Lowe’s Companies, Inc. (NYSE:LOW) Stock Holdings Lifted by Heritage Financial Services LLC

Heritage Financial Services LLC raised its position in shares of Lowe’s Companies, Inc. (NYSE:LOW) by 13.1% in the third quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 1,080 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock after purchasing an additional 125 shares during the period. Heritage Financial Services LLC’s holdings in Lowe’s Companies were worth $293,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in LOW. Vanguard Group Inc. boosted its holdings in 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 worth $13,677,378,000 after purchasing an additional 2,674,372 shares in the last quarter. Legal & General Group Plc lifted 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 worth $1,147,603,000 after buying an additional 82,978 shares during the last quarter. International Assets Investment Management LLC increased its holdings in shares of Lowe’s Companies by 1,889.7% during the 3rd quarter. International Assets Investment Management LLC now owns 2,134,969 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock valued at $578,256,000 after acquiring an additional 2,027,668 shares during the last quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD lifted its holdings in Lowe’s Companies by 36.6% in the 1st quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD now owns 1,840,704 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock worth $468,884,000 after purchasing an additional 493,180 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Envestnet Asset Management Inc. grew its holdings in Lowe’s Companies by 6.0% during 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 last quarter. 74.06% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Lowe’s Companies Price Performance

Shares of Lowe’s Companies stock opened at $272.81 on Friday. Lowe’s Companies, Inc. has a 1 year low of $181.85 and a 1 year high of $287.01. The company has a market capitalization of $155.46 billion, a P/E ratio of 21.80, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.28 and a beta of 1.10. The business has a 50-day moving average of $259.66 and a two-hundred day moving average of $239.47.

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 analysts’ consensus estimates 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 during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $23.93 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $4.56 EPS. The company’s revenue for the quarter was down 5.5% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, equities analysts anticipate that Lowe’s Companies, Inc. will post 11.91 EPS for the current fiscal 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 given a $1.15 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, October 23rd. This represents a $4.60 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.69%. This is an increase from Lowe’s Companies’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.15. Lowe’s Companies’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 36.95%.

Insider Activity at Lowe’s Companies

In other Lowe’s Companies news, EVP Margrethe R. Vagell sold 5,730 shares of the stock in a transaction on Wednesday, October 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $271.45, for a total transaction of $1,555,408.50. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 13,214 shares in the company, valued at $3,586,940.30. This trade represents a 0.00 % decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. In other news, CAO Dan Clayton Griggs, Jr. sold 6,769 shares of the company’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 sale, the chief accounting officer now owns 9,383 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $2,334,678.06. This represents a 0.00 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, EVP Margrethe R. Vagell sold 5,730 shares of Lowe’s Companies stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, October 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $271.45, for a total value 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 approximately $3,586,940.30. This 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 company insiders.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

LOW has been the topic of several research reports. Oppenheimer upgraded shares of Lowe’s Companies from a “market perform” rating to an “outperform” rating and boosted their price objective for the stock from $230.00 to $305.00 in a report on Tuesday, September 24th. Wedbush restated a “neutral” rating and issued a $250.00 price target on shares of Lowe’s Companies in a research report on Wednesday, August 21st. Bank of America upped their price objective on shares of Lowe’s Companies from $275.00 to $305.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, October 11th. Melius Research began coverage on Lowe’s Companies in a research note on Monday, September 23rd. They issued a “buy” rating and a $290.00 target price for the company. Finally, Gordon Haskett dropped their price objective on shares of Lowe’s Companies from $245.00 to $240.00 and set a “hold” rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, August 21st. Eleven investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and fifteen have issued a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $270.60.

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.