Margrethe R. Vagell Sells 5,730 Shares of Lowe’s Companies, Inc. (NYSE:LOW) Stock

Lowe’s Companies, Inc. (NYSE:LOW) EVP Margrethe R. Vagell sold 5,730 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, October 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $271.45, for a total transaction of $1,555,408.50. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now owns 13,214 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,586,940.30. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink.

Lowe’s Companies Stock Down 0.6 %

LOW opened at $270.30 on Friday. Lowe’s Companies, Inc. has a 52 week low of $181.85 and a 52 week high of $274.16. The company has a market capitalization of $154.03 billion, a P/E ratio of 21.71, a PEG ratio of 2.15 and a beta of 1.10. The stock’s fifty day moving average is $249.04 and its two-hundred day moving average is $236.96.

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

Lowe’s Companies Increases Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, November 6th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, October 23rd will be given a $1.15 dividend. This represents a $4.60 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.70%. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, October 23rd. This is a boost from Lowe’s Companies’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.15. Lowe’s Companies’s dividend payout ratio is presently 36.95%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

LOW has been the subject of a number of recent research reports. JPMorgan Chase & Co. dropped their price objective on shares of Lowe’s Companies from $272.00 to $270.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, August 21st. Bank of America reduced their price objective on Lowe’s Companies from $280.00 to $275.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, August 21st. Loop Capital raised their price objective on Lowe’s Companies from $230.00 to $250.00 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a research note on Wednesday. Gordon Haskett cut their target price on Lowe’s Companies from $245.00 to $240.00 and set a “hold” rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, August 21st. Finally, Wedbush reaffirmed a “neutral” rating and set a $250.00 price objective on shares of Lowe’s Companies in a research note on Wednesday, August 21st. Twelve research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and thirteen have given a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $263.54.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Lowe’s Companies

Several institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Drive Wealth Management LLC lifted its holdings in Lowe’s Companies by 2.2% during the 2nd quarter. Drive Wealth Management LLC now owns 1,894 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock worth $418,000 after buying an additional 41 shares during the last quarter. Crown Wealth Group LLC lifted its position in shares of Lowe’s Companies by 4.4% during the 2nd quarter. Crown Wealth Group LLC now owns 1,051 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock worth $232,000 after buying an additional 44 shares during the last quarter. Pure Financial Advisors LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Lowe’s Companies by 2.5% in the 2nd quarter. Pure Financial Advisors LLC now owns 1,813 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock valued at $400,000 after buying an additional 45 shares in the last quarter. BLB&B Advisors LLC raised its stake in Lowe’s Companies by 2.2% during the 2nd quarter. BLB&B Advisors LLC now owns 2,062 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock worth $454,000 after acquiring an additional 45 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Pathway Financial Advisers LLC boosted its stake in Lowe’s Companies by 3.5% in the second quarter. Pathway Financial Advisers LLC now owns 1,331 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock valued at $292,000 after acquiring an additional 45 shares in the last quarter. 74.06% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Lowe’s Companies Company 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.