SFE Investment Counsel Boosts Position in Lowe’s Companies, Inc. (NYSE:LOW)

SFE Investment Counsel raised its stake in shares of Lowe’s Companies, Inc. (NYSE:LOW) by 0.4% in the 4th quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The firm owned 49,198 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock after purchasing an additional 180 shares during the period. Lowe’s Companies makes up 2.6% of SFE Investment Counsel’s portfolio, making the stock its 9th biggest position. SFE Investment Counsel’s holdings in Lowe’s Companies were worth $12,142,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also bought and sold shares of the stock. FMR LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Lowe’s Companies by 10.2% in the 3rd quarter. FMR LLC now owns 26,010,730 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock worth $7,045,006,000 after purchasing an additional 2,399,897 shares in the last quarter. International Assets Investment Management LLC raised its holdings in shares of Lowe’s Companies by 1,889.7% during the 3rd quarter. International Assets Investment Management LLC now owns 2,134,969 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock valued at $578,256,000 after buying an additional 2,027,668 shares in the last quarter. Strategic Financial Concepts LLC lifted its position in Lowe’s Companies by 24,531.0% in the 4th quarter. Strategic Financial Concepts LLC now owns 1,228,102 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock worth $303,096,000 after buying an additional 1,223,116 shares during the last quarter. Applied Finance Capital Management LLC boosted its stake in Lowe’s Companies by 387.7% in the third quarter. Applied Finance Capital Management LLC now owns 811,374 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock worth $219,761,000 after buying an additional 645,017 shares in the last quarter. Finally, State Street Corp boosted its stake in Lowe’s Companies by 1.9% in the third quarter. State Street Corp now owns 25,013,655 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock worth $6,774,948,000 after buying an additional 460,851 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 74.06% of the company’s stock.

Lowe’s Companies Price Performance

NYSE:LOW opened at $250.32 on Thursday. Lowe’s Companies, Inc. has a one year low of $211.80 and a one year high of $287.01. The firm has a market capitalization of $141.34 billion, a P/E ratio of 20.88, a PEG ratio of 2.04 and a beta of 1.11. The company’s 50-day simple moving average is $256.15 and its 200 day simple moving average is $258.33.

Lowe’s Companies Dividend Announcement

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, February 5th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, January 22nd were given a $1.15 dividend. This represents a $4.60 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.84%. The ex-dividend date was Wednesday, January 22nd. Lowe’s Companies’s dividend payout ratio is presently 38.37%.

Insider Transactions at Lowe’s Companies

In related news, EVP Quonta D. Vance sold 7,198 shares of the stock in a transaction on Wednesday, November 27th. The stock was sold at an average price of $274.37, for a total transaction of $1,974,915.26. Following the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 16,703 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $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 available at the SEC website. Insiders own 0.26% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of equities research analysts have recently weighed in on the stock. Wedbush restated a “neutral” rating and issued a $250.00 price objective on shares of Lowe’s Companies in a report on Thursday, December 12th. Wells Fargo & Company boosted their price target on shares of Lowe’s Companies from $280.00 to $295.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Wednesday, November 6th. Barclays raised their price objective on Lowe’s Companies from $229.00 to $245.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Wednesday, November 20th. Telsey Advisory Group reiterated an “outperform” rating and issued a $305.00 price objective on shares of Lowe’s Companies in a report on Thursday, December 12th. Finally, DA Davidson increased their target price on Lowe’s Companies from $240.00 to $270.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a report on Wednesday, November 20th. Ten equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seventeen have given a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $280.88.

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.