Sanford C. Bernstein Cuts Lowe's Companies (NYSE:LOW) Price Target to $281.00

Key Points

• Sanford C. Bernstein lowered its price target on Lowe’s from $303 to $281, while keeping an outperform rating. The new target still suggests about 27.5% upside from the prior close.
• Other analysts remain generally positive on the stock, with several firms recently raising targets or upgrading shares. Overall, Lowe’s has a Moderate Buy consensus and an average price target of $287.21.
• Lowe’s recently topped quarterly expectations, reporting $1.98 EPS on $20.59 billion in revenue, and the company has guided FY2026 EPS to 12.25–12.75. Shares opened at $220.44, well below the consensus target range.

Lowe's Companies (NYSE:LOW - Get Free Report) had its price objective reduced by research analysts at Sanford C. Bernstein from $303.00 to $281.00 in a report issued on Thursday,Benzinga reports. The brokerage currently has an "outperform" rating on the home improvement retailer's stock. Sanford C. Bernstein's price target would indicate a potential upside of 27.47% from the company's previous close.

Several other equities research analysts have also recently weighed in on LOW. Bank of America initiated coverage on Lowe's Companies in a research report on Tuesday, May 5th. They set a "neutral" rating on the stock. Telsey Advisory Group upped their price target on Lowe's Companies from $285.00 to $295.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a research report on Thursday, February 26th. Argus upped their price target on Lowe's Companies from $286.00 to $288.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research report on Monday, March 2nd. Citigroup upgraded Lowe's Companies from a "neutral" rating to a "buy" rating and set a $285.00 price target on the stock in a research report on Tuesday. Finally, Robert W. Baird upped their price target on Lowe's Companies from $290.00 to $320.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a research report on Tuesday, February 17th. Twenty-two analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, twelve have issued a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $287.21.

Lowe's Companies Stock Performance

Shares of Lowe's Companies stock opened at $220.44 on Thursday. Lowe's Companies has a 52-week low of $210.33 and a 52-week high of $293.06. The stock's 50-day simple moving average is $239.53 and its 200 day simple moving average is $249.17. The stock has a market capitalization of $123.46 billion, a P/E ratio of 18.60, a P/E/G ratio of 4.30 and a beta of 0.91.

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 (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates 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 business had revenue of $20.59 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $20.34 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the business posted $1.93 EPS. The firm'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. Equities research analysts forecast that Lowe's Companies will post 12.61 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the business. Dickmeyer Boyce Financial Management Inc. purchased a new stake in Lowe's Companies in the first quarter worth approximately $324,000. Gibbs Wealth Management boosted its stake in Lowe's Companies by 122.5% in the first quarter. Gibbs Wealth Management now owns 8,819 shares of the home improvement retailer's stock worth $2,084,000 after buying an additional 4,856 shares in the last quarter. Ascension Capital Advisors Inc. purchased a new stake in Lowe's Companies in the first quarter worth approximately $224,000. Cetera Investment Advisers boosted its stake in Lowe's Companies by 1.7% in the first quarter. Cetera Investment Advisers now owns 293,946 shares of the home improvement retailer's stock worth $69,453,000 after buying an additional 5,001 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Levin Capital Strategies L.P. boosted its stake in Lowe's Companies by 2,629.4% in the first quarter. Levin Capital Strategies L.P. now owns 40,941 shares of the home improvement retailer's stock worth $9,674,000 after buying an additional 39,441 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 74.06% of the company's stock.

Key Stories Impacting Lowe's Companies

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

• Positive Sentiment: Analysts and Zacks previews point to strong earnings expectations ahead of Lowe’s upcoming report, suggesting the company could beat estimates and support the stock. Lowe's (LOW) Earnings Expected to Grow: What to Know Ahead of Next Week's Release
• Positive Sentiment: Citi upgraded Lowe’s to Buy, saying the home-improvement retailer may outperform peers despite macro uncertainty and a sluggish housing market. Citi upgrades Lowe’s to Buy but retail sector faces uncertain consumer outlook
• Positive Sentiment: Truist maintained a Buy rating even after trimming its price target to $280, which still implies meaningful upside from recent trading levels. Truist cuts price target on Lowe’s to $280 from $293, keeps Buy rating
• Neutral Sentiment: Lowe’s announced it will host its first-quarter 2026 earnings conference call on May 20, keeping investor attention centered on upcoming results rather than fresh operating news. Lowe's Companies, Inc. to Host First Quarter 2026 Earnings Conference Call on May 20
• Neutral Sentiment: The latest earnings transcript showed solid fourth-quarter sales of $20.6 billion and comparable sales growth of 1.3%, reinforcing a stable operating backdrop. Lowe's (LOW) Q4 2026 Earnings Transcript
• Negative Sentiment: Some coverage remains cautious on Lowe’s because housing-market weakness and broader retail uncertainty could limit near-term upside. Lowe's (LOW) Could Be a Great Choice

About Lowe's Companies

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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