Foster & Motley Inc. Sells 2,739 Shares of Lowe’s Companies, Inc. $LOW

Foster & Motley Inc. decreased its position in shares of Lowe’s Companies, Inc. (NYSE:LOW) by 15.5% in the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 14,937 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock after selling 2,739 shares during the quarter. Foster & Motley Inc.’s holdings in Lowe’s Companies were worth $3,293,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

A number of other large investors also recently modified their holdings of the company. Natixis Advisors LLC boosted its position in Lowe’s Companies by 3.5% during the fourth quarter. Natixis Advisors LLC now owns 630,956 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock worth $152,161,000 after purchasing an additional 21,119 shares during the period. Bridges Investment Management Inc. grew its position in Lowe’s Companies by 6.1% during the fourth quarter. Bridges Investment Management Inc. now owns 446,441 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock valued at $107,664,000 after acquiring an additional 25,609 shares during the last quarter. Kathmere Capital Management LLC lifted its stake in Lowe’s Companies by 133.9% in 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 during the last quarter. Glenview Trust Co increased its position in shares of Lowe’s Companies by 9.0% in the fourth quarter. Glenview Trust Co now owns 207,797 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock valued at $50,112,000 after acquiring an additional 17,225 shares during the period. Finally, LPL Financial LLC lifted its position in shares of Lowe’s Companies by 2.3% in the 4th 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 during the period. 74.06% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Lowe’s Companies News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting Lowe’s Companies this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Investors are looking for Lowe’s Pro customer growth, online sales momentum and expansion in home services to support results. The company’s Total Home strategy is also viewed as a longer-term value-creation opportunity. Is Lowe’s a Buy Ahead of Earnings
• Positive Sentiment: Wall Street expects revenue growth to accelerate materially from the prior-year period, while largely steady analyst estimates suggest relatively firm confidence in Lowe’s near-term operating outlook. Analysts maintain a consensus “Moderate Buy” rating. Expected Revenue Acceleration and Steady Forecasts
• Neutral Sentiment: The earnings release is expected to produce a sizable share-price move, with investors focused on comparable-store sales, gross margins, earnings guidance and management’s view of housing-related demand. Expected Earnings Moves for Home Depot and Lowe’s
• Neutral Sentiment: Lowe’s reports alongside other major retailers, including Target and recently Home Depot, giving investors a broader read on U.S. consumer spending and the home-improvement market. Target or Lowe’s Ahead of Earnings
• Negative Sentiment: Weak do-it-yourself demand, cautious consumers and limited housing activity could offset strength in Pro sales, digital channels and services. Higher costs may also pressure margins, making the earnings beat-and-guidance combination especially important. Lowe’s Earnings Preview
• Negative Sentiment: The shares remain well below their 52-week high and below their longer-term moving average, reflecting investor concern that Lowe’s may remain dependent on a delayed housing recovery. Comparisons with Home Depot, which is viewed as having steadier estimates, add competitive pressure. Lowe’s Q2 Earnings Preview

Lowe’s Companies Stock Performance

Shares of Lowe’s Companies stock opened at $215.94 on Wednesday. Lowe’s Companies, Inc. has a one year low of $199.40 and a one year high of $293.06. The company has a market capitalization of $121.08 billion, a PE ratio of 18.25, a P/E/G ratio of 2.79 and a beta of 0.86. The company has a 50-day simple moving average of $216.12 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $233.78.

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. The firm had revenue of $23.08 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $22.98 billion. Lowe’s Companies had a net margin of 7.51% and a negative return on equity of 67.96%. Lowe’s Companies’s revenue was up 10.3% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business posted $2.92 EPS. On average, equities analysts predict that Lowe’s Companies, Inc. will post 12.43 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Lowe’s Companies Increases Dividend

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

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several equities analysts have recently issued reports on LOW shares. BNP Paribas Exane lowered their price target on Lowe’s Companies from $228.00 to $202.00 and set an “underperform” rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, May 21st. Oppenheimer cut their price objective 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. KeyCorp reduced their price objective on Lowe’s Companies from $300.00 to $275.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, May 21st. Craig Hallum raised Lowe’s Companies to a “buy” rating in a research report on Tuesday, May 12th. Finally, DA Davidson restated a “neutral” rating and issued a $275.00 target price on shares of Lowe’s Companies in a report on Wednesday, May 20th. Twenty-three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have given a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, Lowe’s Companies presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $262.63.

Insider Transactions at Lowe’s Companies

In other news, EVP Juliette Williams Pryor sold 9,330 shares of Lowe’s Companies stock in a transaction on Wednesday, June 17th. The shares were sold at an average price of $224.81, for a total transaction of $2,097,477.30. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 16,142 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,628,883.02. The trade was a 36.63% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, EVP Margrethe R. Vagell sold 2,500 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, June 18th. The shares were sold at an average price of $223.83, for a total transaction of $559,575.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 20,220 shares in the company, valued at $4,525,842.60. This trade represents a 11.00% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Over the last 90 days, insiders have sold 25,980 shares of company stock worth $5,796,937. Insiders own 0.29% of the company’s stock.

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.