Lowe’s Companies, Inc. (NYSE:LOW) Holdings Decreased by Rathbones Group PLC

Rathbones Group PLC cut its position in shares of Lowe’s Companies, Inc. (NYSE:LOW) by 0.6% during the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 10,785 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock after selling 60 shares during the quarter. Rathbones Group PLC’s holdings in Lowe’s Companies were worth $2,378,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Brevan Howard Capital Management LP boosted its holdings in shares of Lowe’s Companies by 824.6% in the 4th quarter. Brevan Howard Capital Management LP now owns 15,339 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock valued at $3,414,000 after buying an additional 13,680 shares during the period. Bamco Inc. NY boosted its stake in Lowe’s Companies by 10.3% in the first quarter. Bamco Inc. NY now owns 216,958 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock valued at $55,266,000 after acquiring an additional 20,181 shares during the period. Plato Investment Management Ltd grew its holdings in shares of Lowe’s Companies by 655.9% during the first quarter. Plato Investment Management Ltd now owns 6,304 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock valued at $1,606,000 after purchasing an additional 5,470 shares during the last quarter. 17 Capital Partners LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Lowe’s Companies during the 1st quarter worth approximately $1,368,000. Finally, Gerber LLC bought a new stake in shares of Lowe’s Companies in the 4th quarter worth approximately $235,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 74.06% of the company’s stock.

Lowe’s Companies Stock Up 0.5 %

Shares of Lowe’s Companies stock opened at $256.64 on Tuesday. Lowe’s Companies, Inc. has a 12-month low of $181.85 and a 12-month high of $262.49. The firm has a market capitalization of $146.24 billion, a PE ratio of 20.61, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.03 and a beta of 1.10. The stock’s fifty day moving average is $240.90 and its 200-day moving average is $234.86.

Lowe’s Companies (NYSE:LOW) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, August 20th. The home improvement retailer reported $4.10 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $3.96 by $0.14. The company had revenue of $23.59 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $23.93 billion. Lowe’s Companies had a net margin of 8.25% and a negative return on equity of 47.07%. The business’s quarterly revenue was down 5.5% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $4.56 earnings per share. Analysts expect that Lowe’s Companies, Inc. will post 11.93 EPS for the current year.

Lowe’s Companies Increases Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, November 6th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, October 23rd will be given a dividend of $1.15 per share. This represents a $4.60 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.79%. This is a boost from Lowe’s Companies’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.15. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, October 23rd. Lowe’s Companies’s payout ratio is presently 36.95%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several equities research analysts have weighed in on the company. DA Davidson dropped their target price on Lowe’s Companies from $270.00 to $240.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, May 22nd. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reduced their target price on shares of Lowe’s Companies from $272.00 to $270.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, August 21st. Wedbush restated a “neutral” rating and issued a $250.00 price target on shares of Lowe’s Companies in a research note on Wednesday, August 21st. Royal Bank of Canada decreased their price objective on Lowe’s Companies from $245.00 to $238.00 and set a “sector perform” rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, August 21st. Finally, Gordon Haskett decreased their price target on Lowe’s Companies from $245.00 to $240.00 and set a “hold” rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, August 21st. Twelve equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eleven have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $252.83.

Insider Buying and Selling at Lowe’s Companies

In other news, CAO Dan Clayton Griggs, Jr. sold 6,769 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, September 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $248.82, for a total value of $1,684,262.58. Following the completion of the sale, the chief accounting officer now owns 9,383 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $2,334,678.06. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Company insiders own 0.26% of the company’s stock.

Lowe’s Companies Company Profile

Lowe's Companies, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, operates as a home improvement retailer in the United States. The company offers a line of products for construction, maintenance, repair, remodeling, and decorating. It also provides home improvement products, such as appliances, seasonal and outdoor living, lawn and garden, lumber, kitchens and bath, tools, paint, millwork, hardware, flooring, rough plumbing, building materials, décor, and electrical.