La catena delle opzioni mostra i dati chiave delle opzioni azionarie di Duke Energy a vari prezzi di esercizio e date di scadenza. I trader utilizzano queste informazioni per analizzare potenziali operazioni e valutare il sentiment del mercato per Duke Energy..

Duke Energy (NYSE:DUK) Azioni, Catena delle Opzioni

Duke Energy

Duke Energy is one of the largest us utilities, with regulated utilities in the Carolinas, Indiana, Florida, Ohio, and Kentucky that deliver electricity to 8.2 million customers. Its natural gas utilities serve more than 1.6 million customers.

Duke Energy Corporation (Holding Company) Common Stock

Duke Energy Corp

Duke Energy Corporation 5.625% Junior Subordinated Debentures due 2078

Ocean Park High Income ETF

DUKETON MNG LTD by DUKETON MNG LTD.

Northern Lights Fund Trust Ocean Park Domestic ETF

DUKE ROBOTICS CORP by Duke Robotics Corp.

DUKE Robotics Corp

Ocean Park International ETF

Northern Lights Fund Trust Ocean Park Diversified Income ETF

Duke Energy Corporation Depositary Shares, each representing a 1/1,000th interest in a share of 5.75% Series A Cumulative Redeemable Perpetual Preferred Stock

Duke Energy's (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DUK#NYSE">DUK</a>) short percent of float has fallen 7.3% since its last report. The company recently reported that it has 9.83 million shares sold short, which is 1.27% of all regular shares that are available for trading. Based on its trading volume, it would take traders 2.45 days to cover their short positions on average.
<h3>Why Short Interest Matters</h3>
Short interest is the number of shares that have been sold short but have not yet been covered or closed out. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/how-to-short-a-stock/">Short selling</a> is when a trader sells shares of a company they do not own, with the hope that the price will fall. Traders make money from short selling if the price of the stock falls and they lose if it rises.
Short interest is important to track because it can act as an indicator of market sentiment towards a particular stock. An increase in short interest can signal that investors have become more bearish, while a decrease in short interest can signal they have become more bullish.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/short-interest">List of the most shorted stocks</a>
<h3>Duke Energy Short Interest Graph (3 Months)</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2024/1729882819_0.png" alt="short_fig" />
As you can see from the chart above the percentage of shares that are sold short for Duke Energy has declined since its last report. This does not mean that the stock is going to rise in the near-term but traders should be aware that less shares are being shorted.
<h3>Comparing Duke Energy's Short Interest Against Its Peers</h3>
Peer comparison is a popular technique amongst analysts and investors for gauging how well a company is performing. A company's peer is another company that has similar characteristics to it, such as industry, size, age, and financial structure. You can find a company's peer group by reading its 10-K, proxy filing, or by doing your own similarity analysis.
According to <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/">Benzinga Pro</a>, Duke Energy's peer group average for short interest as a percentage of float is 2.01%, which means the company has less short interest than most of its peers.
Did you know that increasing short interest can actually be bullish for a stock? <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/how-to-make-money-on-a-short-squeeze/">This post by Benzinga Money explains how you can profit from it.</a>
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and was reviewed by an editor.

Short Sellers

Short Ideas

Trading Ideas

Peering Into Duke Energy's Recent Short Interest

Top Wall Street analysts changed their outlook on these top names. For a complete view of all analyst rating changes, including upgrades and downgrades, please see our <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-stock-ratings">analyst ratings page</a>.
<ul>
<li>Rosenblatt analyst Mike Genovese downgraded Coherent Corp. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/COHR#NYSE">COHR</a>) from Buy to Neutral but raised the price target from $84 to $105. Coherent shares closed at $98.44 on Monday. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/COHR/analyst-ratings">See how other analysts view this stock</a>.</li>
<li>Keybanc analyst Sophie Karp downgraded the rating for Duke Energy Corporation (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DUK#NYSE">DUK</a>) from Overweight to Sector Weight. Duke Energy shares closed at $119.89 on Monday. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/DUK/analyst-ratings">See how other analysts view this stock</a>.</li>
<li>Canaccord Genuity analyst Carey Macrury downgraded Gatos Silver, Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GATO#NYSE">GATO</a>) from Buy to Hold. Gatos Silver shares closed at $19.26 on Monday. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/GATO/analyst-ratings">See how other analysts view this stock</a>.</li>
<li>BTIG analyst Janine Stichter downgraded the rating for Deckers Outdoor Corporation (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DECK#NYSE">DECK</a>) from Buy to Neutral. Deckers Outdoor shares closed at $160.01 on Monday. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/DECK/analyst-ratings">See how other analysts view this stock.</a></li>
<li>Bernstein analyst Harshita Rawat downgraded Global Payments (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GPN#NYSE">GPN</a>) from Outperform to Market Perform and lowered the price target from $135 to $112.Global Payments shares closed at $99.98 on Monday.</li>
</ul>
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/10/41429862/this-analyst-with-85-accuracy-rate-sees-around-11-upside-in-netflix-here-are-5-stock-picks-for-last">This Analyst With 85% Accuracy Rate Sees Around 11% Upside In Netflix &#8211; Here Are 5 Stock Picks For Last Week From Wall Street&#8217;s Most Accurate Analysts</a></li>
</ul>

News

Price Target

Pre-Market Outlook

Markets

Analyst Ratings

COHR

DECK

GATO

This Global Payments Analyst Is No Longer Bullish; Here Are Top 5 Downgrades For Tuesday

Keybanc analyst Sophie Karp downgrades Duke Energy (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DUK#NYSE">DUK</a>) from Overweight to Sector Weight.

Downgrades

Keybanc Downgrades Duke Energy to Sector Weight

Investors with a lot of money to spend have taken a bullish stance on Duke Energy (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DUK#NYSE">DUK</a>).
And retail traders should know.
We noticed this today when the positions showed up on publicly available options history that we track here at Benzinga.
Whether these are institutions or just wealthy individuals, we don't know. But when something this big happens with DUK, it often means somebody knows something is about to happen.
Today, Benzinga's options scanner spotted 10 options trades for Duke Energy.
This isn't normal.
The overall sentiment of these big-money traders is split between 50% bullish and 40%, bearish.
Out of all of the options we uncovered, there was 1 put, for a total amount of $33,762, and 9, calls, for a total amount of $627,974.
<h3>Projected Price Targets</h3>
Based on the trading activity, it appears that the significant investors are aiming for a price territory stretching from $75.0 to $105.0 for Duke Energy over the recent three months. 
<h3>Analyzing Volume &amp; Open Interest</h3>
Examining the volume and open interest provides crucial insights into stock research. This information is key in gauging liquidity and interest levels for Duke Energy's options at certain strike prices. Below, we present a snapshot of the trends in volume and open interest for calls and puts across Duke Energy's significant trades, within a strike price range of $75.0 to $105.0, over the past month.
<h3>Duke Energy 30-Day Option Volume &amp; Interest Snapshot</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2024/1729007158_0.png" alt="Options Call Chart" />
<h3>Largest Options Trades Observed:</h3>

<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Symbol</th>
<th>PUT/CALL</th>
<th>Trade Type</th>
<th>Sentiment</th>
<th>Exp. Date</th>
<th>Ask</th>
<th>Bid</th>
<th>Price</th>
<th>Strike Price</th>
<th>Total Trade Price</th>
<th style="text-align: right;">Open Interest</th>
<th style="text-align: right;">Volume</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>DUK</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>01/16/26</td>
<td>$41.0</td>
<td>$38.3</td>
<td>$38.31</td>
<td>$80.00</td>
<td>$153.3K</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">155</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">40</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>DUK</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>01/15/27</td>
<td>$42.8</td>
<td>$42.0</td>
<td>$42.8</td>
<td>$75.00</td>
<td>$85.6K</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">45</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">20</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>DUK</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>01/15/27</td>
<td>$40.5</td>
<td>$37.5</td>
<td>$38.5</td>
<td>$80.00</td>
<td>$77.0K</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">21</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">20</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>DUK</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>01/15/27</td>
<td>$45.4</td>
<td>$43.2</td>
<td>$43.2</td>
<td>$75.00</td>
<td>$69.1K</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">45</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">45</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>DUK</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>NEUTRAL</td>
<td>04/17/25</td>
<td>$29.1</td>
<td>$27.8</td>
<td>$28.45</td>
<td>$90.00</td>
<td>$56.9K</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">23</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">20</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

<h3>About Duke Energy</h3>
Duke Energy is one of the largest us utilities, with regulated utilities in the Carolinas, Indiana, Florida, Ohio, and Kentucky that deliver electricity to 8.2 million customers. Its natural gas utilities serve more than 1.6 million customers.
<h3>Current Position of Duke Energy</h3>
<ul>
<li>Trading volume stands at 1,063,954, with DUK's price up by 2.45%, positioned at $117.91.</li>
<li>RSI indicators show the stock to be may be approaching overbought.</li>
<li>Earnings announcement expected in 23 days.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Expert Opinions on Duke Energy</h3>
In the last month, 5 experts released ratings on this stock with an average target price of $125.2.
Turn $1000 into $1270 in just 20 days?
20-year pro options trader reveals his one-line chart technique that shows when to buy and sell. Copy his trades, which have had averaged a 27% profit every 20 days. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/premium/ideas/options-moneyline-2/?t=Moop1arja3be22op14&amp;utm_source=benzinga-insights">Click here for access</a>. 
&#x2A; Maintaining their stance, an analyst from BMO Capital continues to hold a Outperform rating for Duke Energy, targeting a price of $126. 
&#x2A; An analyst from Keybanc persists with their Overweight rating on Duke Energy, maintaining a target price of $121. 
&#x2A; Reflecting concerns, an analyst from Jefferies lowers its rating to Buy with a new price target of $138. 
&#x2A; An analyst from Mizuho upgraded its action to Outperform with a price target of $121. 
&#x2A; An analyst from Morgan Stanley persists with their Equal-Weight rating on Duke Energy, maintaining a target price of $120. 
Trading options involves greater risks but also offers the potential for higher profits. Savvy traders mitigate these risks through ongoing education, strategic trade adjustments, utilizing various indicators, and staying attuned to market dynamics. Keep up with the latest options trades for Duke Energy with <a href="https://benzinga.grsm.io/register174">Benzinga Pro</a> for real-time alerts.

Options

Looking At Duke Energy's Recent Unusual Options Activity

Top Wall Street analysts changed their outlook on these top names. For a complete view of all analyst rating changes, including upgrades and downgrades, please see our <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-stock-ratings">analyst ratings page</a>.
<ul>
<li>TD Cowen analyst Gabe Daoud upgraded the rating for SM Energy Company (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SM#NYSE">SM</a>) from Hold to Buy and lowered the price target from $64 to $60. SM Energy shares fell 2% to close at $44.62 on Monday. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/SM/analyst-ratings">See how other analysts view this stock</a>.</li>
<li>Craig-Hallum analyst Jason Kreyer upgraded TechTarget, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TTGT#NASDAQ">TTGT</a>) from Hold to Buy and boosted the price target from $34 to $36. TechTarget shares gained 4.8% to close at $25.16 on Monday. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/TTGT/analyst-ratings">See how other analysts view this stock</a>.</li>
<li>Mizuho analyst Anthony Crowdell upgraded Duke Energy Corporation (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DUK#NYSE">DUK</a>) from Neutral to Outperform and increased the price target from $116 to $121. Duke Energy shares gained 0.8% to close at $115.09 on Monday. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/DUK/analyst-ratings">See how other analysts view this stock</a>.</li>
<li>Wedbush analyst Seth Basham upgraded the rating for Advance Auto Parts, Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAP#NYSE">AAP</a>) from Neutral to Outperform. Advance Auto Parts shares gained 5.2% to close at $39.47 on Monday. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/AAP/analyst-ratings">See how other analysts view this stock</a>.</li>
<li>Evercore ISI Group analyst Vijay Kumar upgraded Bausch + Lomb Corporation (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BLCO#NYSE">BLCO</a>) from In-Line to Outperform and boosted the price target from $19 to $25. Bausch &amp; Lomb shares gained 7.2% to close at $20.87 on Monday. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/BLCO/analyst-ratings">See how other analysts view this stock.</a></li>
</ul>
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<figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="513" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/15090336/image-113-1024x513.png" alt="" class="wp-image-596052" style="width:571px;height:auto" srcset="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/15090336/image-113-1024x513.png 1024w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/15090336/image-113-300x150.png 300w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/15090336/image-113-768x385.png 768w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/15090336/image-113.png 1327w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/24/10/41327296/jim-cramer-is-worried-about-this-plane-maker-says-palo-alto-is-a-good-one">Jim Cramer Is Worried About This Plane Maker, Says Palo Alto Is A &#8216;Good&#8217; One</a></li>
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Upgrades

BLCO

TTGT

This Advance Auto Parts Analyst Turns Bullish; Here Are Top 5 Upgrades For Tuesday

Mizuho analyst Anthony Crowdell upgrades Duke Energy (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DUK#NYSE">DUK</a>) from Neutral to Outperform and raises the price target from $116 to $121.

Mizuho Upgrades Duke Energy to Outperform, Raises Price Target to $121

A hotter-than-expected September Consumer Price Index inflation report, combined with a surprising spike in weekly jobless claims, weighed on major stock indices in early New York trading Thursday, while sparking diverging performances <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets">among sectors</a>.
Technology and consumer discretionary stocks led the declines, while utilities outperformed, with the latter rebounding from significant losses earlier in the week.
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Inflation Tops Estimates, Claims Likely Affected By Hurricane Helene</h3>
The annual headline inflation rate dipped slightly from 2.5% in August to 2.4% in September, but came in <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/economics/macro-economic-events/24/10/41270761/september-inflation-hotter-than-expected-jobless-claims-spike-the-most-in-over-a-">above economist forecasts of 2.3%</a>.
Despite this marking the sixth consecutive decline in annual inflation, core inflation — which excludes volatile food and energy — rose unexpectedly from 3.2% to 3.3%, marking its first increase since March 2023.
Monthly inflation readings also came in slightly above expectations for both headline and core metrics, though they showed no acceleration from August's growth pace.
With the Federal Reserve&#8217;s heightened focus on labor market dynamics, markets closely watched the latest jobless claims report, which revealed a surprising jump to 254,000, the highest since July 2023. 
Some experts, like Bill Adams, chief economist at Comerica Bank, attributed the spike to temporary disruptions caused by Hurricane Helene and said he anticipates similar effects from Hurricane Milton in the coming weeks.
Overall, the two key data releases pushed the S&amp;P 500 down from record highs reached the previous day while boosting expectations for a 25-basis-point rate cut in November. Notably, market-implied odds of a November rate cut inched up from 76% to 86% after the reports.
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Thursday&#8217;s Sector Movers</h3>
<figure class="wp-block-table is-style-stripes"> 
<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Sector</th>
<th>1-day % Chg</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Utilities</td>
<td>0.81%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Energy</td>
<td>0.46%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Real Estate</td>
<td>0.17%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Cons. Staples</td>
<td>0.02%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Financials</td>
<td>0.01%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Materials</td>
<td>0.01%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Health Care</td>
<td>-0.04%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Communications</td>
<td>-0.28%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Industrials</td>
<td>-0.59%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Cons. Discretionary</td>
<td>-0.61%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Technology</td>
<td>-0.77%</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Updated at 9:55 a.m. ET</figcaption></figure>
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Thursday&#8217;s Stock Movers</h3>
Stocks leading gains within the Utilities Select Sector SPDR Fund (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/XLU#NYSE">XLU</a>) included NextEra Energy, Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NEE#NYSE">NEE</a>), Duke Energy Corporation (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DUK#NYSE">DUK</a>) and Eversource Energy (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ES#NYSE">ES</a>), up 2.5%, 1.5% and 1.4% respectively. 
Dragging down the tech sector, tracked by the Technology Select Sector SPDR Fund (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/XLK#NYSE">XLK</a>), were First Solar, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/FSLR#NASDAQ">FSLR</a>), down 6.3%, Super Micro Computer, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SMCI#NASDAQ">SMCI</a>), down 4.6%, and Enphase Energy, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ENPH#NASDAQ">ENPH</a>), down 3.3%. 
Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>), Ross Stores Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ROST#NASDAQ">ROST</a>) and Lululemon Athletica Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LULU#NASDAQ">LULU</a>) were the worst performers within the Consumer Discretionary&nbsp;Select Sector SPDR Fund (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/XLY#NYSE">XLY</a>), down 2.8%, 1.7% and 1.5%, respectively. 
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Photo via Shutterstock.

Equities

Large Cap

Macro Economic Events

Sector ETFs

Econ #s

Economics

Federal Reserve

Movers

Tech

ETFs

ENPH

FSLR

LULU

ROST

SMCI

TSLA

XLRE

Select Sector SPDR-Consumer Discretionary

Tech, Consumer Discretionary Stocks Fall, Utilities Sector Outperforms On Surprisingly High Inflation, Jobless Claims Data

Hurricane Milton wreaked havoc across Florida on Wednesday night, causing widespread power outages as it made landfall near Siesta Key in Sarasota County before barreling through the central part of the state. 
What Happened: Over 2 million residents were left without power as the storm&#8217;s winds and heavy rains swept across the region.
The storm&#8217;s impact on Florida&#8217;s power grid has been significant, affecting major utility providers throughout the state. 
According to <a href="https://poweroutage.us/">data</a> from PowerOutage.us, which tracks about 11.5 million customers across Florida, Florida Power &amp; Light Company which is owned by NextEra Energy Inc (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NEE#NYSE">NEE</a>) recorded the highest number of outages, with 929,918 customers without power. 
Duke Energy Corp (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DUK#NYSE">DUK</a>) followed closely behind with 666,142 outages, while Tampa Electric reported 590,437 customers affected.
Hurricane Milton's power disruptions weren't limited to Florida. In North Carolina, Duke Energy reported 50,824 customers without power, contributing to the state&#8217;s total outage count of 65,238. In Georgia, another 34,028 outages were reported.
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Why It Matters: As Hurricane Milton approached, it was downgraded from a <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/10/41257552/how-strong-is-milton-what-to-expect-from-hurricane-categories-1-through-5">Category 5 to a Category 4 storm</a>. Despite the downgrade, the storm&#8217;s potential for damage remained significant, prompting evacuations and preparations across the state. 
The storm&#8217;s impact was <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/24/10/41254312/hurricane-milton-descends-on-florida-analysts-warn-of-impact-on-disney-nexteras-flo">expected to affect various sectors</a>, including utilities, insurance, and regional banks, with companies like NextEra Energy Inc and Walt Disney Co taking precautionary measures.
In anticipation of the storm, Disney World closed its parks <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/24/10/41245886/disney-world-closes-early-as-hurricane-milton-approaches-florida-parks-brace-for-impact">early</a>, and Tesla Inc advised its vehicle owners to fully charge their electric vehicles, planning to deploy mobile <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/10/41243307/tesla-advises-owners-to-fully-charge-evs-at-home-as-hurricane-milton-approaches-plans-mobile-superch">superchargers post-storm</a>. 
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Image Via Shutterstock 
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors

Hurricane Milton Knocks Out Power For Over 2M In Florida, NextEra Energy, Duke Energy, And Tampa Electric Report Major Outages

Insurance, regional banks, fitness centers, utilities, hospitals and theme parks are among the sectors that could be negatively impacted when Hurricane Milton hits Florida Wednesday night or <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/10/41231817/hurricane-milton-dire-warning-if-you-choose-to-stay-youre-going-to-die-officials-encourage-writing-n">early </a><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/24/10/41209505/hurricane-milton-is-floridas-second-storm-in-two-weeks-how-disney-theme-parks-insurance-companie">Thursday </a><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/10/41231817/hurricane-milton-dire-warning-if-you-choose-to-stay-youre-going-to-die-officials-encourage-writing-n">morning.</a>
Here's a look at some of the sectors and stocks that investors should be watching with Hurricane Milton on the way.
Hurricane Milton Update: According <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/weather/map-hurricane-milton-path-forecast-status-track-rcna174203">to </a>NBC News, <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/hurricane-milton">Hurricane Milton was downgraded </a>to a Category 4 storm on Wednesday morning. The hurricane is expected to make landfall Wednesday night and could hit some of Florida&#8217;s most populous areas, including the Tampa Bay area.
Evacuation orders are in place for multiple Florida counties with government officials warning that failure to follow the orders could lead to casualties.
With evacuations taking place, Florida service stations are running out of gas, and there are concerns about charging electric vehicles on evacuation routes.
The constant changes in the storm's path could have a major effect on the damage and potential casualties. A landfall in the Tampa Bay area is seen as the worst-case scenario for the hurricane, as reported by <a href="https://www.cnn.com/weather/live-news/hurricane-milton-florida-10-09-24/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CNN</a>.
Read Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/24/10/41239644/hurricane-milton-evacuations-a-matter-of-life-and-death-biden-says-feds-bostic-says-storm-could-">Hurricane Milton Evacuations &#8216;A Matter Of Life And Death,&#8217; Biden Says: Fed&#8217;s Bostic Says Storm Could Have Significant Economic Impact Over Next 6 Months</a>
Regional Banks: DA Davidson analyst Gary Tenner looked at the regional banks that could be most impacted by Hurricane Milton in a new investor note.
"Based on experience, we would expect the banks in the market to be impacted in multiple ways in the post-hurricane period, including a potential deposit boost related to insurance settlements, elevated near term expenses and provision, with lending opportunities related to rebuilding efforts,&#8221; Tenner said.
The analyst said banks in the Tampa and St. Petersburg areas could see near-term increased expenses but could see "positive offsets over the longer term."
Based on market share in the region, Tenner highlights the following regional banks:
<ul>
<li>Regions Financial (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/RF#NYSE">RF</a>): Buy rating</li>
<li>Fifth Third Bancorp (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/FITB#NASDAQ">FITB</a>): Neutral rating</li>
<li>Synovus Financial Corp (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SNV#NYSE">SNV</a>): Buy rating</li>
<li>SouthState Corporation (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SSB#NYSE">SSB</a>): Buy rating</li>
<li>Cadence Bank (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CADE#NYSE">CADE</a>): Buy rating</li>
<li>Hancock Whitney Corporation (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HWC#NASDAQ">HWC</a>): Buy rating</li>
</ul>
Hospitals Impact: Hospital operators in the Florida region could be negatively impacted by Hurricane Milton and face IV shortages, RBC analyst Ben Hendrix said in a new investor note.
"Hospital operators traded slightly lower on Thursday, which we believe reflects at least in part weather-related concerns as Hurricane Milton moves toward Florida's west coast," Hendrix said.
The analyst said hospitals could see "some disruptions to facilities" in the coming days.
RBC highlights the following hospitals in the report:
<ul>
<li>Community Health Systems (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CYH#NYSE">CYH</a>): Outperform rating</li>
<li>HCA Healthcare (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HCA#NYSE">HCA</a>): Outperform rating</li>
<li>Tenet Healthcare (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/THC#NYSE">THC</a>): Outperform rating</li>
<li>Universal Health Services (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/UHS#NYSE">UHS</a>): Sector Perform rating</li>
</ul>
"We believe HCA may be spared the worst of the storm damage with most of its hospital concentration in Central Florida located in the Tampa Bay area, which is north of the expected Sarasota landfall," Hendrix said.
Utilities Impact: Hurricane Milton could have a negative impact on utility stocks, Scotiabank analyst Andrew Weisel warned investors in a new note.
"While we remain bullish on U.S. utility fundamentals and valuations, we're growing somewhat cautious about investor sentiment, which had finally started to turn positive after years of negativity or indifference," Weisel said.
The analyst said they generally caution against trading around storms like Hurricane Milton.
"Rising hurricane activity is no doubt worrisome."
Weisel said the utility sector has several catalysts like rate cuts and the 2024 election, aside from the hurricane impact.
Top utility picks from Weisel are CMS Energy Corporation (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CMS#NYSE">CMS</a>), WEC Energy Group (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/WEC#NYSE">WEC</a>) and DTE Energy Company (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DTE#NYSE">DTE</a>). After these three top picks, the analyst highlights Southern Company (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SO#NYSE">SO</a>), NextEra Energy (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NEE#NYSE">NEE</a>), Alliant Energy Corporation (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LNT#NASDAQ">LNT</a>) and American Electric Power Company (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AEP#NASDAQ">AEP</a>) as other favorable utility names. 
Weisel also said he would buy Duke Energy Corporation (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DUK#NYSE">DUK</a>) because of its weakness ahead of Hurricane Milton.
"While outages often lead to lost revenues, slightly weighing on near-term earnings, the impacts are generally very modest," Weisel said.
Another major utility that could be impacted by Hurricane Milton is Tampa Electric, owned by Emera Inc. (OTC:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/EMRAF#OTC">EMRAF</a>). Serving the Tampa Bay area, Tampa Electric is particularly vulnerable to the storm&#8217;s effects.
Insurance Stocks: The insurance sector is one of the sectors most on watch for the damaging impact and cleanup aftermath from Hurricane Milton.
Insurance stocks like Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BRK#NYSE">BRK</a>) (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BRK#NYSE">BRK</a>), Allstate (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ALL#NYSE">ALL</a>), Progressive (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PGR#NYSE">PGR</a>), Travelers Companies (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TRV#NYSE">TRV</a>) and Chubb (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CB#NYSE">CB</a>) are among the large insurers that could be impacted.
RBC analyst Derald Goh, who covers European insurance stocks, shared a note on the potential damage from the hurricane.
"A potential $60bn industry loss from Hurricane Milton appears very manageable for a sector that is keen to demonstrate stronger earnings resiliency and should drive a re-rating," Goh said.
The $60 billion estimate comes as Hurricane Milton is expected to cause destruction similar to that caused by Hurricane Ian in 2022. Based on the estimated damage from that storm, the analyst considers this estimate the most reliable method for predicting the impact on insurance companies.
Goh said five hurricanes have made landfall in the U.S. this season, and the previous average forecast was 12.
Leisure Sector: Hurricane Milton could also impact theme parks, with the state of Florida home to Disney World, owned by The Walt Disney Company (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DIS#NYSE">DIS</a>), and Universal Studios Orlando, owned by Comcast Corporation (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CMCSA#NASDAQ">CMCSA</a>).
Disney announced it is <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/24/10/41245886/disney-world-closes-early-as-hurricane-milton-approaches-florida-parks-brace-for-impact">closing Disney World parks early </a>on Wednesday and transportation services could remain limited, with a plan to re-open on Thursday. The storm may have scared away a large amount of tourists. Goldman Sachs recently said Disney could see a<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/entertainment/24/10/41229099/disney-faces-150m-200m-blow-from-hurricane-milton-attendance-set-to-drop-6-says-goldman-sac"> $150 million to $200 million</a> negative impact from Hurricane Milton.
Morgan Stanley analyst Megan Alexander sees Hurricane Milton having a negative impact on fitness centers Planet Fitness (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PLNT#NYSE">PLNT</a>) and Life Time Group Holdings (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LTH#NYSE">LTH</a>) and indoor golf facility company Topgolf Callaway Brands (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MODG#NYSE">MODG</a>).
"Overall, PLNT appears to be the most exposed across our coverage particularly given the concentration of corporate locations in the state," Alexander said.
The analyst, who has an Overweight rating and a $84 price target on Planet Fitness, said Florida represents around 25% of corporate-owned locations. Store closures could negatively impact new membership additions, but Alexander added that the monthly membership fee revenue model could insulate the company from a negative impact.
The analyst sees Life Time Group, rated Equal Weight with a $21 price target, having a minimal impact with only five locations in Florida, which is less than 3% of total locations.
Alexander said Topgolf has nine locations in Florida, with five currently closed due to Hurricane Milton. The analyst, who has an Underweight rating and a $10 price target on the stock, said Topgolf will likely see a minimal impact unless locations have severe storm damage and have to be closed for an extended time period.  
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Image of Hurricane Milton courtesy of NASA.

Analyst Color

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Hurricane Milton Descends On Florida: Analysts Warn Of Impact On Disney, NextEra's Florida Power & Light, Regional Banks

Duke Energy Florida Readying 16,000 Resources To Respond To Over 1M Power Outages Across Its Service Territory As Soon As Weather And Other Conditions Allow.

Florida is bracing for another hurricane to make landfall this week, less than two weeks after <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/09/41073069/hurricane-helene-update-28-dead-power-outages-insurance-damages-and-more">Hurricane Helene.</a>
Here's a look at the forecast and stocks to watch.
Hurricane Milton Intensifies: Less than two weeks after Hurricane Helene hit Florida, Hurricane Milton is intensifying into a potential Category 4 or Category 5 storm, <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/10/41198558/after-helene-florida-gears-up-for-another-devastating-hurricane">set to make landfall</a> in the state on Wednesday.
CNN <a href="https://www.cnn.com/weather/live-news/hurricane-milton-florida-10-07-2024/index.html">reported </a>that the storm has grown in size and is now considered a Category 3 hurricane. According to the report, the storm's growing size could affect a larger area of Florida than the last hurricane.
Milton is expected to hit the Gulf Coast of Florida, with the state already declaring a state of emergency and working on evacuations. Hillsborough County, which includes Tampa, is among the areas expected to call for evacuations Monday.
Several school districts in the state closed school Monday.
Florida Division of Emergency Management director Kevin Guthrie said Sunday the storm could result in the state's largest evacuation since 2017.
"I urge Floridians to finalize your storm preparations now, enact your plan," Guthrie said Sunday.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis cautioned residents on the potential for more power outages in the state than with Helene.
The timing of Milton could create a double whammy for the state of Florida and surrounding regions that are still recovering from Helene. 
"You get hit with a major hurricane, what's going to happen to that debris? It's going to increase the damage dramatically," DeSantis said. 
The existing and additional debris could also make pathways tough for emergency personnel.
Read Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/24/10/41145534/hurricane-helene-adds-to-most-active-quarter-for-power-outages-driving-back-up-gene">Hurricane Helene Adds To &#8216;Most Active Quarter&#8217; For Power Outages, Driving Back-Up Generator Demand</a>
Stocks to Watch: While Florida theme parks mostly avoided closures from Helene, the newest hurricane in the region could significantly impact the sector.
Orange County, home to Orlando, is one of the counties in a state of emergency ahead of Hurricane Milton&#8217;s landfall.
Walt Disney World, owned by The Walt Disney Company (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DIS#NYSE">DIS</a>), is among the theme parks that could face closures due to weather, missed revenue opportunities, and refunds. The theme park is open Monday but, as of Sunday, had shut down the ability to make reservations for Tuesday and Wednesday, as <a href="https://www.floridatoday.com/story/news/2024/10/07/hurricane-milton-disney-orlando-florida-theme-parks-universal-busch/75543794007/">reported </a>by Florida Today.
Disney World has closed for several hurricanes in the past, most recently for Hurricane Ian in 2022. The theme park was able to escape Helene with minimal impact on some outdoor activities and night entertainment events that were canceled.
Universal Studios in Orlando, which is owned by Comcast Corporation (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CMCSA#NASDAQ">CMCSA</a>), could also face closures and cancellations due to the storm's current path.
Power companies like Duke Energy (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DUK#NYSE">DUK</a>) and Southern Company (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SO#NYSE">SO</a>) are among utilities that could see large numbers of customer outages. The companies could face increased labor costs and additional costs to repair infrastructure after the storm.
While theme park stocks could see a negative impact from Hurricane Milton, several other stocks and sectors could benefit from the storm and the pending damage.
Home improvement retailers like Home Depot (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HD#NYSE">HD</a>) and Lowe's Companies (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LOW#NYSE">LOW</a>) traditionally gain from hurricane restoration efforts. With the potential for increased damage due to the back-to-back hurricanes, home improvement retailers could see a surge in demand in the regions hit by the storm.
Generac Holdings (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GNRC#NYSE">GNRC</a>) is another company that could benefit from the hurricanes as demand for generators increases. On Monday, Generac shares hit new 52-week highs in anticipation of Hurricane Milton.
One sector facing uncertainty is insurance, as severe damage from the hurricane could hurt profits, but a weaker impact could boost earnings with fewer claims. Companies like Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BRK#NYSE">BRK</a>) (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BRK#NYSE">BRK</a>), Allstate Corporation (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ALL#NYSE">ALL</a>) and Travelers Companies (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TRV#NYSE">TRV</a>) are among the publicly traded companies that could be impacted by insurance claims from the hurricane.
When Hurricane Helene initially struck, insurance companies expected minimal impact. However, as damage estimates rise, concerns grow. After a relatively mild hurricane season, the successive blows from Helene and Milton could pose challenges for insurers offering home, hurricane, and flood coverage.
Read Next: 
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/10/41195370/elon-musk-said-his-blood-was-boiling-after-fema-allegedly-didnt-allow-spacex-engineers-to-deliver-st">Elon Musk Said His Blood Was &#8216;Boiling&#8217; After FEMA Allegedly Didn&#8217;t Allow SpaceX Engineers To Deliver Starlink Terminals And Supplies To Hurricane Helene Victims, But Now They&#8217;ve Received Approval</a></li>
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Image created using artificial intelligence via Midjourney.

GNRC

Hurricane Milton Is Florida's Second Storm In Two Weeks: How Disney, Theme Parks, Insurance Companies Could Be Impacted

Duke Energy Says 334,000 Customers Still Without Service In Upstate South Carolina & Mountains Of North Carolina Following Hurricane Helene

Hurricane Helene&#8217;s devastation claimed the lives of more than 130 people and left nearly 800,000 without power, according to the latest figures. The storm, which <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/09/41073069/hurricane-helene-update-28-dead-power-outages-insurance-damages-and-more">made landfall on September 26</a>, tore through the Florida Panhandle, Georgia and North and South Carolina.
New Developments: Bloomberg <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/en/news/thp/2024-10-01/biden-plans-survey-of-devastation-in-north-carolina-as-helene-s-death-toll-tops-130">reported</a> that the Hurricane Helene death toll reached 139 on Tuesday.
Duke Energy Corp (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DUK#NYSE">DUK</a>), the largest utility provider in North Carolina and South Carolina, reported over two million customers experienced an electricity outage. On Monday, the Charlotte-based provider announced it had restored power to 1,350,000 customers without power.
About 443,000 customers in South Carolina remained without power; a slightly smaller 346,000 customers in North Carolina are still experiencing outages. Duke Energy expects to restore most remaining outages by Friday night, though it noted that it will be more difficult in inaccessible areas.
Even though the process of estimating the storm's insurance losses is ongoing, insurers likely will face comparatively less exposure to Hurricane Helene than initially thought. <a href="https://www.wsj.com/livecoverage/stock-market-today-dow-sp500-nasdaq-live-09-30-2024/card/insurers-likely-won-t-feel-the-full-force-of-hurricane-helene-QKMNmp4CoGGEQXUuJq18?mod=Searchresults_pos12&amp;page=1">According</a> to the Wall Street Journal, citing industry sources, reinsurers will not face catastrophic losses.
The total economic loss — including the uninsured damage incurred — is projected to be much graver. Moody's Analytics estimated the economic damage from the hurricane to be between $20 billion to $34 billion.
American International Group Inc (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AIG#NYSE">AIG</a>), Axa SA ADR (OTC:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AXAHY#OTC">AXAHY</a>), Berkshire Hathaway Inc (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BRK#NYSE">BRK</a>)(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BRK#NYSE">BRK</a>) and Allstate Corp (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ALL#NYSE">ALL</a>) are among the largest flood insurers in North Carolina, <a href="https://www.wral.com/story/homeowners-insurance-doesn-t-cover-floods-how-to-protect-your-home-in-north-carolina/21370970/">according</a> to WRAL News.
REITs Report Limited Damage: Several REITs with properties in Florida, Georgia and the Carolinas reported little to no damage following the storm.
In a Tuesday press release, Sun Communities, Inc (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SUI#NYSE">SUI</a>) reported no material building or structure damage due to the hurricane. The company operates communities in several affected states. NexPoint Residential Trust, Inc (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NXRT#NYSE">NXRT</a>) and Pebblebrook Hotel Trust (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PEB#NYSE">PEB</a>) issued similar statements.
Also Read:
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/24/09/41105907/hurricane-helene-shutters-baxter-internationals-key-manufacturing-hub-in-north-caro">Hurricane Helene Shutters Baxter International&#8217;s Key Manufacturing Hub In North Carolina</a></li>
</ul>
Photo: Courtesy Florida Fish &amp; Wildlife via <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/myfwcmedia/">Flickr</a> Creative Commons

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Hurricane Helene Devastation: The Latest On Damage, Companies Affected

Barclays analyst Nicholas Campanella maintains Duke Energy (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DUK#NYSE">DUK</a>) with a Overweight and raises the price target from $102 to $118.

Barclays Maintains Overweight on Duke Energy, Raises Price Target to $118

Duke Energy Says Restored 1.35M Customer Outages In The Carolinas Following Helene

While the S&amp;P 500 is up 20.30% year-to-date, utilities — tracked by Utilities Select Sector SPDR Fund (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/XLU#NYSE">XLU</a>) — <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/utilities">have surged by 26.99%</a>. 
The sector is outpacing the market's biggest names, including tech and communication services.
The leaders posting significant gains in this space include NextEra Energy Inc (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NEE#NYSE">NEE</a>), Southern Co (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SO#NYSE">SO</a>) and Duke Energy Corp (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DUK#NYSE">DUK</a>). But it&#8217;s Vistra Corp. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/VST#NYSE">VST</a>) and Constellation Energy Corp (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CEG#NASDAQ">CEG</a>) that are embracing the AI revolution to supercharge their growth.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Vistra, Constellation: The New Tech Titans?</h2>
Vistra stock has rocketed 205.61% this year, becoming the top-performing stock in the S&amp;P 500. With its focus on nuclear energy, it's carving a niche in powering AI data centers.
Constellation Energy is up 119.86%, and has similarly thrived. The company struck deals with Microsoft Corp (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>) to fuel the tech giant's AI and cloud infrastructure with clean nuclear energy.
Read Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com//node/40957437">Microsoft Taps Constellation For 20-Year Carbon-Free Power – 3,400 Jobs Coming To Pennsylvania</a>
These partnerships make utilities a surprising AI play, blending old-school reliability with cutting-edge tech applications. The newfound relevance of nuclear power in the AI era is a growth driver that no one saw coming.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Are Utilities The New Safe Haven?</h2>
While utilities have long been a defensive play, their AI adoption has turned them into a growth story. 
Funds like the Virtus Reaves Utilities ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/UTES#NYSE">UTES</a>), an actively managed fund, are gaining attention. With over 40% year-to-date returns, it's outperforming traditional market-weighted sector peers. UTES' smart bets on Vistra and Constellation have paid off handsomely, proving that even "boring" sectors can surprise investors.
Looking ahead, the rise of electrification-themed ETFs, such as those filed by Global X and Tema, suggests that utilities may continue to thrive in the AI-driven future.
Read Next: 
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/24/09/40903154/13-etfs-to-own-as-fed-set-to-cut-rates-analysts-highlight-utilities-real-estate-and">13 ETFs To Own As Fed Set To Cut Rates: Analysts Highlight Utilities, Real Estate, And More</a></li>
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Long Ideas

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Utilities Outpace S&P 500, Fueled By AI: These 2 Stocks Lead The Charge

Hurricane Helene and the aftermath of the Category 4 storm have left over 100 people dead, millions without power and destruction not seen in decades in several states since making<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/09/41073069/hurricane-helene-update-28-dead-power-outages-insurance-damages-and-more"> landfall Thursday night.</a>
What Happened: The hurricane, which shut down airports, roads and bridges, theme parks and sporting contests<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/sports/24/09/41053573/hurricane-helene-disrupts-flights-sports-events-disney-operations-affected-regions-stocks-to-watch"> ahead of the storm&#8217;s landfall,</a> further devastated the states in its path after making landfall.
At least 102 people are dead across the states of North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Tennessee and Virginia, as reported by <a href="https://www.cnn.com/weather/live-news/hurricane-helene-florida-north-carolina-georgia-09-30-24/index.html">CNN</a>.
With more than 100 dead, Hurricane Helene now ranks as one of the deadliest hurricanes to hit the U.S. in the last 50 years. Hurricane Katrina had 1,833 fatalities and remains the worst storm in the last 50 years. Helene ranks third behind Katrina and Hurricane Ian, which caused 150 deaths.
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp said Hurricane Helene "spared no one" when it came to the storm path.
"It looks like a tornado went off, it looks like a bomb went off," Kemp said.
Regions in North Carolina and South Carolina received four to five months worth of rain over a three-day period.
The federal government has declared a public health emergency for Florida, Georgia and North Carolina. Federal disaster declarations have been made for Florida, Georgia, Alabama, North Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia.
President Joe Biden is set to visit some of the impacted areas later this week "as soon as it will not disrupt emergency response operations," the White House said. Former President Donald Trump is set to visit areas impacted by the hurricane on Monday.
Read Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/09/41082452/hurricane-helene-exposes-vulnerability-of-floridas-home-insurance-market">Hurricane Helene Exposes Vulnerability Of Florida&#8217;s Home Insurance Market</a>
North Carolina Hit Hard: Among the states most affected by Hurricane Helene is North Carolina, with Buncombe County, home of the city of Asheville, accounting for at least 40 of the storm fatalities. 
North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper called Hurricane Helene "one of the worst storms in modern history."
Over 200 roads are closed in North Carolina as of Monday, with many people still unaccounted for, meaning the fatality count could rise in the coming days.
The hurricane damage in North Carolina could impact several key <a href="https://www.commerce.nc.gov/business/key-industries-north-carolina">industries</a>, with the state&#8217;s plastics/chemical workforce being one of the country&#8217;s largest, as well as North Carolina being a large employer in the automotive sector, the home of several large financial companies, the second largest turbine manufacturer and a key semiconductor manufacturer.
The state is one of the largest textile manufacturers in the country and is the home of Hanesbrands Inc (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HBI#NYSE">HBI</a>).
Fourteen of the Fortune 500 companies call North Carolina home, including Bank of America (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BAC#NYSE">BAC</a>) and Lowe's Companies (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LOW#NYSE">LOW</a>).
Lowe's and peer home improvement company Home Depot (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HD#NYSE">HD</a>) are among the companies that could benefit from the restoration efforts in the region and the home repairs and rebuilds needed in the coming months.
Power Outages: Over 4 million homes had no power as of Friday across Florida, Georgia and South Carolina.
As of Monday morning, 2 million homes and businesses remain without power.
Duke Energy (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DUK#NYSE">DUK</a>), which is headquartered in North Carolina, offers utilities to several of the states impacted by the storm. The company <a href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/duke-energys-hurricane-helene-recovery-restores-power-to-more-than-1-1-million-in-south-and-north-carolina-downed-trees-blocked-roadways-damaged-and-destroyed-power-equipment-impeding-efforts-in-the-sc-upstate-region-and-nc-302261927.html">said </a>it has restored power to more than 1.1 million people in North Carolina and South Carolina with over 900,000 customers still without power as of Sunday night, primarily in the Carolinas. 
Helen&#8217;s aftermath could be a long process for Duke Energy, which is a publicly traded company.
"Based on what we can see on the ground, from helicopter and by drone, there are lots of areas across the South Carolina Upstate and North Carolina mountains where we're going to have to completely rebuild parts of our system, not just repair it," Duke Energy storm director for the Carolinas Jason Hollifield said.
Georgia Power, which is a unit of Southern Company (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SO#NYSE">SO</a>), is another utility company that <a href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/georgia-power-releases-key-estimated-damage-statistics-from-hurricane-helene-as-restoration-progress-continues-302261899.html">faced </a>heavy power outages. The company said Sunday that it had restored power for around 690,000 customers and around 425,000 are still without power.
The utility company said Hurricane Helene was the "most destructive hurricane" in company history. The company estimates it will have to replace or repair over 5,000 power poles, over 9,000 spans of wire and over 500 transformers.
Generator company Generac Holdings (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GNRC#NYSE">GNRC</a>) could see a lift in the current quarter with heavy purchases likely to have been made ahead of the storm.
Insurance Impact: After the hurricane hit an area of Florida with a lower population than other regions, a report from the Miami Herald said the losses from the storm could be modest for the state's insurance market and smaller than Hurricane Ian (2022) and Hurricane Michael (2018).
Ahead of the storm, a report from reinsurance company Gallagher Re, which is a unit of Arthur J. Gallagher &amp; Co (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AJG#NYSE">AJG</a>), said private insurers' losses could come in a range of $3 billion to $6 billion across multiple states.
Berkshire Hathaway Inc (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BRK#NYSE">BRK</a>)(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BRK#NYSE">BRK</a>), Allstate Corporation (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ALL#NYSE">ALL</a>) and Travelers Companies (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TRV#NYSE">TRV</a>) are among the publicly traded companies that could be impacted by the insurance claims from the hurricane.
 A new report from AccuWeather, <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/weather/live-blog/helene-deadly-storm-live-updates-rcna173203">shared </a>by NBC News, says the total damage from the storm and the economic loss could total a range of $145 billion to $160 billion. The previous AccuWeather estimate was a range of $95 billion to $100 billion.
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Photo via Shutterstock.

Hurricane Helene: 102 Dead, 2 Million Without Power After Storm Destruction In 6 States

Keybanc analyst Sophie Karp maintains Duke Energy (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DUK#NYSE">DUK</a>) with a Overweight and raises the price target from $121 to $125.

Keybanc Maintains Overweight on Duke Energy, Raises Price Target to $125

Duke Energy restored power to more than 1.1 million Carolinas customers impacted by Helene, less than 48 hours after the storm devastated parts of the region. About 904,000 customers – 508,000 in South Carolina and 396,000 in North Carolina – remain without power. Nearly all these outages are in the western portions of each state.
&nbsp;
Nearly all customers outside of upstate South Carolina and western North Carolina should have power restored at some point today. Restoring service to the majority customers in the upstate of South Carolina and the North Carolina mountains is expected by Friday, except for areas that are inaccessible, are dependent on infrastructure that has been destroyed or are unable to receive service.
As crews continue to assess the situation, updates will be provided to customers regarding the status of their power restoration. These are continually updated and can be found on Duke Energy's&nbsp;<a href="https://duke-energy.com/outages">Outage Maps</a>&nbsp;tool. Customers also can enroll in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.duke-energy.com/outages/alerts">Outage Alerts</a>&nbsp;to get information about area outages and restoration efforts via text message, voice message or email.&nbsp;
"Based on what we can see on the ground, from helicopter and by drone, there are lots of areas across the South Carolina Upstate and North Carolina mountains where we're going to have to completely rebuild parts of our system, not just repair it," said Jason Hollifield, Duke Energy storm director for the Carolinas. "And there are stretches of damage that we still can't even assess due to mudslides, flooding and blocked roads.
"Our teams of lineworkers and other storm responders will continue to work with local and state officials to gain access to the hardest-hit areas so we can do what our customers and communities expect from us – safely and swiftly get their power up and running."
Workforce and restoration updates Duke Energy strategically positioned lineworkers, tree trimmers and other storm support prior to Helene – and they started responding before the storm even left the region. The company now has 18,000 people working on storm restoration efforts across the Carolinas. These include Duke Energy employees and contractors based in the Carolinas as well as individuals from other electric companies across the United States and Canada.
As of 6 p.m. Sunday, Duke Energy has restored power to more than 1.1 million Carolinas customers impacted by Helene. This includes more than almost 328,000 in South Carolina and 803,000 customers in North Carolina.
Approximately 904,000 customers – 508,000 in South Carolina and 396,000 in North Carolina – remain without power. Nearly all these outages are in the western portions of each state.
South Carolina restoration updates Transmission infrastructure in Upstate South Carolina, which sends electricity to the distribution lines serving homes and businesses, was severely damaged and, in many cases, destroyed by wind, flooding, fallen trees, and more. Duke Energy is working to repair and rebuild this infrastructure to restore service as quickly and safely as possible.
Duke Energy continues working with state local officials to reach areas where accessibility has been a challenge. Crews are using every resource available – including helicopters, drones and track vehicles – to assess damages and continue restoration.
Grid integrity remained stable throughout the storm, so Duke Energy is ready to continue bringing power back on quickly as damaged and destroyed transmission infrastructure is repaired and restored.
North Carolina restoration updates Damages to Duke Energy's infrastructure have been severe, including submerged substations, thousands of downed utility poles, and downed transmission towers. Many areas of the North Carolina mountains are inaccessible due to mudslides, flooding and blocked roads, limiting the ability to assess and begin repairing damages. As floodwaters continue to recede and crews can reach additional areas, they will evaluate, repair and rebuild damaged infrastructure and restore additional customers as quickly as possible.
Duke Energy is maintaining its focus on restoring power in a sequence that enables power restoration to public health and safety facilities and to the greatest number of customers as safely and quickly as possible. Crews worked in partnership with local and state emergency response agencies to assess damage and restore power to Mission Hospital in Asheville, N.C.
The company serves more than 4.5 million customers in the Carolinas, including 3.7 million in North Carolina and 835,500 in South Carolina.
Limited access to extensive damage The storm destroyed numerous electric transmission and distribution facilities, including substations, poles, power lines and other key system components. All of these have been or will need to be replaced, repaired or rebuilt before power can be restored to individual homes and businesses.
Power restoration work in the hardest-hit areas is projected to take several days or longer. Many areas in communities without power remain inaccessible to utility crews due to closed or blocked roadways, downed trees and mudslides.
Power restoration process Duke Energy focuses on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.duke-energy.com/outages/restoring-your-power">restoring power</a>&nbsp;as safely and quickly as possible and in a sequence that begins with public health and safety facilities, while also considering how to impact the greatest number of customers.
There may be times workers must temporarily deenergize power lines during the repair process in order to get all customers in an area restored.
Visit&nbsp;<a href="https://www.duke-energy.com/Outages/Restoring-Your-Power">duke-energy.com/Outages/Restoring-Your-Power</a>&nbsp;to learn more about how Duke Energy restores power after major storms.
Flood and meter box damage Duke Energy cannot reconnect power for customers whose home or business is flooded until the electrical system passes inspection by a licensed electrician. If there is damage, an electrician will need to make repairs and obtain verification from the local building inspection authority before power can be restored.
A property owner with a damaged meter box or one that is pulled away from the structure will need to enlist an electrician to reattach the meter box and/or provide a permanent fix. This is inclusive of customers currently with and without power. In some instances, an electrical inspection may be required by the county before Duke Energy can reconnect service. An electrician can advise customers on next steps.
Generator safety Customers using power generators should turn off generators if they see utility crews in the area. Excess electricity created by a generator can feed back onto electric lines and lead to severe injuries to line technicians. Additional generator safety information is available at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.duke-energy.com/outages/generators">duke-energy.com/outages/generators</a>.
Catawba-Wateree River Basin update Duke Energy's lakes along the upper and middle Catawba River have reached their highest point and will slowly decline over the next several days. A few lakes near the lower part of the Catawba River may continue to rise, resulting in flooding.
Duke Energy will continue to carefully control flows through our river basins over the next several days. Lake levels will be adjusted lower during this time as they move toward normal lake level targets.

Duke Energy Restores Power to 1.1M Carolinas Customers, 0.9M Still Without Power After Helene Storm Damage

At least 28 people are reportedly dead in three states after <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/09/41028566/tropical-storm-helene-set-to-become-hurricane-generac-duke-energy-stocks-react-as-florida-braces">Hurricane Helene made landfall</a>.
What Happened: Hurricane Helene was classified as <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/hurricane">a Category 4 storm</a> when it made landfall Thursday night in Florida. It brought heavy rain and winds of over 100 miles per hour.
By Friday, the storm was downgraded to a tropical storm. It continued to make its path north to Georgia and South Carolina, as <a href="https://apnews.com/live/hurricane-helene-tracker-maps-updates">reported </a>by the Associated Press.
At last check, the casualties from Hurricane Helene, according to the <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/hurricane-helene-landfall-florida-tracker-death-toll-b2619842.html">Independent</a>, total 28. 
Among the hardest hit areas of Hurricane Helene was the Big Bend region of Florida. This is the third hurricane in more than a year to hit the area. 
Hurricane Helene is also expected to cause more damage than the combined damage from Hurricane Idalia (August 2023) and Hurricane Debby (August 2024).
"To have something that was even bigger than those two storms causing a lot of damage, I think it's a sense of trauma for the community," Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said Friday.
Storm cleanup and recovery efforts Friday included trying to open airports in Florida that were previously closed to prepare for the storm and to get bridges and roads back open that had been shut down ahead of the storm.
Here's an update on the storm's impact on the power outages, the insurance market, and the stocks investors <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/sports/24/09/41053573/hurricane-helene-disrupts-flights-sports-events-disney-operations-affected-regions-stocks-to-watch">are likely watching.</a>
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Power Outages</h2>
Over four million homes remain without power as of Friday across the areas hit the hardest like Florida, Georgia and South Carolina.
Hundreds of thousands of people in Florida had lost power in the hours before the hurricane made landfall.
Investors will closely be monitoring Duke Energy (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DUK#NYSE">DUK</a>) — one of the largest power companies in Florida.
With the anticipated power outages and storm damages from the storm, investors will be closely watching generator company Generac Holdings (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GNRC#NYSE">GNRC</a>) to see if the company gets a boost in its financials in the current quarter from the storm's impact.
Read Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/09/41028566/tropical-storm-helene-set-to-become-hurricane-generac-duke-energy-stocks-react-as-florida-braces">Tropical Storm Helene Set To Become Hurricane: Generac, Duke Energy Stocks React As Florida Braces</a>
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Storm Damage, Insurance Impact</h2>
A <a href="https://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics-government/state-politics/article293117729.html">report </a>from the Miami Herald said the losses from the storm could be modest for Florida's insurance market and smaller than Hurricane Ian (2022) and Hurricane Michael (2018).
"This looks like it will not be a large loss event for Florida insurers," Insurance Information Institute spokesperson Mark Friedlander said.
Friedlander said it could be "a manageable event," which could be due to the hurricane hitting an area of Florida that is not as populated as other parts of the state.
A report from reinsurance company Gallagher Re, which is a unit of Arthur J. Gallagher &amp; Co (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AJG#NYSE">AJG</a>), said Wednesday that private insurers' losses could come in a range of $3 billion to $6 billion across the multiple states impacted.
For comparison, Hurricane Michael, which was a Category 5 storm that hit Florida, caused $9 billion in losses. Hurricane Irma represented around one million claims and $20 billion in losses.
Berkshire Hathaway Inc (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BRK#NYSE">BRK</a>)(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BRK#NYSE">BRK</a>), Allstate Corporation (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ALL#NYSE">ALL</a>) and Travelers Companies (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TRV#NYSE">TRV</a>) are among the publicly traded companies that could be impacted by the insurance claims from the hurricane.
The Aftermath: The death toll from Hurricane Helene is likely to rise as search and rescue missions are underway across several states. Power outages could persist for days and the damage done from the storm will take months to years to recover from for businesses and residents.
Home improvement retailers Home Depot (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HD#NYSE">HD</a>) and Lowe's Companies (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LOW#NYSE">LOW</a>) are other stocks often linked to hurricanes due to the damage done to homes and repair efforts that are needed.
With hurricane season still active until late November, the areas impacted by Hurricane Helene will be hoping that more large storms don't make landfall in the coming months.
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Image: Shutterstock

Hurricane Helene Update: 28 Dead, Power Outages, Insurance Damages And More

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Dividend Aristocrats Of The Future - Part 3

Utility companies are positioned for long-term growth through clean energy investments as the world shifts towards renewable energy and infrastructure modernization. With rising demand, investors might consider stable utility stocks like Duke Energy (DUK), Engie (ENGIY), and Fortis (FTS), which offer high dividends. Read on... Utilities are experiencing rising demand from AI infrastructure, data centers, and EV charging, driving steady revenue growth. The sector also benefits from the shift to cleaner energy, which supports long-term growth potential. For investors seeking stability, utility stocks like Duke Energy Corporation (<a href="https://stocknews.com/stock/DUK/">DUK</a>), Engie SA (<a href="https://stocknews.com/stock/ENGIY/">ENGIY</a>), and Fortis Inc. (<a href="https://stocknews.com/stock/FTS/">FTS</a>) offer reliable dividends and promising dividend growth.
The utility sector is particularly promising and stable, supported by rising electricity demand from industrial growth and electric vehicles this year. Utilities play an essential role in sustaining critical tech sectors, providing steady demand and a defensive position against economic fluctuations. As a result, in the U.S., electricity demand is projected to grow by 3% in 2024 and by <a href="https://www.iea.org/reports/electricity-mid-year-update-july-2024/executive-summary">1.9% in 2025</a>.
As utilities transition from fossil fuels, they can achieve more stable costs and improved profitability by avoiding price volatility. Investments in nuclear, renewable energy, and methane reduction position utilities as leaders in clean, stable energy, while gas liquefaction supports the transition to lower-emission fuels. The global utilities market is projected to grow at <a href="https://www.researchandmarkets.com/report/utilities">6.8% annually</a>, reaching $8.31 trillion by 2027.
On top of it, anticipated interest rate cuts are likely to ease capital costs, benefiting utility companies reliant on substantial infrastructure spending. With promising local regulatory changes, the sector's outlook remains strong. Investors' interest in utility stocks is evident from the SPDR Select Sector Fund – Utilities' (<a href="https://stocknews.com/stock/XLU/">XLU</a>) 33.9% returns over the past year.
Considering these conducive trends, let's analyze the fundamental aspects of the three utility picks.
Duke Energy Corporation (<a href="https://stocknews.com/stock/DUK/">DUK</a>)
DUK and its subsidiaries operate as an energy company in the United States. It operates through two segments: Electric Utilities and Infrastructure (EU&amp;I), and Gas Utilities and Infrastructure (GU&amp;I).
On October 7, 2024, DUK declared a quarterly cash dividend of $1.05 per share on its common stock and $359.38 per share on its Series A preferred stock, both payable on December 16, 2024, to shareholders of record by November 15, 2024.
In terms of the trailing-12-month <a href="https://www.investopedia.com/terms/g/gross_profit_margin.asp">gross profit margin</a>, DUK's 49.86% is 11.3% higher than the 44.79% industry average. Likewise, its 42.39% trailing-12-month Capex / Sales is 25.5% higher than the 33.77% industry average. Furthermore, the stock's 47.63% trailing-12-month EBITDA margin is 30.2% higher than the 36.58% industry average.
DUK has paid dividends for 17 consecutive years. Its annual dividend is $4.18, which translates to a yield of 3.63% at the current share price. Its four-year average dividend yield is 4.01%. Moreover, the company's dividend payouts have increased at a CAGR of 2% over the past three years.
DUK's total operating revenues for the second quarter that ended June 30, 2024, increased 9% year-over-year to $7.17 billion. Its operating income rose 19.4% over the year-ago value to $1.71 billion. Also, net earnings and adjusted EPS stood at $921 million and $1.18, reflecting increases of 29% and 29.7% year-over-year, respectively.
Street expects DUK's EPS for the quarter ending December 31, 2024, to increase 7.7% year-over-year to $1.63. Its revenue for the quarter ended September 30, 2024, is expected to grow 1.3% year-over-year to $8.10 billion. It surpassed the Street EPS estimates in three of the trailing four quarters.
Over the past year, the stock has gained 29.7% to close the last trading session at $115.27. Its 60-month beta is 0.46.
DUK's <a href="https://stocknews.com/powr-ratings/">POWR Ratings</a> reflect strong prospects. The POWR Ratings assess stocks by 118 different factors, each with its own weighting.
DUK is ranked #13 out of 59 stocks in the <a href="https://stocknews.com/category/utilities-domestic/">Utilities – Domestic</a> industry. It has a B grade for Growth, Momentum, and Stability. <a href="https://stocknews.com/stock/DUK/">Click here</a> to see DUK's ratings for Value, Sentiment, and Quality.
Engie SA (<a href="https://stocknews.com/stock/ENGIY/">ENGIY</a>)
Headquartered in Courbevoie, France, ENGIY operates in the power, natural gas, and energy services sectors. It functions through the Renewables, Networks, Energy Solutions, FlexGen, Retail, Nuclear, and Other segments.
On October 29, 2024, ENGIY and OCP Group announced a strategic partnership to accelerate OCP's energy transition in Morocco, focusing on renewable energy, energy storage, green hydrogen, and desalination.
The partnership includes developing four large-scale industrial projects and a research agenda, aiming to enhance competitiveness and support Morocco's ambitious energy goals.
On October 15, 2024, ENGIY announced the acquisition of its first biomethane production plant in Belgium, with a capacity of 68 GWh per year. This strategic purchase supports ENGIY's goal of producing 10 TWh of biomethane annually in Europe, enhancing its presence in the renewable energy sector.
In terms of the trailing-12-month Return on Total Capital, ENGIY's 6.82% is 69.8% higher than the 4.02% industry average. Likewise, its 15.94% trailing-12-month Return on Common Equity is 65.7% higher than the 9.62% industry average. Furthermore, the stock's 0.38x trailing-12-month asset turnover ratio is 75.2% higher than the 0.21x industry average.
ENGIY pays an annual dividend of $0.87, which translates to a yield of 5.15% at the current share price. Its four-year average dividend yield is 6.12%. Its dividend payouts have increased at a CAGR of 45.5% over the past three years.
For the first half ended June 30, 2024, ENGIY's revenues were €37.53 billion ($40.77 billion). Its cash flow from operating activities came in at €8.97 billion ($9.74 billion). Moreover, the company's net income and EPS were €2.40 billion ($2.61 billion) and €0.78, respectively, compared to a net loss of €217 million ($235.73 million) and a loss per share of $0.37.
For the quarter ended September 30, 2024, ENGIY's revenue is expected to increase marginally year-over-year to $16.15 billion. Over the past three months, the stock has gained 7.2% to close the last trading session at $16.84. Its 60-month beta is 0.94.
ENGIY's robust fundamentals are reflected in its POWR Ratings. It has an overall rating of A, equating to a Strong Buy in our proprietary rating system.
ENGIY has an A grade for Growth and a B grade for Value, Momentum, Stability, and Sentiment. Within the B-rated <a href="https://stocknews.com/category/utilities-foreign/">Utilities – Foreign</a> industry, it is ranked #5 out of 51 stocks. To see ENGIY's rating for Quality, <a href="https://stocknews.com/stock/ENGIY/">click here</a>.
Fortis Inc. (<a href="https://stocknews.com/stock/FTS/">FTS</a>)
Headquartered in St. John's, Canada, FTS operates as an electric and gas utility company in Canada, the United States, and the Caribbean. It generates, transmits, and distributes electricity to southeastern Arizona and in Arizona's Mohave and Santa Cruz counties, with an aggregate capacity of 3,408 megawatts (MW), including 68 MW of solar capacity and 250 MW of wind capacity.
In terms of the trailing-12-month EBIT margin, FTS' 28.79% is 35.3% higher than the 21.28% industry average. Likewise, its 44.98% trailing-12-month EBITDA margin is 23% higher than the 36.58% industry average. Furthermore, the stock's 37.54% trailing-12-month Capex / Sales is 11.2% higher than the 33.77% industry average.
FTS' annualized dividend of $1.77 per share translates to a dividend yield of 4.09% on the current share price. Its four-year average yield is 3.85%. Over the past five years, FTS' dividend payments have grown at a CAGR of 5.1%. The company has paid dividends for the past eight years.
During the second quarter that ended June 30, 2024, adjusted net earnings increased 9.6% over the prior-year quarter to C$331 million ($237.8 million). Similarly, the company's adjusted net earnings per share came in at $0.67, up 8.1% from the year-ago value.
Analysts expect FTS' revenue for the quarter ended September 30, 2024, to increase 8.9% year-over-year to $2.13 billion. Its EPS for the quarter ending December 31, 2024, is expected to increase 11.7% year-over-year to $0.60. FTS surpassed the consensus EPS estimates in each of the trailing four quarters.
Over the past six months, the stock has gained 10% to close the last trading session at $43.23. Its 24-month beta is 0.37.
FTS' positive outlook is reflected in its POWR Ratings. It has a B grade for Momentum and Stability. It is ranked #43 in the Utilities - Foreign industry. <a href="https://stocknews.com/stock/FTS/">Click here</a> to see FTS' ratings for Growth, Value, Sentiment, and Quality.
What To Do Next?
43 year investment veteran, Steve Reitmeister, has just released his 2024 market outlook along with trading plan and top 11 picks for the year ahead.
<a href="https://report.stocknews.com/sign-up/stock-market-outlook-2024/?formplacement=artbotad_smo24_rep">2024 Stock Market Outlook &gt;</a>

<hr />
DUK shares were trading at $112.68 per share on Friday afternoon, down $2.59 (-2.25%). Year-to-date, DUK has gained 19.71%, versus a 21.27% rise in the benchmark S&amp;P 500 index during the same period.
<hr><div style="clear:both;"></div> <h2>About the Author: Abhishek Bhuyan</h2> <img src='https:/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/ABhuyan.jpg' style="float:left; padding:5px;width:125px;">Abhishek embarked on his professional journey as a financial journalist due to his keen interest in discerning the fundamental factors that influence the future performance of financial instruments.<a href="https://stocknews.com/authors/?author=abhishek-bhuyan">More...</a>The post <a href=https://stocknews.com/news/duk-engiy-fts-3-utility-stocks-for-stability-and-dividend-growth/>3 Utility Stocks for Stability and Dividend Growth</a> appeared first on <a href=https://stocknews.com/>StockNews.com</a>

3 Utility Stocks for Stability and Dividend Growth

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Press Releases

Duke Energy Florida continues with power restoration in areas impacted by Hurricane Milton; outages have decreased from over 1 million to approximately 580,000

Duke Energy Florida continues with power restoration; vast majority of Hurricane Milton-impacted counties to be restored by tonight

Duke Energy Florida restores power for several counties impacted by Hurricane Milton; outages decrease from 1 million to approximately 105,000

Duke Energy Florida completes more than 99% of power restoration in Pasco County; work continues for Pinellas County customers who remain without power

Duke Energy names new state president for South Carolina

Duke Energy Florida restores power for over 99% of customers impacted by Hurricane Milton; crews continue working to restore remaining outages

Duke Energy expands North Carolina program that helps businesses become more renewable and carbon-free

Monthly bills will drop for Duke Energy Carolinas customers in South Carolina beginning in November for annual adjustment to fuel costs

Duke Energy offers ways customers can save energy and money ahead of the winter months

Duke Energy responds to constructive Carolinas Resource Plan decision by North Carolina Utilities Commission

American Electric Power Company, Inc. - Common Stock

American Electric Power

Avangrid

Constellation Energy Corporation - Common Stock

Constellation Energy

Comp En De Mn Cemig ADS American Depositary Shares

Cia Energetica DE Minas

Comp En De Mn Cemig ADS American Depositary Receipts

Centrais Electricas Brasileiras S A American Depositary Shares (Each representing one Common Share)

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Duke Energy

Duke Energy (DUK) Opzioni

Duke Energy (NYSE:DUK) Azioni, Catena delle Opzioni

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