WoodTrust Financial Corp Increases Holdings in Lowe’s Companies, Inc. (NYSE:LOW)

WoodTrust Financial Corp boosted its stake in Lowe’s Companies, Inc. (NYSE:LOW) by 6.0% during the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 6,575 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock after buying an additional 373 shares during the quarter. WoodTrust Financial Corp’s holdings in Lowe’s Companies were worth $1,675,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Independence Bank of Kentucky lifted its stake in Lowe’s Companies by 5.8% in the 1st quarter. Independence Bank of Kentucky now owns 15,806 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock valued at $4,026,000 after buying an additional 865 shares in the last quarter. S.E.E.D. Planning Group LLC lifted its stake in Lowe’s Companies by 21.3% in the 1st quarter. S.E.E.D. Planning Group LLC now owns 10,284 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock valued at $2,620,000 after buying an additional 1,805 shares in the last quarter. Webster Bank N. A. lifted its stake in Lowe’s Companies by 13.6% in the 1st quarter. Webster Bank N. A. now owns 6,287 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock valued at $1,601,000 after buying an additional 755 shares in the last quarter. Norway Savings Bank lifted its stake in Lowe’s Companies by 2.3% in the 1st quarter. Norway Savings Bank now owns 7,009 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock valued at $1,785,000 after buying an additional 160 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Kathmere Capital Management LLC lifted its stake in Lowe’s Companies by 4.6% in the 1st quarter. Kathmere Capital Management LLC now owns 1,447 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock valued at $369,000 after buying an additional 63 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 74.06% of the company’s stock.

Lowe’s Companies Price Performance

NYSE LOW traded up $0.66 during trading hours on Friday, hitting $220.46. The company had a trading volume of 12,630,451 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,428,194. Lowe’s Companies, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $181.85 and a fifty-two week high of $262.49. The company has a market capitalization of $125.63 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 17.71, a P/E/G ratio of 1.68 and a beta of 1.08. The firm’s 50 day moving average is $225.32 and its 200 day moving average is $228.26.

Lowe’s Companies (NYSE:LOW) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, May 21st. The home improvement retailer reported $3.06 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.94 by $0.12. The company had revenue of $21.36 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $21.14 billion. Lowe’s Companies had a negative return on equity of 48.52% and a net margin of 8.46%. The company’s revenue was down 4.4% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the firm earned $3.67 earnings per share. On average, equities analysts anticipate that Lowe’s Companies, Inc. will post 12.23 EPS for the current year.

Lowe’s Companies Cuts Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, August 7th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, July 24th will be paid a dividend of $0.15 per share. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, July 24th. This represents a $0.60 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.27%. Lowe’s Companies’s dividend payout ratio is presently 35.34%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of research firms recently issued reports on LOW. Royal Bank of Canada reaffirmed a “sector perform” rating and issued a $246.00 target price on shares of Lowe’s Companies in a research note on Wednesday, May 22nd. Mizuho initiated coverage on Lowe’s Companies in a research note on Tuesday, March 19th. They set a “buy” rating and a $280.00 price target on the stock. Telsey Advisory Group reissued a “market perform” rating and set a $230.00 price target on shares of Lowe’s Companies in a research note on Tuesday, May 21st. Evercore ISI reduced their price target on Lowe’s Companies from $255.00 to $250.00 and set an “in-line” rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, May 22nd. Finally, Citigroup reduced their price target on Lowe’s Companies from $243.00 to $240.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, May 7th. Fifteen analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and twelve have assigned a buy rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $251.33.

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.