Kentucky Retirement Systems Reduces Position in Lowe’s Companies, Inc. (NYSE:LOW)

Kentucky Retirement Systems lessened its holdings in shares of Lowe’s Companies, Inc. (NYSE:LOW) by 1.4% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 39,158 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock after selling 540 shares during the period. Kentucky Retirement Systems’ holdings in Lowe’s Companies were worth $9,664,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other large investors also recently bought and sold shares of the business. Summit Place Financial Advisors LLC grew its stake in shares of Lowe’s Companies by 2.8% in the 3rd quarter. Summit Place Financial Advisors LLC now owns 1,375 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock valued at $372,000 after buying an additional 37 shares during the period. Klingenstein Fields & Co. LP grew its stake in shares of Lowe’s Companies by 1.0% in the 4th quarter. Klingenstein Fields & Co. LP now owns 4,101 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock valued at $1,012,000 after buying an additional 39 shares during the period. Mitchell Mcleod Pugh & Williams Inc. grew its stake in shares of Lowe’s Companies by 0.5% in the 3rd quarter. Mitchell Mcleod Pugh & Williams Inc. now owns 7,460 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock valued at $2,021,000 after buying an additional 40 shares during the period. Saxony Capital Management LLC grew its stake in shares of Lowe’s Companies by 4.2% in the 4th quarter. Saxony Capital Management LLC now owns 994 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock valued at $245,000 after buying an additional 40 shares during the period. Finally, Powers Advisory Group LLC grew its stake in shares of Lowe’s Companies by 2.7% in the 4th quarter. Powers Advisory Group LLC now owns 1,541 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock valued at $380,000 after buying an additional 40 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 74.06% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

LOW has been the subject of several analyst reports. Barclays increased their price target on shares of Lowe’s Companies from $229.00 to $245.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Wednesday, November 20th. Wedbush reaffirmed a “neutral” rating and set a $250.00 price objective on shares of Lowe’s Companies in a research report on Thursday, December 12th. Royal Bank of Canada increased their price objective on shares of Lowe’s Companies from $291.00 to $292.00 and gave the stock a “sector perform” rating in a research report on Thursday, December 12th. Wells Fargo & Company increased their price objective on shares of Lowe’s Companies from $280.00 to $295.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Wednesday, November 6th. Finally, Guggenheim reaffirmed a “buy” rating and set a $300.00 price objective on shares of Lowe’s Companies in a research report on Thursday, December 12th. Ten analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and fifteen have given a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $282.96.

Lowe’s Companies Stock Performance

LOW stock opened at $246.63 on Friday. The stock has a market cap of $139.26 billion, a P/E ratio of 20.57, a P/E/G ratio of 1.96 and a beta of 1.11. The firm has a 50 day simple moving average of $253.77 and a 200 day simple moving average of $258.57. Lowe’s Companies, Inc. has a 52 week low of $211.80 and a 52 week high of $287.01.

Insider Activity

In other Lowe’s Companies news, EVP Quonta D. Vance sold 7,198 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, November 27th. The shares were sold at an average price of $274.37, for a total value of $1,974,915.26. Following the sale, the executive vice president now owns 16,703 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $4,582,802.11. The trade was a 30.12 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. 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.