Erste Asset Management GmbH Cuts Holdings in Lowe’s Companies, Inc. $LOW

Erste Asset Management GmbH decreased its position in shares of Lowe’s Companies, Inc. (NYSE:LOW) by 5.4% in the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 57,505 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock after selling 3,279 shares during the period. Erste Asset Management GmbH’s holdings in Lowe’s Companies were worth $14,008,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Norges Bank purchased a new position in Lowe’s Companies in the fourth quarter worth about $1,993,697,000. Wellington Management Group LLP grew its position in Lowe’s Companies by 102.0% in the third quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 4,204,311 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock worth $1,056,585,000 after acquiring an additional 2,122,622 shares in the last quarter. Victory Capital Management Inc. grew its position in Lowe’s Companies by 207.2% in the third quarter. Victory Capital Management Inc. now owns 2,058,086 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock worth $517,218,000 after acquiring an additional 1,388,133 shares in the last quarter. Eurizon Capital SGR S.p.A. purchased a new position in Lowe’s Companies in the fourth quarter worth about $308,683,000. Finally, Vanguard Group Inc. grew its position in Lowe’s Companies by 1.7% in the fourth quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 56,230,787 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock worth $13,560,617,000 after acquiring an additional 924,625 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 74.06% of the company’s stock.

Lowe’s Companies Price Performance

Shares of NYSE LOW opened at $208.22 on Tuesday. The company has a market cap of $116.75 billion, a P/E ratio of 17.60, a PEG ratio of 2.66 and a beta of 0.87. Lowe’s Companies, Inc. has a 1 year low of $203.40 and a 1 year high of $293.06. The firm has a 50-day simple moving average of $229.56 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $246.57.

Lowe’s Companies (NYSE:LOW) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, May 20th. The home improvement retailer reported $3.03 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.97 by $0.06. The business had revenue of $23.08 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $22.98 billion. Lowe’s Companies had a net margin of 7.51% and a negative return on equity of 67.96%. The firm’s quarterly revenue was up 10.3% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $2.92 earnings per share. Lowe’s Companies has set its FY 2026 guidance at 12.250-12.750 EPS. As a group, equities research analysts expect that Lowe’s Companies, Inc. will post 12.48 EPS for the current year.

Lowe’s Companies Increases Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, August 5th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, July 22nd will be paid a dividend of $1.25 per share. This is a boost from Lowe’s Companies’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.20. This represents a $5.00 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.4%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, July 22nd. Lowe’s Companies’s payout ratio is presently 40.57%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several research analysts recently commented on the company. UBS Group dropped their price target on Lowe’s Companies from $315.00 to $285.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, May 21st. DA Davidson reiterated a “neutral” rating and issued a $275.00 price target on shares of Lowe’s Companies in a research report on Wednesday, May 20th. KeyCorp dropped their price target on Lowe’s Companies from $300.00 to $275.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, May 21st. Bank of America dropped their price target on Lowe’s Companies from $260.00 to $257.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, May 21st. Finally, Wolfe Research set a $254.00 price target on Lowe’s Companies in a research report on Thursday, May 21st. Twenty-three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have assigned a Hold rating and two have issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $264.57.

About Lowe’s Companies

Lowe’s Companies, Inc is a leading home improvement retailer that operates large-format stores and digital channels serving both do-it-yourself homeowners and professional contractors. The company offers a broad assortment of products including building materials, lumber, appliances, tools and hardware, plumbing and electrical supplies, paint, flooring, kitchen and bath fixtures, outdoor and garden products, and home decor. Lowe’s also provides a range of services such as installation, home improvement financing, tool and equipment rental, and contractor-focused sales programs.

Operations are centered on a nationwide brick-and-mortar store network supported by distribution centers and an e-commerce platform that enables online ordering, delivery and in-store pickup.