Law Offices of Howard G. Smith Announces Investigation On Behalf of Shareholders of Duke Energy Corporation

Law Offices of Howard G. Smith announced that it is investigating potential claims against Duke Energy Corporation, concerning possible violations of federal securities laws in connection with Duke's merger (Merger) with Progress Energy Inc. (Progress). Duke, together with its subsidiaries, operates as an energy company in the United States and Latin America. The investigation focuses on allegations that Duke and certain of its officers and directors misrepresented and failed to disclose material adverse facts in connection with the Merger. Specifically, the investigation concerns allegations that Duke, failed to disclose and misrepresented that Duke’s current Chief Executive Officer, James E. Rogers (Rogers) and not William D. Johnson, who before the Merger was the head of Progress would serve as the CEO of the combined Company after the Merger: and approval for the Merger was obtained from the Progress board of directors by failing to disclose that Rogers would act as the CEO of the combined Company.