Lowe’s Companies, Inc. (NYSE:LOW) Shares Sold by Desjardins Global Asset Management Inc.

Desjardins Global Asset Management Inc. decreased its position in shares of Lowe’s Companies, Inc. (NYSE:LOW) by 4.3% during the 4th quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The fund owned 2,499 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock after selling 111 shares during the period. Desjardins Global Asset Management Inc.’s holdings in Lowe’s Companies were worth $556,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Cookson Peirce & Co. Inc. lifted its stake in Lowe’s Companies by 11.2% during the 4th quarter. Cookson Peirce & Co. Inc. now owns 3,994 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock worth $889,000 after acquiring an additional 403 shares in the last quarter. United Asset Strategies Inc. raised its position in Lowe’s Companies by 17.7% in the 4th quarter. United Asset Strategies Inc. now owns 6,669 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock valued at $1,484,000 after purchasing an additional 1,001 shares in the last quarter. SVB Wealth LLC raised its position in Lowe’s Companies by 3.3% in the 4th quarter. SVB Wealth LLC now owns 14,188 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock valued at $3,158,000 after purchasing an additional 457 shares in the last quarter. Flputnam Investment Management Co. raised its position in Lowe’s Companies by 2.2% in the 4th quarter. Flputnam Investment Management Co. now owns 117,999 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock valued at $26,261,000 after purchasing an additional 2,511 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Capital Analysts LLC raised its position in Lowe’s Companies by 3.8% in the 4th quarter. Capital Analysts LLC now owns 24,665 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock valued at $5,489,000 after purchasing an additional 892 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 74.06% of the company’s stock.

Lowe’s Companies Stock Performance

Shares of LOW stock opened at $228.86 on Thursday. The stock has a fifty day moving average price of $239.29 and a 200 day moving average price of $218.38. The stock has a market cap of $130.95 billion, a PE ratio of 17.39, a P/E/G ratio of 1.69 and a beta of 1.13. Lowe’s Companies, Inc. has a 1 year low of $181.85 and a 1 year high of $262.49.

Lowe’s Companies (NYSE:LOW) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, February 27th. The home improvement retailer reported $1.77 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.68 by $0.09. The firm had revenue of $18.60 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $18.47 billion. Lowe’s Companies had a negative return on equity of 51.42% and a net margin of 8.94%. Lowe’s Companies’s revenue was down 17.1% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $2.28 earnings per share. As a group, equities research analysts predict that Lowe’s Companies, Inc. will post 12.21 earnings per share for the current year.

Lowe’s Companies Announces Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, May 8th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, April 24th will be given a dividend of $1.10 per share. This represents a $4.40 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.92%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, April 23rd. Lowe’s Companies’s payout ratio is 33.43%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of equities research analysts have issued reports on LOW shares. Citigroup increased their price target on Lowe’s Companies from $199.00 to $236.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research report on Wednesday, February 21st. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their price objective on Lowe’s Companies from $265.00 to $268.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Wednesday, February 28th. Telsey Advisory Group reiterated a “market perform” rating and issued a $230.00 price objective on shares of Lowe’s Companies in a report on Wednesday, March 27th. Stifel Nicolaus dropped their price objective on Lowe’s Companies from $240.00 to $225.00 and set a “hold” rating on the stock in a report on Friday, February 16th. Finally, DA Davidson reiterated a “neutral” rating and issued a $270.00 price objective on shares of Lowe’s Companies in a report on Wednesday, March 27th. Fifteen investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and twelve have issued a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $252.52.

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.