Handelsbanken Fonder AB Sells 5,647 Shares of Lowe's Companies, Inc. $LOW

Key Points

• Handelsbanken Fonder AB trimmed its Lowe’s position by 2.7% in the fourth quarter, selling 5,647 shares and leaving it with 202,262 shares valued at about $48.8 million.
• Lowe’s reported better-than-expected quarterly results, earning $1.98 per share on $20.59 billion in revenue, and raised its FY2026 EPS guidance to 12.25–12.75.
• Analyst sentiment remains mixed but generally positive, with a Moderate Buy consensus and a target price of $283.76, even as the stock trades near its 52-week low amid concerns about housing-market weakness and slower DIY demand.

Handelsbanken Fonder AB cut its position in Lowe's Companies, Inc. (NYSE:LOW - Free Report) by 2.7% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 202,262 shares of the home improvement retailer's stock after selling 5,647 shares during the quarter. Handelsbanken Fonder AB's holdings in Lowe's Companies were worth $48,778,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Hartford Funds Management Co LLC boosted its stake in Lowe's Companies by 96.8% in the 4th quarter. Hartford Funds Management Co LLC now owns 9,791 shares of the home improvement retailer's stock valued at $2,362,000 after purchasing an additional 4,817 shares during the period. McKinley Carter Wealth Services Inc. boosted its stake in Lowe's Companies by 2.0% in the 4th quarter. McKinley Carter Wealth Services Inc. now owns 14,573 shares of the home improvement retailer's stock valued at $3,514,000 after purchasing an additional 291 shares during the period. Integral Investment Advisors Inc. boosted its stake in Lowe's Companies by 6.4% in the 4th quarter. Integral Investment Advisors Inc. now owns 6,608 shares of the home improvement retailer's stock valued at $1,594,000 after purchasing an additional 398 shares during the period. Aviance Capital Partners LLC boosted its stake in Lowe's Companies by 9.2% in the 4th quarter. Aviance Capital Partners LLC now owns 31,305 shares of the home improvement retailer's stock valued at $7,550,000 after purchasing an additional 2,650 shares during the period. Finally, Capstone Capital Management Ltd bought a new stake in Lowe's Companies in the 4th quarter valued at $599,000. 74.06% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Lowe's Companies Price Performance

Shares of NYSE LOW opened at $218.44 on Wednesday. The stock has a market capitalization of $122.34 billion, a PE ratio of 18.43, a P/E/G ratio of 4.18 and a beta of 0.91. The business has a fifty day moving average price of $236.65 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $248.53. Lowe's Companies, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $210.33 and a fifty-two week high of $293.06.

Lowe's Companies (NYSE:LOW - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, February 25th. The home improvement retailer reported $1.98 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.94 by $0.04. Lowe's Companies had a negative return on equity of 61.40% and a net margin of 7.71%.The firm had revenue of $20.59 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $20.34 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $1.93 EPS. The company's quarterly revenue was up 10.9% compared to the same quarter last year. Lowe's Companies has set its FY 2026 guidance at 12.250-12.75 EPS. On average, equities analysts expect that Lowe's Companies, Inc. will post 12.6 EPS for the current year.

Lowe's Companies Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, May 6th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, April 22nd were issued a dividend of $1.20 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Wednesday, April 22nd. This represents a $4.80 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.2%. Lowe's Companies's payout ratio is 40.51%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several analysts recently issued reports on the company. The Goldman Sachs Group assumed coverage on Lowe's Companies in a research note on Tuesday, May 12th. They issued a "buy" rating for the company. Wolfe Research dropped their price objective on Lowe's Companies from $285.00 to $284.00 and set an "outperform" rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, February 4th. DA Davidson reaffirmed a "neutral" rating and issued a $275.00 price objective on shares of Lowe's Companies in a report on Thursday, February 26th. Telsey Advisory Group lifted their price objective on Lowe's Companies from $285.00 to $295.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a report on Thursday, February 26th. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada cut Lowe's Companies from a "sector perform" rating to a "sector perform" rating in a report on Tuesday, May 12th. Twenty-two research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, twelve have given a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $283.76.

Lowe's Companies News Summary

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

• Positive Sentiment: Lowe’s is getting a potential boost from a new partnership with MrBeast, including in-store kids’ workshops and exclusive toy kits, which could help drive traffic, summer engagement, and incremental sales. LOWE'S BRINGS MRBEAST EXPERIENCE INTO STORES WITH NEW KIDS CLUB WORKSHOPS
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts still see some upside into earnings, with Oppenheimer maintaining an outperform rating even after trimming its price target, suggesting expectations are not uniformly bearish. Lowe's Companies had its price target lowered by Oppenheimer Holdings, Inc.
• Neutral Sentiment: Multiple previews say Lowe’s Q1 results are likely to reflect a split between stronger Pro customer demand and weaker DIY spending, with Wall Street looking for about $22.91 billion in revenue and $2.96 in EPS. Lowe's Q1 Earnings Preview: Is LOW Ready to Surprise Wall Street?
• Neutral Sentiment: Home Depot’s recent earnings were not disastrous, but same-store sales missed, and commentary pointed to a pressured consumer and a frozen housing market—signals that also frame the setup for Lowe’s report. Lowe's Due After Home Depot Earnings Fall Less Than Feared
• Negative Sentiment: Sentiment has been mixed to cautious ahead of earnings, with Lowe’s stock near 52-week lows and analysts trimming price targets, reinforcing concerns about slower growth and limited near-term upside. Lowe's Companies NYSE: LOW Price Target Cut to $220.00 by Analysts at Stifel Nicolaus
• Negative Sentiment: The broader backdrop remains weak, with the housing market still frozen and mortgage rates elevated, which could continue to weigh on renovation demand and discretionary spending at Lowe’s. Home Depot, Lowe's Set to Report 1Q Results With Housing Market Still Frozen -- Earnings Preview

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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