Mediolanum International Funds Ltd Lowers Position in Lowe's Companies, Inc. $LOW

Key Points

• Mediolanum International Funds Ltd cut its Lowe’s position by 31.4% in Q1, selling 49,122 shares and ending with 107,358 shares worth about $24.97 million.
• Lowe’s reported solid quarterly results, posting $3.03 EPS on revenue of $23.08 billion, both slightly above analyst expectations, while revenue rose 10.3% year over year.
• The company raised its quarterly dividend to $1.25 per share from $1.20, and analysts currently rate the stock a “Moderate Buy” with an average price target of $264.57.

Mediolanum International Funds Ltd trimmed its position in shares of Lowe's Companies, Inc. (NYSE:LOW - Free Report) by 31.4% during the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 107,358 shares of the home improvement retailer's stock after selling 49,122 shares during the quarter. Mediolanum International Funds Ltd's holdings in Lowe's Companies were worth $24,969,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other large investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Swiss RE Ltd. purchased a new stake in Lowe's Companies in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $25,000. Wilkerson Advisory Group LLC purchased a new position in shares of Lowe's Companies during the 4th quarter worth approximately $27,000. OLD Second National Bank of Aurora lifted its holdings in shares of Lowe's Companies by 52.5% in the 4th quarter. OLD Second National Bank of Aurora now owns 122 shares of the home improvement retailer's stock valued at $29,000 after buying an additional 42 shares during the period. Sankala Group LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Lowe's Companies in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $33,000. Finally, Triumph Capital Management purchased a new stake in shares of Lowe's Companies in the third quarter valued at approximately $34,000. 74.06% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Lowe's Companies Price Performance

NYSE LOW opened at $208.57 on Friday. Lowe's Companies, Inc. has a 1-year low of $203.40 and a 1-year high of $293.06. The company has a market capitalization of $116.95 billion, a P/E ratio of 17.63, a PEG ratio of 2.64 and a beta of 0.86. The business has a 50 day moving average price of $217.04 and a 200 day moving average price of $241.57.

Lowe's Companies (NYSE:LOW - Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, May 20th. The home improvement retailer reported $3.03 EPS for the quarter, topping 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 negative return on equity of 67.96% and a net margin of 7.51%.Lowe's Companies's quarterly revenue was up 10.3% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $2.92 earnings per share. Lowe's Companies has set its FY 2026 guidance at 12.250-12.750 EPS. On average, research analysts expect that Lowe's Companies, Inc. will post 12.48 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Lowe's Companies Increases Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, August 5th. Investors of record on Wednesday, July 22nd will be given a $1.25 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, July 22nd. This represents a $5.00 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.4%. This is a boost from Lowe's Companies's previous quarterly dividend of $1.20. Lowe's Companies's payout ratio is presently 40.57%.

Insider Activity at Lowe's Companies

In other Lowe's Companies news, EVP Janice Dupre sold 14,150 shares of Lowe's Companies stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, June 16th. The shares were sold at an average price of $221.90, for a total transaction of $3,139,885.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president owned 39,785 shares in the company, valued at approximately $8,828,291.50. The trade was a 26.24% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Also, EVP Margrethe R. Vagell sold 2,500 shares of the company's stock in a transaction dated Thursday, June 18th. The shares were sold at an average price of $223.83, for a total transaction of $559,575.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 20,220 shares in the company, valued at $4,525,842.60. This trade represents a 11.00% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. In the last three months, insiders have sold 25,980 shares of company stock valued at $5,796,937. Insiders own 0.29% of the company's stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of brokerages recently weighed in on LOW. KeyCorp dropped their price objective on Lowe's Companies from $300.00 to $275.00 and set an "overweight" rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, May 21st. Wells Fargo & Company reduced their target price on Lowe's Companies from $260.00 to $255.00 and set an "overweight" rating for the company in a report on Thursday, May 21st. Truist Financial decreased their target price on shares of Lowe's Companies from $280.00 to $255.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, May 21st. Benchmark assumed coverage on shares of Lowe's Companies in a research note on Tuesday, May 12th. They set a "hold" rating on the stock. Finally, Morgan Stanley cut their price target on shares of Lowe's Companies from $292.00 to $277.00 and set an "overweight" rating for the company in a report on Thursday, May 21st. Twenty-three analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have assigned a Hold rating and two have assigned a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $264.57.

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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