Ascent Group LLC Purchases 432 Shares of Lowe’s Companies, Inc. (NYSE:LOW)

Ascent Group LLC increased its position in shares of Lowe’s Companies, Inc. (NYSE:LOW) by 12.0% in the second quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 4,028 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock after buying an additional 432 shares during the period. Ascent Group LLC’s holdings in Lowe’s Companies were worth $888,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of LOW. Voisard Asset Management Group Inc. bought a new position in Lowe’s Companies during the fourth quarter worth $28,000. Transcendent Capital Group LLC bought a new position in Lowe’s Companies during the fourth quarter worth $31,000. Stephens Consulting LLC raised its stake in Lowe’s Companies by 93.3% during the second quarter. Stephens Consulting LLC now owns 145 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock worth $32,000 after buying an additional 70 shares during the last quarter. Keener Financial Planning LLC bought a new position in Lowe’s Companies during the first quarter worth $35,000. Finally, Raleigh Capital Management Inc. raised its stake in Lowe’s Companies by 48.8% during the fourth quarter. Raleigh Capital Management Inc. now owns 183 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock worth $41,000 after buying an additional 60 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 74.06% of the company’s stock.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Lowe’s Companies news, CAO Dan Clayton Griggs, Jr. sold 6,769 shares of Lowe’s Companies stock in a transaction dated 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 sale, the chief accounting officer now owns 9,383 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $2,334,678.06. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Insiders own 0.26% of the company’s stock.

Lowe’s Companies Price Performance

LOW opened at $270.85 on Tuesday. The company’s 50-day moving average is $246.83 and its 200 day moving average is $236.29. Lowe’s Companies, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $181.85 and a fifty-two week high of $271.27. The firm has a market capitalization of $154.34 billion, a P/E ratio of 21.76, a PEG ratio of 2.15 and a beta of 1.10.

Lowe’s Companies (NYSE:LOW) last released its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, August 20th. The home improvement retailer reported $4.10 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $3.96 by $0.14. The company had revenue of $23.59 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $23.93 billion. Lowe’s Companies had a net margin of 8.25% and a negative return on equity of 47.07%. The firm’s revenue was down 5.5% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the firm earned $4.56 earnings per share. On average, equities research analysts expect that Lowe’s Companies, Inc. will post 11.93 earnings per share for the current year.

Lowe’s Companies Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, November 6th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, October 23rd will be given a $1.15 dividend. This is a positive change from Lowe’s Companies’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.15. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, October 23rd. This represents a $4.60 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.70%. Lowe’s Companies’s payout ratio is currently 36.95%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

LOW has been the subject of a number of research reports. Royal Bank of Canada reduced their price target on shares of Lowe’s Companies from $245.00 to $238.00 and set a “sector perform” rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, August 21st. Gordon Haskett reduced their price target on shares of Lowe’s Companies from $245.00 to $240.00 and set a “hold” rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, August 21st. Wells Fargo & Company reduced their price target on shares of Lowe’s Companies from $290.00 to $280.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, August 21st. StockNews.com upgraded shares of Lowe’s Companies from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, September 18th. Finally, Telsey Advisory Group restated a “market perform” rating and issued a $230.00 price target on shares of Lowe’s Companies in a report on Tuesday, August 20th. Eleven equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and thirteen have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $260.00.

Lowe’s Companies 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.