Lowe’s Companies, Inc. (NYSE:LOW) Given Average Rating of “Moderate Buy” by Brokerages

Lowe’s Companies, Inc. (NYSE:LOW) has been given an average recommendation of “Moderate Buy” by the twenty-six ratings firms that are presently covering the stock, Marketbeat.com reports. Ten research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and sixteen have issued a buy rating on the company. The average twelve-month price target among brokerages that have covered the stock in the last year is $280.85.

Several research analysts have weighed in on the stock. 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 report on Thursday, December 12th. Evercore ISI raised their price objective on Lowe’s Companies from $270.00 to $290.00 and gave the company an “in-line” rating in a research note on Thursday, December 12th. TD Cowen boosted their target price on Lowe’s Companies from $270.00 to $290.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a research report on Monday, October 28th. Mizuho upped their target price on Lowe’s Companies from $282.00 to $305.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Thursday, December 12th. Finally, Telsey Advisory Group reissued an “outperform” rating and issued a $305.00 price objective on shares of Lowe’s Companies in a research note on Thursday, December 12th.

Lowe’s Companies Trading Up 1.0 %

Shares of LOW stock opened at $261.39 on Friday. Lowe’s Companies has a 12-month low of $209.55 and a 12-month high of $287.01. The company has a market cap of $147.59 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 21.80, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.08 and a beta of 1.11. The stock has a 50 day simple moving average of $260.10 and a 200-day simple moving average of $254.31.

Lowe’s Companies Dividend Announcement

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, February 5th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, January 22nd will be paid a $1.15 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, January 22nd. This represents a $4.60 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.76%. Lowe’s Companies’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 38.37%.

Insider Activity at Lowe’s Companies

In other Lowe’s Companies news, EVP Quonta D. Vance sold 7,198 shares of the business’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 transaction, the executive vice president now owns 16,703 shares in the company, valued at $4,582,802.11. The trade was a 30.12 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Company insiders own 0.26% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Trading of Lowe’s Companies

Several large investors have recently modified their holdings of the business. FMR LLC grew its stake in Lowe’s Companies by 10.2% during the 3rd quarter. FMR LLC now owns 26,010,730 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock valued at $7,045,006,000 after purchasing an additional 2,399,897 shares in the last quarter. State Street Corp boosted its stake in shares of Lowe’s Companies by 1.9% during the 3rd quarter. State Street Corp now owns 25,013,655 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock valued at $6,774,948,000 after buying an additional 460,851 shares during the last quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC grew its position in shares of Lowe’s Companies by 1.6% during the third quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 11,733,461 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock worth $3,169,041,000 after buying an additional 187,473 shares in the last quarter. Legal & General Group Plc grew its position in shares of Lowe’s Companies by 1.6% during the second quarter. Legal & General Group Plc now owns 5,205,491 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock worth $1,147,603,000 after buying an additional 82,978 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. increased its stake in shares of Lowe’s Companies by 1.2% in the third quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 3,369,052 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock worth $912,508,000 after buying an additional 39,953 shares during the last quarter. 74.06% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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.