First Financial Bank Trust Division Increases Stock Position in Lowe’s Companies, Inc. (NYSE:LOW)

First Financial Bank Trust Division raised its holdings in Lowe’s Companies, Inc. (NYSE:LOW) by 0.1% during the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 50,736 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock after purchasing an additional 50 shares during the period. Lowe’s Companies accounts for approximately 1.2% of First Financial Bank Trust Division’s portfolio, making the stock its 28th largest holding. First Financial Bank Trust Division’s holdings in Lowe’s Companies were worth $11,451,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently modified their holdings of the company. Ritter Daniher Financial Advisory LLC DE lifted its holdings in shares of Lowe’s Companies by 357.1% in the first quarter. Ritter Daniher Financial Advisory LLC DE now owns 128 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock valued at $26,000 after purchasing an additional 100 shares in the last quarter. Tanglewood Legacy Advisors LLC acquired a new position in shares of Lowe’s Companies in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $30,000. Grey Fox Wealth Advisors LLC acquired a new position in shares of Lowe’s Companies in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $31,000. Ruedi Wealth Management Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Lowe’s Companies in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $32,000. Finally, Sanctuary Wealth Management L.L.C. acquired a new position in shares of Lowe’s Companies in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $35,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 71.88% of the company’s stock.

Insider Buying and Selling at Lowe’s Companies

In other Lowe’s Companies news, EVP Janice Dupre sold 5,380 shares of the stock in a transaction on Thursday, August 31st. The shares were sold at an average price of $231.28, for a total transaction of $1,244,286.40. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 24,216 shares in the company, valued at approximately $5,600,676.48. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. In other Lowe’s Companies news, EVP Joseph Michael Mcfarland sold 4,500 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, August 28th. The shares were sold at an average price of $222.53, for a total transaction of $1,001,385.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 46,594 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $10,368,562.82. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Also, EVP Janice Dupre sold 5,380 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, August 31st. The stock was sold at an average price of $231.28, for a total transaction of $1,244,286.40. Following the sale, the executive vice president now owns 24,216 shares in the company, valued at $5,600,676.48. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 0.26% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of equities analysts have recently weighed in on LOW shares. UBS Group boosted their price objective on shares of Lowe’s Companies from $250.00 to $265.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday, August 23rd. Barclays cut their price objective on shares of Lowe’s Companies from $215.00 to $212.00 in a research report on Wednesday, May 24th. Evercore ISI cut their price objective on shares of Lowe’s Companies from $240.00 to $235.00 and set an “in-line” rating for the company in a research report on Friday, September 8th. Wells Fargo & Company boosted their price objective on shares of Lowe’s Companies from $245.00 to $250.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Wednesday, August 23rd. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus assumed coverage on shares of Lowe’s Companies in a research report on Wednesday, September 6th. They set a “buy” rating and a $270.00 price target for the company. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, twelve have assigned a hold rating and fourteen have given a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $237.48.

Lowe’s Companies Trading Down 0.7 %

Shares of LOW stock opened at $228.82 on Thursday. The company has a market capitalization of $132.06 billion, a PE ratio of 22.52, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.52 and a beta of 1.09. The firm has a fifty day simple moving average of $227.72 and a 200-day simple moving average of $213.15. Lowe’s Companies, Inc. has a twelve month low of $176.50 and a twelve month high of $237.21.

Lowe’s Companies (NYSE:LOW) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, August 22nd. The home improvement retailer reported $4.56 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $4.49 by $0.07. Lowe’s Companies had a net margin of 6.48% and a negative return on equity of 58.56%. The business had revenue of $24.96 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $24.97 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $4.67 earnings per share. The business’s quarterly revenue was down 9.2% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities research analysts predict that Lowe’s Companies, Inc. will post 13.45 EPS for the current year.

Lowe’s Companies Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, November 8th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, October 25th will be paid a dividend of $1.10 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, October 24th. This represents a $4.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.92%. Lowe’s Companies’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 43.31%.

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.