AQR Capital Management LLC Increases Stake in Lowe's Companies, Inc. (NYSE:LOW)

AQR Capital Management LLC boosted its position in Lowe's Companies, Inc. (NYSE:LOW - Free Report) by 16.8% during the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 107,854 shares of the home improvement retailer's stock after buying an additional 15,544 shares during the period. AQR Capital Management LLC's holdings in Lowe's Companies were worth $26,618,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other hedge funds have also modified their holdings of LOW. IFS Advisors LLC acquired a new position in Lowe's Companies during the fourth quarter worth about $25,000. Winch Advisory Services LLC boosted its stake in shares of Lowe's Companies by 56.4% during the 4th 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 last quarter. Marshall Investment Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Lowe's Companies during the fourth quarter worth about $31,000. Caisse Des Depots ET Consignations acquired a new position in shares of Lowe's Companies in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $33,000. Finally, Millstone Evans Group LLC acquired a new stake in Lowe's Companies during the fourth quarter worth approximately $44,000. 74.06% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Lowe's Companies Price Performance

Shares of NYSE:LOW traded down $2.21 during trading on Tuesday, reaching $222.98. 2,175,406 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 2,486,189. The firm has a market capitalization of $124.80 billion, a PE ratio of 18.60, a P/E/G ratio of 1.96 and a beta of 1.00. Lowe's Companies, Inc. has a 12-month low of $206.39 and a 12-month high of $287.01. The business's fifty day simple moving average is $226.99 and its 200-day simple moving average is $248.24.

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

Lowe's Companies Announces Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, May 7th. Stockholders 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 2.06%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, April 23rd. Lowe's Companies's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 37.67%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several equities analysts recently weighed in on the stock. StockNews.com upgraded shares of Lowe's Companies from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a report on Tuesday, April 15th. Bank of America cut their price target on 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. Morgan Stanley cut their target price on shares of Lowe's Companies from $300.00 to $255.00 and set an "overweight" rating for the company in a research note on Monday. 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 Tuesday, April 15th. Finally, KeyCorp raised Lowe's Companies from a "sector weight" rating to an "overweight" rating and set a $266.00 price objective for the company in a research note on Friday, April 25th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, nine have given a hold rating and sixteen have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $277.92.

Lowe's Companies Company 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.