Lowe’s Companies, Inc. (NYSE:LOW) Stock Position Trimmed by Premier Fund Managers Ltd

Premier Fund Managers Ltd decreased its position in Lowe’s Companies, Inc. (NYSE:LOW) by 6.4% in the fourth quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 257,700 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock after selling 17,738 shares during the quarter. Lowe’s Companies accounts for 2.3% of Premier Fund Managers Ltd’s portfolio, making the stock its 10th largest position. Premier Fund Managers Ltd’s holdings in Lowe’s Companies were worth $63,566,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in LOW. Legacy Investment Solutions LLC purchased a new stake in Lowe’s Companies in the third quarter worth $27,000. IFS Advisors LLC bought a new position in shares of Lowe’s Companies during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $25,000. Marshall Investment Management LLC purchased a new position in Lowe’s Companies during the fourth quarter valued at $31,000. Winch Advisory Services LLC raised its position in shares of Lowe’s Companies by 56.4% in the 4th quarter. Winch Advisory Services LLC now owns 122 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock worth $30,000 after purchasing an additional 44 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Caisse Des Depots ET Consignations bought a new position in shares of Lowe’s Companies in the fourth quarter worth approximately $33,000. Institutional investors own 74.06% of the company’s stock.

Lowe’s Companies Trading Up 0.1 %

Lowe’s Companies stock opened at $232.35 on Friday. The firm has a market capitalization of $130.05 billion, a P/E ratio of 19.38, a P/E/G ratio of 1.96 and a beta of 1.12. The stock’s fifty day simple moving average is $246.24 and its 200-day simple moving average is $257.35. Lowe’s Companies, Inc. has a twelve month low of $211.80 and a twelve month high of $287.01.

Lowe’s Companies (NYSE:LOW) last released its earnings results on Wednesday, February 26th. The home improvement retailer reported $1.93 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.83 by $0.10. The firm had revenue of $18.55 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $18.29 billion. Lowe’s Companies had a net margin of 8.19% and a negative return on equity of 47.55%. Sell-side analysts predict that Lowe’s Companies, Inc. will post 11.9 earnings per share for the current year.

Lowe’s Companies Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, May 7th. Investors of record on Wednesday, April 23rd will be paid a dividend of $1.15 per share. This represents a $4.60 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.98%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, April 23rd. Lowe’s Companies’s payout ratio is 37.67%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several research firms recently commented on LOW. Sanford C. Bernstein increased their price objective on Lowe’s Companies from $301.00 to $304.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Thursday, December 12th. Wedbush restated a “neutral” rating and set a $250.00 price objective on shares of Lowe’s Companies in a research report on Thursday, December 12th. Telsey Advisory Group reissued an “outperform” rating and set a $305.00 price objective on shares of Lowe’s Companies in a report on Wednesday, February 26th. Mizuho dropped their price target on Lowe’s Companies from $305.00 to $300.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, February 27th. Finally, Bank of America reduced their target price on shares of Lowe’s Companies from $305.00 to $290.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, February 27th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, ten have given a hold rating and fifteen have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $279.71.

Lowe’s Companies 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.