Duke Energy is the top utility in the country when it comes to investor transparency, according to independent global communications firm Labrador.

Labrador, an Atlanta-based firm that specializes in corporate disclosure documents, reviewed the proxy statements, SEC Form 10-K filings and website investor pages of every company in the S&P 250 companies — the nation's 250 largest companies based on market capitalization.

Duke Energy ranked No. 1 on the list for the utility sector based on the quality and completeness of its filings. The North Carolina-based energy company ranked No. 7 among all companies Labrador reviewed.

"For the 3rd consecutive year, Duke Energy scored among the Top 20 for overall corporate transparency," Labrador said. "It's clear that Duke Energy places an emphasis on providing clear and meaningful disclosure to its stakeholders. The company goes beyond regulation, and provides the additional information key stakeholders are seeking.

"Each year, the (ranking) criteria evolve and address more issues as the needs of the investor community grow, but the mission of these awards remains the same: Transparency creates confidence and therefore value for companies and their stakeholders," Labrador added.

The review covers various criteria that reflect what Labrador calls "the four pillars of transparency" — accessibility, precision, comparability and availability.

"Duke Energy makes transparency a top priority," said Kodwo Ghartey-Tagoe, Duke Energy executive vice president, chief legal officer and corporate secretary. "Providing clear, complete and easily accessible information to our customers, investors and the general public is a cornerstone of our company's commitment to integrity and openness."

Duke Energy has more than 7.9 million customers across its footprint, including approximately 1.7 million residential, commercial and industrial customers in Florida.