Empirical Finance LLC Cuts Stake in Lowe’s Companies, Inc. (NYSE:LOW)

Empirical Finance LLC lowered its stake in shares of Lowe’s Companies, Inc. (NYSE:LOW) by 1.7% in the fourth quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 20,676 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock after selling 348 shares during the period. Empirical Finance LLC’s holdings in Lowe’s Companies were worth $5,103,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also modified their holdings of the stock. Crew Capital Management Ltd. increased its holdings in shares of Lowe’s Companies by 1.0% in the 3rd quarter. Crew Capital Management Ltd. now owns 3,873 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock valued at $1,049,000 after purchasing an additional 37 shares in the last quarter. Summit Place Financial Advisors LLC increased its holdings in shares of Lowe’s Companies by 2.8% in the 3rd quarter. Summit Place Financial Advisors LLC now owns 1,375 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock valued at $372,000 after purchasing an additional 37 shares in the last quarter. Mitchell Mcleod Pugh & Williams Inc. grew its holdings in Lowe’s Companies by 0.5% in the third quarter. Mitchell Mcleod Pugh & Williams Inc. now owns 7,460 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock valued at $2,021,000 after purchasing an additional 40 shares during the last quarter. Powers Advisory Group LLC increased its position in shares of Lowe’s Companies by 2.7% in the fourth quarter. Powers Advisory Group LLC now owns 1,541 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock valued at $380,000 after buying an additional 40 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Saxony Capital Management LLC increased its position in shares of Lowe’s Companies by 4.2% in the fourth quarter. Saxony Capital Management LLC now owns 994 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock valued at $245,000 after buying an additional 40 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 74.06% of the company’s stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

LOW has been the subject of a number of research analyst reports. Barclays raised their price target on Lowe’s Companies from $229.00 to $245.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Wednesday, November 20th. TD Cowen raised their price target on Lowe’s Companies from $270.00 to $290.00 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a research report on Monday, October 28th. Guggenheim restated a “buy” rating and issued a $300.00 price target on shares of Lowe’s Companies in a research report on Thursday, December 12th. Stifel Nicolaus raised their price target on Lowe’s Companies from $265.00 to $270.00 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a research report on Wednesday, December 11th. Finally, Telsey Advisory Group restated an “outperform” rating and issued a $305.00 price target on shares of Lowe’s Companies in a research report on Thursday, December 12th. Ten analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seventeen have given a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $280.85.

Lowe’s Companies Price Performance

Lowe’s Companies stock opened at $252.17 on Friday. The stock’s 50-day moving average is $257.24 and its 200-day moving average is $257.78. The company has a market cap of $142.39 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 21.03, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.04 and a beta of 1.11. Lowe’s Companies, Inc. has a 12 month low of $211.80 and a 12 month high of $287.01.

Lowe’s Companies Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, February 5th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, January 22nd were issued a $1.15 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Wednesday, January 22nd. This represents a $4.60 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.82%. Lowe’s Companies’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 38.37%.

Insider Transactions at Lowe’s Companies

In other news, EVP Quonta D. Vance sold 7,198 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, November 27th. The stock was 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 directly owns 16,703 shares in the company, valued at $4,582,802.11. This trade represents a 30.12 % decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Company insiders own 0.26% of the company’s stock.

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.