Lowe’s Companies’ (LOW) Market Perform Rating Reaffirmed at Telsey Advisory Group

Telsey Advisory Group reaffirmed their market perform rating on shares of Lowe’s Companies (NYSE:LOW) in a research report released on Tuesday, Benzinga reports. They currently have a $230.00 target price on the home improvement retailer’s stock.

Several other analysts have also recently commented on LOW. Citigroup dropped their target price on shares of Lowe’s Companies from $243.00 to $240.00 and set a neutral rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, May 7th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their price target on shares of Lowe’s Companies from $268.00 to $272.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research report on Monday, August 5th. StockNews.com upgraded shares of Lowe’s Companies from a hold rating to a buy rating in a report on Friday, August 2nd. Evercore ISI reduced their price target on shares of Lowe’s Companies from $250.00 to $225.00 and set an in-line rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, July 2nd. Finally, Wedbush reaffirmed a neutral rating and set a $250.00 price objective on shares of Lowe’s Companies in a research note on Wednesday, May 22nd. Fourteen equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and thirteen have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $250.19.

Lowe’s Companies Stock Performance

NYSE LOW opened at $240.33 on Tuesday. The stock has a market capitalization of $136.95 billion, a P/E ratio of 19.30, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.85 and a beta of 1.07. Lowe’s Companies has a 52 week low of $181.85 and a 52 week high of $262.49. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $230.83 and a 200-day moving average of $232.19.

Lowe’s Companies (NYSE:LOW) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, August 20th. The home improvement retailer reported $4.10 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $3.96 by $0.14. The firm had revenue of $23.59 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $23.93 billion. Lowe’s Companies had a negative return on equity of 48.52% and a net margin of 8.46%. The company’s revenue was down 5.5% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the company earned $4.56 earnings per share. Equities research analysts forecast that Lowe’s Companies will post 12.23 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Lowe’s Companies Cuts Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, August 7th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, July 24th were paid a dividend of $0.15 per share. The ex-dividend date was Wednesday, July 24th. This represents a $0.60 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.25%. Lowe’s Companies’s dividend payout ratio is currently 36.95%.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Lowe’s Companies

Large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. International Assets Investment Management LLC bought a new position in Lowe’s Companies in the 4th quarter valued at about $24,091,000. Wetzel Investment Advisors Inc. bought a new position in shares of Lowe’s Companies during the fourth quarter worth approximately $25,000. GUNN & Co INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT INC. lifted its holdings in Lowe’s Companies by 1,511.4% during the 4th quarter. GUNN & Co INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT INC. now owns 24,349 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock worth $5,419,000 after purchasing an additional 22,838 shares during the last quarter. Wedge Capital Management L L P NC boosted its stake in Lowe’s Companies by 3.1% in the 4th quarter. Wedge Capital Management L L P NC now owns 38,714 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock valued at $8,616,000 after purchasing an additional 1,155 shares during the period. Finally, SlateStone Wealth LLC grew its holdings in Lowe’s Companies by 6.2% in the 4th quarter. SlateStone Wealth LLC now owns 1,673 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock valued at $372,000 after buying an additional 97 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 74.06% of the company’s stock.

About Lowe’s Companies

Lowe's Companies, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, operates as a home improvement retailer in the United States. The company offers a line of products for construction, maintenance, repair, remodeling, and decorating. It also provides home improvement products, such as appliances, seasonal and outdoor living, lawn and garden, lumber, kitchens and bath, tools, paint, millwork, hardware, flooring, rough plumbing, building materials, décor, and electrical.