Lowe’s Companies, Inc. (NYSE:LOW) Stock Holdings Decreased by Haverford Financial Services Inc.

Haverford Financial Services Inc. reduced its position in Lowe’s Companies, Inc. (NYSE:LOW) by 5.7% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 48,537 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock after selling 2,933 shares during the period. Lowe’s Companies comprises approximately 3.7% of Haverford Financial Services Inc.’s holdings, making the stock its 12th largest position. Haverford Financial Services Inc.’s holdings in Lowe’s Companies were worth $11,979,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in the company. Legacy Investment Solutions LLC purchased a new position in shares of Lowe’s Companies in the third quarter worth approximately $27,000. IFS Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Lowe’s Companies during the fourth quarter worth approximately $25,000. Marshall Investment Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Lowe’s Companies during the fourth quarter worth approximately $31,000. Winch Advisory Services LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Lowe’s Companies by 56.4% during the fourth quarter. Winch Advisory Services LLC now owns 122 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock worth $30,000 after purchasing an additional 44 shares during the period. Finally, Millstone Evans Group LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Lowe’s Companies during the fourth quarter worth approximately $44,000. 74.06% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several analysts recently commented on the stock. Sanford C. Bernstein raised their price target on shares of Lowe’s Companies from $301.00 to $304.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Thursday, December 12th. StockNews.com cut shares of Lowe’s Companies from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Tuesday, March 11th. Stifel Nicolaus raised their price target on shares of Lowe’s Companies from $265.00 to $270.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a report on Wednesday, December 11th. Bank of America reduced their target price on shares of Lowe’s Companies from $305.00 to $290.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, February 27th. Finally, Evercore ISI lifted their target price on shares of Lowe’s Companies from $270.00 to $290.00 and gave the company an “in-line” rating in a research note on Thursday, December 12th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, eleven have issued a hold rating and fourteen have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $280.83.

Lowe’s Companies Stock Performance

Shares of LOW stock opened at $227.09 on Friday. Lowe’s Companies, Inc. has a 52-week low of $211.80 and a 52-week high of $287.01. The stock has a market cap of $128.23 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 18.94, a P/E/G ratio of 1.96 and a beta of 1.12. The firm has a fifty day moving average of $247.99 and a 200-day moving average of $257.79.

Lowe’s Companies (NYSE:LOW) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, February 26th. The home improvement retailer reported $1.93 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.83 by $0.10. The company had revenue of $18.55 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $18.29 billion. Lowe’s Companies had a net margin of 8.19% and a negative return on equity of 47.55%. On average, sell-side analysts predict that Lowe’s Companies, Inc. will post 11.9 earnings per share for the current year.

Lowe’s Companies Announces Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, May 7th. Investors of record on Wednesday, April 23rd will be given a dividend of $1.15 per share. This represents a $4.60 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.03%. Lowe’s Companies’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 37.67%.

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.