Lowe’s Companies, Inc. (NYSE:LOW) Receives Consensus Recommendation of “Moderate Buy” from Analysts

Shares of Lowe’s Companies, Inc. (NYSE:LOW) have received an average rating of “Moderate Buy” from the thirty-six ratings firms that are presently covering the company, Marketbeat Ratings reports. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, eleven have issued a hold rating and twenty-three have issued a buy rating on the company. The average 1-year price target among brokers that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $264.5667.

A number of analysts have commented on LOW shares. William Blair started coverage on Lowe’s Companies in a research report on Tuesday, May 12th. They set an “overweight” rating for the company. HSBC cut their price objective on Lowe’s Companies from $260.00 to $220.00 and set a “hold” rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, May 21st. Sanford C. Bernstein reduced their price objective on Lowe’s Companies from $303.00 to $281.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, May 14th. Telsey Advisory Group decreased their target price on Lowe’s Companies from $295.00 to $280.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a report on Thursday, May 21st. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. dropped their target price on Lowe’s Companies from $325.00 to $279.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, May 21st.

Lowe’s Companies Trading Down 1.2%

NYSE LOW opened at $215.68 on Thursday. The company has a fifty day simple moving average of $214.97 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $239.45. The stock has a market cap of $120.93 billion, a P/E ratio of 18.23, a P/E/G ratio of 2.76 and a beta of 0.86. Lowe’s Companies has a 12-month low of $199.40 and a 12-month high of $293.06.

Lowe’s Companies (NYSE:LOW) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, May 20th. The home improvement retailer reported $3.03 EPS for the quarter, topping 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 business had revenue of $23.08 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $22.98 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $2.92 earnings per share. The business’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. As a group, sell-side analysts forecast that Lowe’s Companies will post 12.48 earnings per share for the current year.

Lowe’s Companies Increases Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, August 5th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, July 22nd will be paid a dividend of $1.25 per share. This represents a $5.00 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.3%. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, July 22nd. This is a positive change from Lowe’s Companies’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.20. Lowe’s Companies’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 42.27%.

Insider Buying and Selling at Lowe’s Companies

In other news, EVP Juliette Williams Pryor sold 9,330 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, June 17th. The shares were sold at an average price of $224.81, for a total value of $2,097,477.30. Following the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 16,142 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $3,628,883.02. This represents a 36.63% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, EVP Margrethe R. Vagell sold 2,500 shares of the stock in a transaction on Thursday, June 18th. The stock was sold at an average price of $223.83, for a total transaction of $559,575.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president owned 20,220 shares in the company, valued at $4,525,842.60. The trade was a 11.00% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. In the last ninety days, insiders sold 25,980 shares of company stock worth $5,796,937. Company insiders own 0.29% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Lowe’s Companies

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Natixis Advisors LLC grew its position in shares of Lowe’s Companies by 3.5% during the 4th quarter. Natixis Advisors LLC now owns 630,956 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock valued at $152,161,000 after acquiring an additional 21,119 shares during the period. Bridges Investment Management Inc. raised its holdings in Lowe’s Companies by 6.1% in the 4th quarter. Bridges Investment Management Inc. now owns 446,441 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock worth $107,664,000 after purchasing an additional 25,609 shares during the period. Glenview Trust Co raised its holdings in Lowe’s Companies by 9.0% in the 4th quarter. Glenview Trust Co now owns 207,797 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock worth $50,112,000 after purchasing an additional 17,225 shares during the period. Kathmere Capital Management LLC boosted its position in Lowe’s Companies by 133.9% during the first quarter. Kathmere Capital Management LLC now owns 9,402 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock worth $2,222,000 after purchasing an additional 5,383 shares in the last quarter. Finally, LPL Financial LLC boosted its position in Lowe’s Companies by 2.3% during the fourth quarter. LPL Financial LLC now owns 993,332 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock worth $239,552,000 after purchasing an additional 22,175 shares in the last quarter. 74.06% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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.