How does DUK's 2024 earnings trend compare to past years?

Duke Energy's (DUK) 2024 earnings trend shows a general upward trajectory compared to the past few years, with some notable deviations and improvements.

1. **Growth Trend**: The net income for DUK has exhibited a consistent upward trend over the past five years, increasing from $1.08 billion in 2020 to $4.61 billion in 2024. This indicates a strong and stable growth period for the company.

|code|Ticker|Name|Date|Net Income YoY|Net Income|market_code|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|DUK|DUK.N|Duke Energy|2020 Q1|-0.33594624860022393|8.9E8|169|
|DUK|DUK.N|Duke Energy|2020 Q2|-219.25133689839572|-8.92E8|169|
|DUK|DUK.N|Duke Energy|2020 Q3|-6.72713529856387|1.234E9|169|
|DUK|DUK.N|Duke Energy|2020 Q4|-124.71169686985174|-1.5E8|169|
|DUK|DUK.N|Duke Energy|2021 Q1|5.730337078651685|9.41E8|169|
|DUK|DUK.N|Duke Energy|2021 Q2|178.25112107623318|6.98E8|169|
|DUK|DUK.N|Duke Energy|2021 Q3|3.403565640194489|1.276E9|169|
|DUK|DUK.N|Duke Energy|2021 Q4|542.6666666666666|6.64E8|169|
|DUK|DUK.N|Duke Energy|2022 Q1|-12.858660998937301|8.2E8|169|
|DUK|DUK.N|Duke Energy|2022 Q2|26.07449856733524|8.8E8|169|

2. **Yearly Comparison**: When comparing individual years, DUK's 2024 net income of $4.61 billion is the highest recorded, surpassing the previous peak in 2023, which saw $3.58 billion. This suggests that 2024 was a particularly strong year for the company.
3. **Quarterly Performance**: DUK's quarterly net income has shown variability, with a peak in the fourth quarter of 2024, aligning with the annual earnings trend. This implies that the company's performance tends to strengthen towards the end of the year.

|code|Ticker|Name|Date|Net Income YoY|Net Income|market_code|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|DUK|DUK.N|Duke Energy|2024 Q1|51.24835742444153|1.151E9|169|
|DUK|DUK.N|Duke Energy|2024 Q2|551.4705882352941|9.21E8|169|
|DUK|DUK.N|Duke Energy|2024 Q3|-0.45420136260408783|1.315E9|169|
|DUK|DUK.N|Duke Energy|2024 Q4|23.19277108433735|1.227E9|169|

4. **Earnings Projection and Analysts' Outlook**: Analysts project a continued positive outlook for DUK, with an expected increase in first-quarter 2025 earnings to $1.62 per share, up from $1.44 in the same period in 2024. This suggests that the positive trend in earnings may continue into the foreseeable future.
5. **Market Performance and Analysts' Concerns**: Despite the strong earnings trend, DUK's stock has lagged the market, and the company's shares have experienced a decline following the earnings announcement. This could be due to factors such as investor concerns over missed revenue targets or other operational issues, as seen in the Q4 2024 results where there was a slight miss on EPS and revenue forecasts.

In conclusion, Duke Energy's 2024 earnings trend reflects a company that is growing steadily, with a strong finish to the year and positive projections for the future. However, there are potential challenges and concerns that could impact investor sentiment and the company's performance moving forward.