Forsta AP Fonden Buys 20,100 Shares of Lowe’s Companies, Inc. (NYSE:LOW)

Forsta AP Fonden lifted its position in Lowe’s Companies, Inc. (NYSE:LOW) by 13.4% during the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 169,700 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock after buying an additional 20,100 shares during the quarter. Forsta AP Fonden’s holdings in Lowe’s Companies were worth $41,882,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other large investors also recently modified their holdings of the company. IFS Advisors LLC bought a new position in Lowe’s Companies in the 4th quarter valued at $25,000. Legacy Investment Solutions LLC purchased a new stake in Lowe’s Companies in the third quarter valued at approximately $27,000. Winch Advisory Services LLC lifted its position in 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 valued at $30,000 after purchasing an additional 44 shares during the last quarter. JNBA Financial Advisors grew its stake in Lowe’s Companies by 555.6% in the 3rd quarter. JNBA Financial Advisors now owns 118 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock worth $32,000 after buying an additional 100 shares in the last quarter. Finally, MFA Wealth Advisors LLC increased its holdings in shares of Lowe’s Companies by 118.6% in the 3rd quarter. MFA Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 129 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock worth $35,000 after buying an additional 70 shares during the last quarter. 74.06% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Lowe’s Companies Stock Performance

Lowe’s Companies stock opened at $264.68 on Wednesday. Lowe’s Companies, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $209.81 and a fifty-two week high of $287.01. The stock has a market cap of $149.45 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 22.07, a PEG ratio of 2.16 and a beta of 1.11. The stock’s 50 day simple moving average is $259.15 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $256.97.

Lowe’s Companies Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, February 5th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, January 22nd will be issued a $1.15 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, January 22nd. This represents a $4.60 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.74%. Lowe’s Companies’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 38.37%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of equities research analysts have weighed in on the company. Telsey Advisory Group restated an “outperform” rating and set a $305.00 price target on shares of Lowe’s Companies in a research report on Thursday, December 12th. Bank of America boosted their target price on Lowe’s Companies from $275.00 to $305.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, October 11th. StockNews.com raised shares of Lowe’s Companies from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, January 17th. TD Cowen increased their target price on shares of Lowe’s Companies from $270.00 to $290.00 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a report on Monday, October 28th. Finally, Mizuho lifted their target price on shares of Lowe’s Companies from $282.00 to $305.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Thursday, December 12th. Ten analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seventeen have given a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Lowe’s Companies presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $280.85.

Insider Buying and Selling at Lowe’s Companies

In other Lowe’s Companies news, EVP Quonta D. Vance sold 7,198 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, November 27th. The shares were sold at an average price of $274.37, for a total value of $1,974,915.26. Following the sale, the executive vice president now owns 16,703 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,582,802.11. This represents a 30.12 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Insiders own 0.26% of the company’s stock.

About Lowe’s Companies

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.