Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan Trust Fund Purchases 171,000 Shares of Lowe’s Companies, Inc. $LOW

Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan Trust Fund lifted its position in Lowe’s Companies, Inc. (NYSE:LOW) by 67.0% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 426,186 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock after acquiring an additional 171,000 shares during the quarter. Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan Trust Fund’s holdings in Lowe’s Companies were worth $102,779,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Providence Wealth Advisors LLC raised its holdings in shares of Lowe’s Companies by 0.5% in the fourth quarter. Providence Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 7,969 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock valued at $1,959,000 after acquiring an additional 36 shares in the last quarter. Rather & Kittrell Inc. raised its holdings in shares of Lowe’s Companies by 0.4% in the fourth quarter. Rather & Kittrell Inc. now owns 10,379 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock valued at $2,503,000 after acquiring an additional 38 shares in the last quarter. First Command Advisory Services Inc. raised its holdings in shares of Lowe’s Companies by 1.3% in the fourth quarter. First Command Advisory Services Inc. now owns 2,947 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock valued at $711,000 after acquiring an additional 38 shares in the last quarter. Walkner Condon Financial Advisors LLC raised its holdings in shares of Lowe’s Companies by 4.3% in the fourth quarter. Walkner Condon Financial Advisors LLC now owns 945 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock valued at $228,000 after acquiring an additional 39 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Smithbridge Asset Management Inc. DE raised its holdings in Lowe’s Companies by 1.1% in the fourth quarter. Smithbridge Asset Management Inc. DE now owns 3,723 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock worth $898,000 after purchasing an additional 39 shares in the last quarter. 74.06% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Lowe’s Companies Stock Down 0.2%

LOW opened at $220.57 on Friday. Lowe’s Companies, Inc. has a 52-week low of $203.40 and a 52-week high of $293.06. The company has a market cap of $123.67 billion, a P/E ratio of 18.64, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.79 and a beta of 0.86. The firm’s 50-day moving average price is $228.38 and its 200-day moving average price is $246.14.

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

Lowe’s Companies Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, August 5th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, July 22nd will be issued a dividend of $1.25 per share. This represents a $5.00 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.3%. This is an increase from Lowe’s Companies’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.20. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, July 22nd. Lowe’s Companies’s dividend payout ratio is currently 40.57%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of equities analysts have commented on LOW shares. Stifel Nicolaus reduced their target price on shares of Lowe’s Companies from $270.00 to $220.00 and set a “hold” rating for the company in a report on Monday, May 18th. Piper Sandler reduced their target price on shares of Lowe’s Companies from $300.00 to $276.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a report on Thursday, May 21st. Oppenheimer reduced their target price on shares of Lowe’s Companies from $315.00 to $275.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a report on Monday, May 18th. Benchmark started coverage on shares of Lowe’s Companies in a report on Tuesday, May 12th. They issued a “hold” rating for the company. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada reduced their target price on shares of Lowe’s Companies from $264.00 to $232.00 and set a “sector perform” rating for the company in a report on Thursday, May 21st. Twenty-three analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have issued a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $264.57.

Lowe’s Companies Profile

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.