COMMON STOCK

Basic EPS is computed by dividing net income attributable to Duke Energy common stockholders, as adjusted for distributed and undistributed earnings allocated to participating securities, by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding during the period. Diluted EPS is computed by dividing net income attributable to Duke Energy common stockholders, as adjusted for distributed and undistributed earnings allocated to participating securities, by the diluted weighted average number of common shares outstanding during the period. Diluted EPS reflects the potential dilution that could occur if securities or other agreements to issue common shares, such as stock options and equity forward sale agreements, were exercised or settled. Duke Energy’s participating securities are restricted stock units that are entitled to dividends declared on Duke Energy common stock during the restricted stock unit’s vesting periods.

The following table presents Duke Energy’s basic and diluted EPS calculations and reconciles the weighted average number of common stock outstanding to the diluted weighted average number of common stock outstanding.



	Years Ended December 31,
(in millions, except per share amounts)	2018		2017		2016
Income from continuing operations attributable to Duke Energy common stockholders excluding impact of participating securities	$	2,642	$	3,059	$	2,567
Weighted average shares outstanding – basic	708		700		691
Weighted average shares outstanding – diluted	708		700		691
Earnings per share from continuing operations attributable to Duke Energy common stockholders
Basic	$	3.73	$	4.37	$	3.71
Diluted	$	3.73	$	4.37	$	3.71
Potentially dilutive items excluded from the calculation^(a)	2		2		2
Dividends declared per common share	$	3.64	$	3.49	$	3.36


(a)	Performance stock awards were not included in the dilutive securities calculation because the performance measures related to the awards had not been met.

Equity Issuances

On February 20, 2018, Duke Energy filed a prospectus supplement and executed an EDA under which it may sell up to $1 billion of its common stock through an ATM offering program, including an equity forward sales component. The EDA was entered into with Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, Citigroup Global Markets Inc., and J.P. Morgan Securities LLC (the Agents). Under the terms of the EDA, Duke Energy may issue and sell, through any of the Agents, shares of common stock during the period ending September 23, 2019. In June 2018, Duke Energy marketed two separate tranches, each for 1.3 million shares, of common stock. The first tranche was marketed with Wells Fargo Bank at an initial forward price of $72.02 per share and the second tranche was marketed with Citibank at an initial forward price of $78.71 per share through equity forward transactions under the ATM program. The Equity Forwards require Duke Energy to either physically settle the transactions by issuing 2.6 million shares in exchange for net proceeds at the then-applicable forward sale price specified by the agreements or net settle in whole or in part through the delivery or receipt of cash or shares. The settlement alternative was at Duke Energy's election. In December 2018, Duke Energy physically settled these equity forwards by delivering 2.6 million shares of common stock in exchange for net proceeds of approximately $195 million.

Separately, in March 2018, Duke Energy marketed an equity offering of 21.3 million shares of common stock through an Underwriting Agreement with Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC, J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, Barclays Capital Inc. and Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC, as representatives of several underwriters, Credit Suisse Capital LLC and J.P. Morgan Securities LLC as Forward Sellers, and Credit Suisse Capital LLC and J.P. Morgan Chase Bank, National Association, acting as forward purchasers. In connection with the offering, Duke Energy entered into equity forward sale agreements with Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC as Agent for Credit Suisse Capital LLC and J.P. Morgan Chase Bank, National Association. The sale price was $75 per share less certain net adjustments for an initial forward price of $74.07 per share. The Equity Forwards require Duke Energy to either physically settle the transactions by issuing 21.3 million shares in exchange for net proceeds at the then-applicable forward sale price specified by the agreements, or net settle in whole or in part through the delivery or receipt of cash or shares. The settlement alternative was at Duke Energy's election. In June 2018, Duke Energy physically settled one-half of the equity forwards by delivering approximately 10.6 million shares of common stock in exchange for net cash proceeds of approximately $781 million. In December 2018, Duke Energy physically settled the remaining equity forward by delivering 10.6 million shares of common stock in exchange for net cash proceeds of approximately $766 million.

For the year ended December 31, 2018, Duke Energy issued 2.2 million shares through its DRIP with an increase in additional paid-in capital of approximately $174 million.

In March 2016, Duke Energy marketed an equity offering of 10.6 million shares of common stock. In lieu of issuing equity at the time of the offering, Duke Energy entered into Equity Forwards with Barclays. The Equity Forwards required Duke Energy to either physically settle the transactions by issuing 10.6 million shares, or net settle in whole or in part through the delivery or receipt of cash or shares. On October 5, 2016, following the close of the Piedmont acquisition, Duke Energy physically settled the Equity Forwards in full by delivering 10.6 million shares of common stock in exchange for net cash proceeds of approximately $723 million. The net proceeds were used to finance a portion of the Piedmont acquisition. As a result of the acquisition, all of Piedmont's issued and outstanding stock became the issued and outstanding shares of a wholly owned subsidiary of Duke Energy. See Note 2 for additional information related to the Piedmont acquisition.