First Trust Advisors LP Purchases 97,951 Shares of Lowe's Companies, Inc. $LOW

Key Points

• First Trust Advisors LP increased its stake in Lowe's by 35.5%, buying 97,951 shares and raising its holdings to 373,533 shares (about 0.07% of the company) valued at roughly $93.9 million.
• Lowe's beat expectations for the most recent quarter with EPS of $1.98 (vs. $1.94 est.) and revenue of $20.58 billion (vs. $20.34B est.), saw revenue rise 10.9% YoY, and set FY2026 guidance of $12.25–$12.75 EPS.
• CEO Marvin R. Ellison sold 18,000 shares for about $4.7 million, and analysts hold a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” with an average price target of $291.00.

First Trust Advisors LP lifted its holdings in Lowe's Companies, Inc. (NYSE:LOW - Free Report) by 35.5% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 373,533 shares of the home improvement retailer's stock after acquiring an additional 97,951 shares during the quarter. First Trust Advisors LP owned approximately 0.07% of Lowe's Companies worth $93,873,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of LOW. Howard Hughes Medical Institute acquired a new position in Lowe's Companies in the second quarter worth $27,000. Activest Wealth Management increased its stake in shares of Lowe's Companies by 78.5% in the third quarter. Activest Wealth Management now owns 116 shares of the home improvement retailer's stock valued at $29,000 after buying an additional 51 shares in the last quarter. Traub Capital Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Lowe's Companies in the second quarter valued at $30,000. Vermillion & White Wealth Management Group LLC raised its holdings in shares of Lowe's Companies by 128.8% in the second quarter. Vermillion & White Wealth Management Group LLC now owns 135 shares of the home improvement retailer's stock valued at $30,000 after buying an additional 76 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Guerra Advisors Inc bought a new position in shares of Lowe's Companies in the third quarter valued at about $35,000. 74.06% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Lowe's Companies Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE:LOW opened at $250.24 on Tuesday. The company has a 50 day moving average price of $268.33 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $254.56. The company has a market capitalization of $140.37 billion, a PE ratio of 21.12, a PEG ratio of 5.47 and a beta of 0.98. Lowe's Companies, Inc. has a 52 week low of $206.38 and a 52 week high of $293.06.

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

Insider Buying and Selling at Lowe's Companies

In related news, CEO Marvin R. Ellison sold 18,000 shares of the business's stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, January 9th. The stock was 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 directly owned 231,043 shares in the company, valued at approximately $60,341,500.31. The trade was a 7.23% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. 0.27% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of equities research analysts have commented on the stock. Royal Bank Of Canada increased their price objective on shares of Lowe's Companies from $252.00 to $257.00 and gave the stock a "sector perform" rating in a report on Monday, February 23rd. Piper Sandler reaffirmed an "overweight" rating and issued a $300.00 target price (up from $294.00) on shares of Lowe's Companies in a research note on Thursday, February 26th. Barclays upgraded shares of Lowe's Companies from an "equal weight" rating to an "overweight" rating and set a $285.00 target price on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, January 7th. Evercore lowered their price target on shares of Lowe's Companies from $270.00 to $260.00 and set a "neutral" rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, March 3rd. Finally, Sanford C. Bernstein dropped their price objective on shares of Lowe's Companies from $313.00 to $303.00 and set an "outperform" rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, February 26th. Twenty-one investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and eight have issued a Hold rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Lowe's Companies currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $291.00.

Lowe's Companies 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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