Lowe’s Companies, Inc. (NYSE:LOW) Shares Sold by Stableford Capital II LLC

Stableford Capital II LLC decreased its stake in Lowe’s Companies, Inc. (NYSE:LOW) by 12.6% during the 3rd quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The firm owned 5,055 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock after selling 730 shares during the quarter. Stableford Capital II LLC’s holdings in Lowe’s Companies were worth $1,394,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of the stock. Vanguard Group Inc. grew its position in shares of Lowe’s Companies by 5.2% in the first quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 53,693,630 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock valued at $13,677,378,000 after purchasing an additional 2,674,372 shares during the period. Legal & General Group Plc grew its position in shares of Lowe’s Companies by 1.6% in the second quarter. Legal & General Group Plc now owns 5,205,491 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock valued at $1,147,603,000 after purchasing an additional 82,978 shares during the period. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD grew its position in shares of Lowe’s Companies by 36.6% in the first quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD now owns 1,840,704 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock valued at $468,884,000 after purchasing an additional 493,180 shares during the period. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. grew its position in shares of Lowe’s Companies by 6.0% in the second quarter. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. now owns 1,617,849 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock valued at $356,671,000 after purchasing an additional 90,945 shares during the period. Finally, The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company boosted its position in Lowe’s Companies by 11.1% during the second quarter. The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company now owns 1,499,015 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock worth $330,473,000 after acquiring an additional 149,649 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 74.06% of the company’s stock.

Lowe’s Companies Stock Up 0.4 %

Shares of LOW opened at $281.83 on Wednesday. Lowe’s Companies, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $181.85 and a fifty-two week high of $287.01. The firm’s 50 day moving average price is $254.51 and its 200 day moving average price is $237.96. The company has a market cap of $160.60 billion, a P/E ratio of 22.64, a PEG ratio of 2.28 and a beta of 1.10.

Lowe’s Companies (NYSE:LOW) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, August 20th. The home improvement retailer reported $4.10 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $3.96 by $0.14. Lowe’s Companies had a net margin of 8.25% and a negative return on equity of 47.07%. The firm had revenue of $23.59 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $23.93 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $4.56 EPS. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was down 5.5% on a year-over-year basis. Research analysts forecast that Lowe’s Companies, Inc. will post 11.91 earnings per share for the current year.

Lowe’s Companies Increases Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, November 6th. Investors of record on Wednesday, October 23rd will be paid a dividend of $1.15 per share. This is an increase from Lowe’s Companies’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.15. This represents a $4.60 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.63%. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, October 23rd. Lowe’s Companies’s dividend payout ratio is presently 36.95%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Lowe’s Companies news, CAO Dan Clayton Griggs, Jr. sold 6,769 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, September 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of $248.82, for a total transaction of $1,684,262.58. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief accounting officer now owns 9,383 shares in the company, valued at $2,334,678.06. The trade was a 0.00 % decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. In other Lowe’s Companies news, EVP Margrethe R. Vagell sold 5,730 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, October 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $271.45, for a total transaction of $1,555,408.50. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 13,214 shares in the company, valued at $3,586,940.30. The trade was a 0.00 % decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. Also, CAO Dan Clayton Griggs, Jr. sold 6,769 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, September 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $248.82, for a total transaction of $1,684,262.58. Following the transaction, the chief accounting officer now owns 9,383 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $2,334,678.06. This trade represents a 0.00 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 0.26% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

LOW has been the topic of a number of recent research reports. Telsey Advisory Group boosted their price target on shares of Lowe’s Companies from $230.00 to $275.00 and gave the stock a “market perform” rating in a research report on Wednesday, October 2nd. Evercore ISI boosted their price target on shares of Lowe’s Companies from $225.00 to $250.00 and gave the stock an “in-line” rating in a research report on Wednesday, August 21st. Bank of America boosted their price target on shares of Lowe’s Companies from $275.00 to $305.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, October 11th. Royal Bank of Canada lowered their price target on shares of Lowe’s Companies from $245.00 to $238.00 and set a “sector perform” rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, August 21st. Finally, Melius Research initiated coverage on shares of Lowe’s Companies in a research report on Monday, September 23rd. They set a “buy” rating and a $290.00 price target on the stock. Eleven research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and fourteen have issued a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Lowe’s Companies presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $268.42.

About Lowe’s Companies

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.