Duke Energy Corporation (DUK): Today's Featured Utilities Laggard

Editor's Note: TheStreet ratings do not represent the views of TheStreet's staff or its contributors. Ratings are established by computer based on metrics for performance (which includes growth, stock performance, efficiency and valuation) and risk (volatility and solvency). Companies with poor cash flow or high debt levels tend to earn lower ratings in our model.

Duke Energy Corporation (DUK) pushed the Utilities sector lower today making it today's featured Utilities laggard. The sector as a whole closed the day up 0.3%. By the end of trading, Duke Energy Corporation fell 88 cents (-1.3%) to $69.25 on heavy volume. Throughout the day, 4.9 million shares of Duke Energy Corporation exchanged hands as compared to its average daily volume of 3.2 million shares. The stock ranged in price between $69.18-$70.10 after having opened the day at $70.02 as compared to the previous trading day's close of $70.13. Other companies within the Utilities sector that declined today were: Empresa Distribuidora y Comercializadora No (EDN), down 11.2%, Transportadora de Gas del Sur (TGS), down 6.1%, GreenHunter Energy (GRH), down 3.5%, and Atlantic Power Corporation (AT), down 3.4%.

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Duke Energy Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, operates as an energy company in the United States and Latin America. The company operates in three segments: U.S. Franchised Electric and Gas, Commercial Power, and International Energy. The U.S. Duke Energy Corporation has a market cap of $49.01 billion and is part of the utilities industry. The company has a P/E ratio of 16.1, below the S&P 500 P/E ratio of 17.7. Shares are up 9.9% year to date as of the close of trading on Wednesday. Currently there are seven analysts that rate Duke Energy Corporation a buy, no analysts rate it a sell, and 11 rate it a hold.

TheStreet Ratings rates Duke Energy Corporation as a buy. The company's strengths can be seen in multiple areas, such as its robust revenue growth, increase in net income, good cash flow from operations, largely solid financial position with reasonable debt levels by most measures and increase in stock price during the past year. We feel these strengths outweigh the fact that the company has had somewhat disappointing return on equity.

• You can view the full Duke Energy Ratings Report.

On the positive front, Pure Cycle Corporation (PCYO), up 8.7%, Fuelcell Energy (FCEL), up 6%, Centrais Eletricas Brasileiras (EBR.B), up 5.8%, and Ellomay Capital (ELLO), up 4.6%, were all gainers within the utilities sector with Wisconsin Energy Corporation (WEC) being today's featured utilities sector leader.

• Use our utilities section to find sector-relevant news.
• Or find some new ideas from our top rated stocks lists.

For investors not wanting singular stock exposure, ETFs may be of interest. Investors who are bullish on the utilities sector could consider Utilities Select Sector SPDR (XLU) while those bearish on the utilities sector could consider ProShares UltraShort Utilities (SDP).

• Find other investment ideas from our top rated ETFs lists.

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For more information on Duke Energy Corporation click any of the following:

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• Duke Energy Corporation Growth Rates

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• Duke Energy Corporation Income Statement