Ghe LLC Boosts Stake in Lowe’s Companies, Inc. (NYSE:LOW)

Ghe LLC raised its position in Lowe’s Companies, Inc. (NYSE:LOW) by 0.8% during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The firm owned 24,485 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock after acquiring an additional 184 shares during the quarter. Lowe’s Companies makes up 2.7% of Ghe LLC’s portfolio, making the stock its 6th biggest holding. Ghe LLC’s holdings in Lowe’s Companies were worth $6,582,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of LOW. Bleakley Financial Group LLC grew its position in shares of Lowe’s Companies by 9.1% during the first quarter. Bleakley Financial Group LLC now owns 10,712 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock worth $2,729,000 after purchasing an additional 890 shares in the last quarter. Koshinski Asset Management Inc. lifted its stake in shares of Lowe’s Companies by 91.8% in the 1st quarter. Koshinski Asset Management Inc. now owns 5,822 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock valued at $1,483,000 after purchasing an additional 2,787 shares during the last quarter. Private Management Group Inc. lifted its stake in shares of Lowe’s Companies by 6.1% in the 1st quarter. Private Management Group Inc. now owns 1,278 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock valued at $326,000 after purchasing an additional 73 shares during the last quarter. D Orazio & Associates Inc. lifted its stake in shares of Lowe’s Companies by 10.3% in the 1st quarter. D Orazio & Associates Inc. now owns 4,311 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock valued at $1,098,000 after purchasing an additional 404 shares during the last quarter. Finally, TBH Global Asset Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of Lowe’s Companies during the 1st quarter worth approximately $267,000. Institutional investors own 74.06% of the company’s stock.

Insider Activity at Lowe’s Companies

In related news, EVP Margrethe R. Vagell sold 5,730 shares of Lowe’s Companies stock in a transaction on Wednesday, October 2nd. The stock was 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 directly owns 13,214 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,586,940.30. This trade represents a 0.00 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. In related news, EVP Margrethe R. Vagell sold 5,730 shares of Lowe’s Companies stock in a transaction on Wednesday, October 2nd. The stock was 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 directly owns 13,214 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,586,940.30. This trade represents a 0.00 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, CAO Dan Clayton Griggs, Jr. sold 6,769 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, September 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of $248.82, for a total value of $1,684,262.58. Following the completion of the sale, the chief accounting officer now owns 9,383 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,334,678.06. This represents a 0.00 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 0.26% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Lowe’s Companies Trading Up 1.3 %

LOW stock traded up $3.55 during midday trading on Wednesday, hitting $273.45. 127,525 shares of the company’s stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 2,433,623. The business has a 50-day simple moving average of $265.62 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $242.85. The stock has a market capitalization of $155.13 billion, a PE ratio of 22.37, a P/E/G ratio of 2.26 and a beta of 1.10. Lowe’s Companies, Inc. has a 1-year low of $196.23 and a 1-year high of $287.01.

Lowe’s Companies (NYSE:LOW) last posted its earnings results on Tuesday, August 20th. The home improvement retailer reported $4.10 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $3.96 by $0.14. The company had revenue of $23.59 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $23.93 billion. Lowe’s Companies had a negative return on equity of 47.07% and a net margin of 8.25%. The firm’s quarterly revenue was down 5.5% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $4.56 earnings per share. As a group, research analysts expect that Lowe’s Companies, Inc. will post 11.92 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Lowe’s Companies Increases Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, November 6th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, October 23rd were given a dividend of $1.15 per share. This is a positive change from Lowe’s Companies’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.15. This represents a $4.60 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.68%. The ex-dividend date was Wednesday, October 23rd. Lowe’s Companies’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 38.14%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several research analysts have commented on LOW shares. Gordon Haskett reduced their price objective on Lowe’s Companies from $245.00 to $240.00 and set a “hold” rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, August 21st. StockNews.com upgraded Lowe’s Companies from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, September 18th. Wells Fargo & Company upped their target price on Lowe’s Companies from $280.00 to $295.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Wednesday, November 6th. Telsey Advisory Group raised Lowe’s Companies from a “market perform” rating to an “outperform” rating and upped their target price for the company from $275.00 to $305.00 in a research report on Friday, November 8th. Finally, Bank of America boosted their price target on Lowe’s Companies from $275.00 to $305.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, October 11th. Ten investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and sixteen have given a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $273.84.

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.