Lowe’s Companies (NYSE:LOW) Shares Break Above Two Hundred Day Moving Average – Should You Sell?

Shares of Lowe’s Companies, Inc. (NYSE:LOW) crossed above its 200-day moving average during trading on Wednesday. The stock has a 200-day moving average of $225.60 and traded as high as $229.79. Lowe’s Companies shares last traded at $229.4190, with a volume of 4,877,012 shares traded.

Key Stories Impacting Lowe’s Companies

Here are the key news stories impacting Lowe’s Companies this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Housing stocks, including Lowe’s, rallied after Democrats’ election gains as interest rates edged lower and investors saw signs inflation could ease. Lower borrowing costs could support housing activity and renovation spending. Read article
• Positive Sentiment: An institutional investor reportedly established a $6.93 million stake in Lowe’s ahead of earnings. The investment may signal confidence, although the article provides no details about the investor’s rationale and the stake alone does not establish a broader trend. Read article
• Positive Sentiment: Georgia Ports named Lowe’s its Supply Chain Impact Partner of the Year, recognizing the retailer’s supply-chain relationship. The recognition is favorable but does not indicate a specific financial benefit. Read article
• Neutral Sentiment: A report says Lowe’s plans to open new stores, but the supplied information does not specify locations, timing, or expected investment, limiting insight into the potential impact. Read article

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several research firms have recently commented on LOW. JPMorgan Chase & Co. decreased their target price on Lowe’s Companies from $279.00 to $252.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, July 31st. KeyCorp restated an “overweight” rating and issued a $275.00 price target on shares of Lowe’s Companies in a research note on Thursday, August 20th. Piper Sandler decreased their price objective on Lowe’s Companies from $276.00 to $274.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, August 13th. Citigroup lowered their price objective on Lowe’s Companies from $267.00 to $260.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, August 20th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company dropped their target price on Lowe’s Companies from $255.00 to $245.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, August 11th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-two have assigned a Buy rating, twelve have assigned a Hold rating and two have issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Lowe’s Companies presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $253.48.

Lowe’s Companies Stock Up 7.5%

The company’s fifty day moving average price is $196.48 and its 200 day moving average price is $225.60. The company has a market capitalization of $128.72 billion, a P/E ratio of 19.39, a PEG ratio of 1.79 and a beta of 0.81.

Lowe’s Companies (NYSE:LOW) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, August 19th. The home improvement retailer reported $4.40 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $4.22 by $0.18. The business had revenue of $25.96 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $26.13 billion. Lowe’s Companies had a negative return on equity of 75.67% and a net margin of 7.34%. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 8.3% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $4.33 earnings per share. Lowe’s Companies has set its FY 2026 guidance at 12.250-12.250 EPS. Research analysts predict that Lowe’s Companies, Inc. will post 12.25 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Lowe’s Companies Announces Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, November 4th. Investors of record on Wednesday, October 21st were paid a $1.25 dividend. This represents a $5.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.2%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Wednesday, October 21st. Lowe’s Companies’s payout ratio is 42.27%.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Lowe’s Companies

A number of large investors have recently bought and sold shares of LOW. Amundi increased its stake in Lowe’s Companies by 57.3% in the second quarter. Amundi now owns 2,892,868 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock valued at $637,848,000 after acquiring an additional 1,053,237 shares during the last quarter. State Street Corp lifted its stake in Lowe’s Companies by 3.6% during the second quarter. State Street Corp now owns 25,329,373 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock worth $5,584,873,000 after purchasing an additional 880,815 shares during the last quarter. BlackRock Inc. lifted its stake in Lowe’s Companies by 1.8% during the second quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 40,545,728 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock worth $8,939,928,000 after purchasing an additional 714,092 shares during the last quarter. Cullen Capital Management LLC bought a new stake in Lowe’s Companies during the second quarter worth $139,207,000. Finally, Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan Trust Fund raised its holdings in shares of Lowe’s Companies by 142.4% during the 1st quarter. Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan Trust Fund now owns 1,033,232 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock worth $244,132,000 after buying an additional 607,046 shares in the last quarter. 74.06% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Lowe’s Companies Company Profile

Lowe’s Companies, Inc is a home improvement retailer serving do-it-yourself customers, professional contractors and commercial customers across the United States. The company sells products for home construction, maintenance, repair, remodeling and improvement through its stores and digital platforms.

Its merchandise includes appliances, tools, hardware, lumber, building materials, electrical and plumbing supplies, paint, flooring, kitchen and bathroom products, outdoor living items, lawn and garden products, and seasonal merchandise.