Lowe's Companies, Inc. $LOW Shares Sold by Prudential PLC

Key Points

• Prudential PLC reduced its stake in Lowe’s by 29.6% in the fourth quarter, selling 4,749 shares and ending with 11,299 shares valued at about $2.73 million.
• Analysts remain mixed but generally constructive on Lowe’s: the stock has a Moderate Buy consensus, with an average price target of $264.57, though several firms recently cut targets alongside a mix of buy, hold, and sector-perform ratings.
• Lowe’s reported strong quarterly results, beating EPS and revenue estimates, and also raised its quarterly dividend to $1.25 per share from $1.20, reinforcing its appeal to income investors.

Prudential PLC cut its position in shares of Lowe's Companies, Inc. (NYSE:LOW - Free Report) by 29.6% during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 11,299 shares of the home improvement retailer's stock after selling 4,749 shares during the period. Prudential PLC's holdings in Lowe's Companies were worth $2,725,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently bought and sold shares of LOW. Convergence Financial LLC increased its stake in Lowe's Companies by 4.8% during the fourth quarter. Convergence Financial LLC now owns 8,888 shares of the home improvement retailer's stock worth $2,143,000 after acquiring an additional 408 shares during the last quarter. Deseret Mutual Benefit Administrators grew its holdings in shares of Lowe's Companies by 6.4% during the 4th quarter. Deseret Mutual Benefit Administrators now owns 5,057 shares of the home improvement retailer's stock worth $1,220,000 after purchasing an additional 302 shares during the period. Argent Advisors Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Lowe's Companies during the 4th quarter worth about $227,000. Vise Technologies Inc. increased its position in shares of Lowe's Companies by 25.9% during the 4th quarter. Vise Technologies Inc. now owns 24,128 shares of the home improvement retailer's stock worth $5,819,000 after purchasing an additional 4,960 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Daiwa Securities Group Inc. raised its holdings in Lowe's Companies by 3.1% in the 4th quarter. Daiwa Securities Group Inc. now owns 93,098 shares of the home improvement retailer's stock valued at $22,451,000 after buying an additional 2,789 shares during the period. 74.06% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

LOW has been the topic of a number of recent analyst reports. HSBC decreased their target price on shares of Lowe's Companies from $260.00 to $220.00 and set a "hold" rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, May 21st. Robert W. Baird reduced their price target on shares of Lowe's Companies from $320.00 to $270.00 and set an "outperform" rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, May 21st. Royal Bank Of Canada decreased their price objective on shares of Lowe's Companies from $264.00 to $232.00 and set a "sector perform" rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, May 21st. Mizuho lowered their price objective on shares of Lowe's Companies from $294.00 to $280.00 and set an "outperform" rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, May 21st. Finally, Citigroup upgraded shares of Lowe's Companies from a "neutral" rating to a "buy" rating and set a $285.00 target price for the company in a report on Tuesday, May 12th. Twenty-three investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have issued a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Lowe's Companies presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $264.57.

More Lowe's Companies News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Jefferies said Lowe’s new home-maintenance program could expand subscription-style revenue, giving the retailer a more recurring growth stream and a potential valuation tailwind. Lowe’s Wants to Help You Change Lightbulbs. How That Could Boost the Stock.
• Positive Sentiment: Zacks Research raised some near- and longer-term earnings estimates for Lowe’s, including Q1 2028 and Q1 2029, which suggests analysts see solid earnings power ahead. Lowe's Companies, Inc. estimate updates
• Positive Sentiment: Recent articles highlighted Lowe’s dividend hike alongside other high-yield stocks, reinforcing the company’s appeal for income investors in a volatile market. The Zacks Analyst Blog Highlights UnitedHealth, Donaldson, Lowe's and ePlus
• Neutral Sentiment: Several roundup pieces focused on Lowe’s as a recent dividend grower, which is supportive for sentiment but not a major operational catalyst on its own. 5 Stocks to Watch on Their Recent Dividend Hikes in a Volatile Market
• Neutral Sentiment: Another market wrap also mentioned Lowe’s among dividend-paying names attracting attention from cautious investors. 3 High-Yielding Dividend Stocks That Just Raised Their Payouts
• Negative Sentiment: Zacks trimmed some earnings estimates for FY2027, FY2028 and a few quarterly periods, signaling a bit more caution on Lowe’s longer-term profit trajectory. Lowe's Companies, Inc. estimate updates

Lowe's Companies Stock Performance

Shares of LOW opened at $210.81 on Monday. Lowe's Companies, Inc. has a 1 year low of $203.40 and a 1 year high of $293.06. The stock has a market capitalization of $118.20 billion, a PE ratio of 17.82, a PEG ratio of 2.66 and a beta of 0.87. The stock has a 50-day simple moving average of $230.12 and a 200-day simple moving average of $246.65.

Lowe's Companies (NYSE:LOW - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, May 20th. The home improvement retailer reported $3.03 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $2.97 by $0.06. The company had revenue of $23.08 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $22.98 billion. Lowe's Companies had a net margin of 7.51% and a negative return on equity of 67.96%. The company's quarterly revenue was up 10.3% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $2.92 EPS. Lowe's Companies has set its FY 2026 guidance at 12.250-12.750 EPS. Analysts predict that Lowe's Companies, Inc. will post 12.48 EPS for the current year.

Lowe's Companies Increases Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, August 5th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, July 22nd will be paid a $1.25 dividend. This is an increase from Lowe's Companies's previous quarterly dividend of $1.20. This represents a $5.00 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.4%. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, July 22nd. Lowe's Companies's payout ratio is currently 40.57%.

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.

This instant news alert was generated by narrative science technology and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest reporting and unbiased coverage. Please send any questions or comments about this story to contact@marketbeat.com.