10 Best Stocks to Invest in During a Recession

Page 3 of 10

8. Duke Energy Corporation (NYSE:DUK)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 51

Duke Energy Corporation (NYSE:DUK) is one of the 10 best stocks to invest in during a recession.

On February 11, 2026, Duke Energy Corporation (NYSE:DUK) saw its price target raised by BMO Capital by $4 to $136. The firm’s analyst James Thalacker kept an Outperform rating on the shares. In the research note, the firm noted the company’s operating earnings beat was modest. The analyst further pointed to an EPS growth rate in the range of 5%-7% through 2030, with the upper end of the range anticipated before the end of 2028.

Prior to this, on February 20, 2026, Morgan Stanley raised its price target on Duke Energy Corporation (NYSE:DUK) from $130 to $139, while maintaining an Equal Weight rating on the shares. The new price target was part of the firm’s overall re-evaluation of the prices for Regulated & Diversified Utilities and IPPs stocks covered by Morgan Stanley in North America for January. The firm noted utility underperformance in January and anticipates a balanced discussion concerning data center pipelines against rising affordability and political risks in its fourth-quarter earnings preview.

Founded in 1904, Duke Energy Corporation (NYSE:DUK) is one of the largest energy holding companies in the U.S., providing electricity and natural gas to over a million customers. Its headquarters is in North Carolina.

Page 3 of 10