First Bank & Trust Boosts Stake in Lowe’s Companies, Inc. (NYSE:LOW)

First Bank & Trust raised its position in Lowe’s Companies, Inc. (NYSE:LOW) by 8.8% during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 1,565 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock after purchasing an additional 126 shares during the quarter. First Bank & Trust’s holdings in Lowe’s Companies were worth $386,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Concurrent Investment Advisors LLC raised its position in Lowe’s Companies by 10.7% in the 4th quarter. Concurrent Investment Advisors LLC now owns 30,321 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock worth $7,483,000 after purchasing an additional 2,943 shares during the period. Advyzon Investment Management LLC bought a new position in Lowe’s Companies in the 4th quarter worth about $288,000. Handelsbanken Fonder AB grew its stake in Lowe’s Companies by 4.2% in the 4th quarter. Handelsbanken Fonder AB now owns 181,725 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock worth $44,850,000 after acquiring an additional 7,407 shares in the last quarter. LMG Wealth Partners LLC grew its stake in Lowe’s Companies by 1.1% in the 4th quarter. LMG Wealth Partners LLC now owns 24,191 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock worth $5,970,000 after acquiring an additional 263 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Freedom Day Solutions LLC grew its stake in Lowe’s Companies by 1.2% in the 4th quarter. Freedom Day Solutions LLC now owns 10,262 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock worth $2,533,000 after acquiring an additional 124 shares in the last quarter. 74.06% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of equities analysts have commented on LOW shares. StockNews.com upgraded shares of Lowe’s Companies from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, January 17th. Barclays upped their target price on shares of Lowe’s Companies from $229.00 to $245.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Wednesday, November 20th. Royal Bank of Canada upped their target price on shares of Lowe’s Companies from $291.00 to $292.00 and gave the stock a “sector perform” rating in a research note on Thursday, December 12th. Sanford C. Bernstein increased their price objective on shares of Lowe’s Companies from $301.00 to $304.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Thursday, December 12th. Finally, Guggenheim reiterated a “buy” rating and set a $300.00 price objective on shares of Lowe’s Companies in a research note on Thursday, December 12th. Ten research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and fifteen have issued a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $282.96.

Insider Buying and Selling at Lowe’s Companies

In other Lowe’s Companies news, EVP Quonta D. Vance sold 7,198 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, November 27th. The shares were sold at an average price of $274.37, for a total value of $1,974,915.26. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 16,703 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $4,582,802.11. This trade represents a 30.12 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. 0.26% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Lowe’s Companies Stock Down 0.0 %

Shares of LOW opened at $246.63 on Friday. The company has a market cap of $139.26 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 20.57, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.99 and a beta of 1.11. Lowe’s Companies, Inc. has a twelve month low of $211.80 and a twelve month high of $287.01. The company has a 50 day moving average of $253.77 and a two-hundred day moving average of $258.57.

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.