Dearborn Partners LLC Makes New Investment in Lowe’s Companies, Inc. $LOW

Dearborn Partners LLC bought a new stake in Lowe’s Companies, Inc. (NYSE:LOW) in the second quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The fund bought 3,529 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock, valued at approximately $834,000.

Other large investors also recently modified their holdings of the company. Norges Bank bought a new position in shares of Lowe’s Companies during the 4th quarter valued at about $1,993,697,000. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD increased its stake in Lowe’s Companies by 45.2% during the 4th quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD now owns 6,555,565 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock worth $1,580,941,000 after purchasing an additional 2,039,343 shares in the last quarter. J. Stern & Co. LLP increased its stake in Lowe’s Companies by 7,814.9% during the 4th quarter. J. Stern & Co. LLP now owns 1,490,369 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock worth $359,417,000 after purchasing an additional 1,471,539 shares in the last quarter. Eurizon Capital SGR S.p.A. acquired a new stake in Lowe’s Companies during the 4th quarter worth approximately $308,683,000. Finally, Viking Global Investors LP acquired a new stake in Lowe’s Companies during the 4th quarter worth approximately $219,948,000. 74.06% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Lowe’s Companies Trading Up 0.4%

Shares of LOW opened at $217.02 on Tuesday. Lowe’s Companies, Inc. has a 12 month low of $199.40 and a 12 month high of $293.06. The firm has a fifty day simple moving average of $215.99 and a 200 day simple moving average of $232.33. The stock has a market capitalization of $121.69 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 18.35, a PEG ratio of 2.87 and a beta of 0.86.

Lowe’s Companies (NYSE:LOW) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, August 19th. The home improvement retailer reported $4.40 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $4.22 by $0.18. Lowe’s Companies had a negative return on equity of 75.67% and a net margin of 7.34%.The firm had revenue of $25.96 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $26.13 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $4.33 earnings per share. The business’s quarterly revenue was up 8.3% compared to the same quarter last year. Lowe’s Companies has set its FY 2026 guidance at 12.250-12.250 EPS. As a group, research analysts predict that Lowe’s Companies, Inc. will post 12.29 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Lowe’s Companies Increases Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, August 5th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, July 22nd were issued a $1.25 dividend. This represents a $5.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.3%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Wednesday, July 22nd. This is a positive change from Lowe’s Companies’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.20. Lowe’s Companies’s payout ratio is currently 42.27%.

Insider Activity

In related news, EVP Janice Dupre sold 14,150 shares of Lowe’s Companies stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, June 16th. The stock was sold at an average price of $221.90, for a total transaction of $3,139,885.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president owned 39,785 shares in the company, valued at approximately $8,828,291.50. This trade represents a 26.24% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, EVP Juliette Williams Pryor sold 9,330 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, June 17th. The stock was sold at an average price of $224.81, for a total value of $2,097,477.30. Following the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 16,142 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,628,883.02. This trade represents a 36.63% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. In the last ninety days, insiders have sold 25,980 shares of company stock valued at $5,796,937. 0.29% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

LOW has been the subject of several research analyst reports. Benchmark began coverage on shares of Lowe’s Companies in a report on Tuesday, May 12th. They issued a “hold” rating for the company. Wells Fargo & Company dropped their price objective on shares of Lowe’s Companies from $255.00 to $245.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, August 11th. Jefferies Financial Group cut their price objective on shares of Lowe’s Companies from $305.00 to $278.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, May 21st. KeyCorp reaffirmed an “overweight” rating and issued a $275.00 target price on shares of Lowe’s Companies in a research note on Thursday, August 20th. Finally, Wolfe Research set a $254.00 target price on Lowe’s Companies in a report on Thursday, May 21st. Twenty-three 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 company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $258.53.

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.