.44 and were down 0.9 percent, keeping them below the 52-week high.

Target cut to USD 127

According to MarketBeat on September 19, 2026, Wall Street Zen cut Duke Energy to Sell from Hold, while the broader analyst consensus stayed at Moderate Buy with an average target of USD 137.56. On September 18, 2026, Yahoo Finance showed Morgan Stanley lowering its price target from USD 133 to USD 127 and keeping an Equal-Weight rating.

The same MarketBeat report said Duke Energy's adjusted EPS for the quarter was USD 1.43, above the USD 1.30 consensus estimate by USD 0.13. Revenue reached USD 7.59 billion in that quarter, up 1.1 percent from a year earlier, while net margin came in at 15.78 percent.

Quarterly numbers matter

MarketBeat said Duke Energy last released quarterly earnings results on August 3, 2026. The company reported return on equity of 9.78 percent and expects 6.72 EPS for the current year, which gives investors a clear benchmark against the lower USD 127 target.

Another detail stands out: the stock's 50-day moving average was USD 123.16 and the 200-day moving average was USD 125.84, both above the latest quote of USD 117.44. That gap keeps the chart below both trend lines.

Price still below trend

Duke Energy stock traded at USD 117.44 on September 19, 2026, compared with a 52-week high of USD 134.49 and a market capitalization of USD 91.57 billion. The move left the shares 1.4 percent above the 52-week low of USD 113.89.