Duke Energy's profit beats as higher power demand offsets rising expenses

• Energy companies are pushing to increase customer electricity rates in 2026 to help pay for infrastructure improvements, as power grids are strained by extreme weather and rising demand from electrification and expanding data centers.
• Regulated utilities rely on rate case processes to set how much customers are charged for electricity.
• Duke's electric utilities segment posted quarterly profit of $1.27 billion, compared with $1.19 billion a year ago.
• The segment, which serves 7.9 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky, owns 51,000 megawatts of energy capacity.
• Interest expenses rose 6.6% to $957 million.
• The company reaffirmed its full-year adjusted profit guidance of $6.55 to $6.80 per share.

Duke Energy beat Wall Street estimates for second-quarter profit on Tuesday, as higher electricity demand and recovery of rate-based infrastructure investments offset rising expenses.

The Charlotte, North Carolina-based company posted an adjusted profit of $1.43 per share for the three months ended June 30, compared with analysts' estimates of , according to data compiled by LSEG.