California Public Employees Retirement System Has $340.50 Million Stock Position in Lowe's Companies, Inc. $LOW

Key Points

• California Public Employees Retirement System increased its stake in Lowe's by 18.4% in Q3 to 1,354,895 shares, worth about $340.5 million and representing roughly 0.24% of the company.
• CEO Marvin R. Ellison sold 18,000 shares on Jan. 9 at an average price of $261.17 (≈$4.7M), cutting his ownership by 7.23% to 231,043 shares; insiders now own about 0.27% of Lowe's.
• Analysts have been raising targets (Goldman, Mizuho, Wells Fargo among them), leaving a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” with an average price target of $289.76, after Lowe's recently beat quarterly EPS/revenue and gave FY2026 guidance of $12.25–12.75 EPS.

California Public Employees Retirement System grew its holdings in Lowe's Companies, Inc. (NYSE:LOW - Free Report) by 18.4% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The firm owned 1,354,895 shares of the home improvement retailer's stock after acquiring an additional 210,310 shares during the quarter. California Public Employees Retirement System owned 0.24% of Lowe's Companies worth $340,499,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also modified their holdings of LOW. Waterloo Capital L.P. grew its position in shares of Lowe's Companies by 1.2% during the 2nd quarter. Waterloo Capital L.P. now owns 3,455 shares of the home improvement retailer's stock worth $767,000 after purchasing an additional 41 shares in the last quarter. TruWealth Advisors LLC raised its position in shares of Lowe's Companies by 2.7% in the third quarter. TruWealth Advisors LLC now owns 1,580 shares of the home improvement retailer's stock valued at $397,000 after buying an additional 42 shares in the last quarter. Cypress Wealth Services LLC raised its position in shares of Lowe's Companies by 2.0% in the third quarter. Cypress Wealth Services LLC now owns 2,191 shares of the home improvement retailer's stock valued at $551,000 after buying an additional 42 shares in the last quarter. Hidden Cove Wealth Management LLC boosted its stake in shares of Lowe's Companies by 4.6% in the third quarter. Hidden Cove Wealth Management LLC now owns 960 shares of the home improvement retailer's stock valued at $241,000 after buying an additional 42 shares during the period. Finally, Roble Belko & Company Inc grew its position in Lowe's Companies by 21.4% during the third quarter. Roble Belko & Company Inc now owns 250 shares of the home improvement retailer's stock worth $63,000 after buying an additional 44 shares in the last quarter. 74.06% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other news, CEO Marvin R. Ellison sold 18,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Friday, January 9th. The shares were sold at an average price of $261.17, for a total value of $4,701,060.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer owned 231,043 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $60,341,500.31. This represents a 7.23% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Insiders own 0.27% of the company's stock.

Lowe's Companies Stock Performance

Shares of LOW stock opened at $237.67 on Friday. Lowe's Companies, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $206.38 and a fifty-two week high of $293.06. The stock's fifty day moving average price is $268.39 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $254.14. The company has a market cap of $133.32 billion, a PE ratio of 20.06, a P/E/G ratio of 5.16 and a beta of 0.98.

Lowe's Companies (NYSE:LOW - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, February 25th. The home improvement retailer reported $1.98 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $1.94 by $0.04. The company had revenue of $20.58 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $20.34 billion. Lowe's Companies had a negative return on equity of 61.40% and a net margin of 7.71%.Lowe's Companies's revenue was up 10.9% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $1.93 EPS. Lowe's Companies has set its FY 2026 guidance at 12.250-12.75 EPS. On average, equities analysts predict that Lowe's Companies, Inc. will post 11.9 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several brokerages have weighed in on LOW. The Goldman Sachs Group lifted their price objective on Lowe's Companies from $283.00 to $300.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a report on Thursday, February 26th. Mizuho increased their target price on Lowe's Companies from $272.00 to $294.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a report on Friday, February 27th. Argus raised their price target on Lowe's Companies from $286.00 to $288.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research report on Monday, March 2nd. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a "hold (c+)" rating on shares of Lowe's Companies in a research note on Monday, December 29th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company upped their price objective on shares of Lowe's Companies from $280.00 to $290.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a research report on Thursday, February 26th. Twenty-one research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and nine have assigned a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $289.76.

Key Headlines Impacting Lowe's Companies

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

• Positive Sentiment: Zacks Research raised select longer-term forecasts—notably lifting Q4 2028 and Q4 2027 quarter estimates and publishing a higher FY2029 EPS projection—supporting the view of continued multi-year earnings growth.
• Positive Sentiment: Publications/analysts continue to flag Lowe’s as a dividend/stability name (included among undervalued dividend aristocrat lists), which supports its defensive appeal to income-focused investors. KGI Securities Initiates Coverage on Lowe’s (LOW) with ‘Neutral’ Rating
• Neutral Sentiment: KGI Securities initiated coverage with a 'Neutral' rating—this is not a bullish endorsement and may cap near-term upside until the firm provides a price target or further updates. KGI Securities initiates coverage on Lowe’s (LOW) with 'neutral' rating
• Negative Sentiment: Zacks cut several near-term quarter and fiscal-year EPS estimates (multiple Q1–Q3 2027 and Q1–Q2 2028 entries, and reductions to FY2027/FY2028), which directly pressures short-term profit expectations and investor sentiment.
• Negative Sentiment: Broader market weakness after oil-price/inflation fears drove an S&P 500 selloff—these macro headwinds typically weigh on consumer and renovation spending, adding downward pressure to Lowe’s shares. The S&P 500’s 1.5% Selloff Is Driven By A Few Key Factors
• Negative Sentiment: Sector-level weakness: coverage on The Home Depot highlights a sluggish housing/renovation backdrop and notes that Lowe’s shares have pulled back alongside peers—this competitive/market environment reduces near-term demand for large renovation projects. Home Depot Stock Keeps Falling—Analysts Say the Upside Is Still There

Lowe's Companies Company Profile

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.

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