Lowe's Companies, Inc. $LOW Shares Sold by ZWJ Investment Counsel Inc.

Key Points

• ZWJ Investment Counsel cut its Lowe's stake by 51.8%, selling 4,421 shares and retaining 4,121 shares valued at about $994,000 per its latest SEC filing.
• Lowe's beat Q4 estimates with $1.98 EPS versus $1.94 expected and $20.59B revenue (up 10.9% y/y), set FY2026 guidance of $12.25–$12.75 EPS, and announced a $1.20 quarterly dividend (1.9% yield; ex-dividend Apr 22).
• Institutional investors own 74.06% of Lowe's, with major firms (e.g., Wellington, Victory Capital) increasing positions, and analysts view the stock as a Moderate Buy with an average target of $289.24.

ZWJ Investment Counsel Inc. lessened its position in shares of Lowe's Companies, Inc. (NYSE:LOW - Free Report) by 51.8% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 4,121 shares of the home improvement retailer's stock after selling 4,421 shares during the period. ZWJ Investment Counsel Inc.'s holdings in Lowe's Companies were worth $994,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Wellington Management Group LLP grew its stake in shares of Lowe's Companies by 102.0% during the third quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 4,204,311 shares of the home improvement retailer's stock worth $1,056,585,000 after purchasing an additional 2,122,622 shares in the last quarter. Victory Capital Management Inc. grew its stake in shares of Lowe's Companies by 207.2% during the third quarter. Victory Capital Management Inc. now owns 2,058,086 shares of the home improvement retailer's stock worth $517,218,000 after purchasing an additional 1,388,133 shares in the last quarter. Worldquant Millennium Advisors LLC boosted its position in shares of Lowe's Companies by 243.2% during the 2nd quarter. Worldquant Millennium Advisors LLC now owns 1,116,945 shares of the home improvement retailer's stock worth $247,817,000 after acquiring an additional 791,526 shares in the last quarter. Robeco Institutional Asset Management B.V. boosted its position in shares of Lowe's Companies by 101.4% during the 3rd quarter. Robeco Institutional Asset Management B.V. now owns 1,244,941 shares of the home improvement retailer's stock worth $312,866,000 after acquiring an additional 626,829 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Alliancebernstein L.P. boosted its position in shares of Lowe's Companies by 45.5% during the 3rd quarter. Alliancebernstein L.P. now owns 1,899,114 shares of the home improvement retailer's stock worth $477,266,000 after acquiring an additional 593,779 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 74.06% of the company's stock.

Lowe's Companies Stock Up 0.5%

NYSE:LOW opened at $248.41 on Wednesday. The stock's 50 day moving average price is $254.26 and its 200 day moving average price is $249.79. The company has a market capitalization of $139.12 billion, a PE ratio of 20.96, a P/E/G ratio of 5.37 and a beta of 0.97. Lowe's Companies, Inc. has a 52-week low of $210.33 and a 52-week high of $293.06.

Lowe's Companies (NYSE:LOW - Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, February 25th. The home improvement retailer reported $1.98 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $1.94 by $0.04. The business had revenue of $20.59 billion for 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 company's revenue for the quarter was up 10.9% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the firm posted $1.93 earnings per share. Lowe's Companies has set its FY 2026 guidance at 12.250-12.75 EPS. As a group, sell-side analysts anticipate that Lowe's Companies, Inc. will post 11.9 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Lowe's Companies Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, May 6th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, April 22nd will be given a dividend of $1.20 per share. This represents a $4.80 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.9%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, April 22nd. Lowe's Companies's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 40.51%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

LOW has been the subject of several analyst reports. Gordon Haskett lowered their price objective on Lowe's Companies from $325.00 to $300.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, February 26th. Evercore lowered their price target on Lowe's Companies from $250.00 to $245.00 in a report on Tuesday, March 31st. Wolfe Research lowered their price target 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. Telsey Advisory Group upped their target price on shares of Lowe's Companies from $285.00 to $295.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a report on Thursday, February 26th. Finally, Mizuho upped their target price on shares of Lowe's Companies from $272.00 to $294.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a report on Friday, February 27th. Twenty-two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and eight have issued a Hold rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $289.24.

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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