Virtu Financial LLC Has $1.73 Million Stock Position in Lowe’s Companies, Inc. (NYSE:LOW)

Virtu Financial LLC raised its holdings in Lowe’s Companies, Inc. (NYSE:LOW) by 28.4% during the fourth quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The firm owned 7,028 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock after acquiring an additional 1,554 shares during the quarter. Virtu Financial LLC’s holdings in Lowe’s Companies were worth $1,734,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of LOW. United Bank grew its position in Lowe’s Companies by 1.4% in the third quarter. United Bank now owns 10,099 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock valued at $2,735,000 after acquiring an additional 137 shares during the last quarter. Pacer Advisors Inc. boosted its stake in shares of Lowe’s Companies by 2.9% in the 3rd quarter. Pacer Advisors Inc. now owns 42,266 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock valued at $11,448,000 after purchasing an additional 1,175 shares in the last quarter. Eagle Asset Management Inc. grew its holdings in shares of Lowe’s Companies by 3.0% during the 3rd quarter. Eagle Asset Management Inc. now owns 13,824 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock valued at $3,748,000 after purchasing an additional 399 shares during the last quarter. Allen Capital Group LLC grew its holdings in shares of Lowe’s Companies by 25.4% during the 3rd quarter. Allen Capital Group LLC now owns 1,725 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock valued at $467,000 after purchasing an additional 349 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Meridian Wealth Management LLC bought a new position in Lowe’s Companies in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $3,291,000. Institutional investors own 74.06% of the company’s stock.

Lowe’s Companies Stock Performance

Lowe’s Companies stock opened at $227.09 on Friday. The stock’s 50 day moving average price is $247.99 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $257.79. The stock has a market capitalization of $128.23 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 18.94, a PEG ratio of 1.96 and a beta of 1.12. Lowe’s Companies, Inc. has a 52-week low of $211.80 and a 52-week high of $287.01.

Lowe’s Companies (NYSE:LOW) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, February 26th. The home improvement retailer reported $1.93 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.83 by $0.10. Lowe’s Companies had a net margin of 8.19% and a negative return on equity of 47.55%. The business had revenue of $18.55 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $18.29 billion. On average, equities research analysts forecast that Lowe’s Companies, Inc. will post 11.9 EPS for the current year.

Lowe’s Companies Dividend Announcement

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, May 7th. Investors of record on Wednesday, April 23rd will be paid a dividend of $1.15 per share. This represents a $4.60 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.03%. Lowe’s Companies’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 37.67%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

LOW has been the topic of a number of research reports. Mizuho decreased their target price on shares of Lowe’s Companies from $305.00 to $300.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, February 27th. Bank of America reduced their price objective on Lowe’s Companies from $305.00 to $290.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, February 27th. Evercore ISI increased their target price on Lowe’s Companies from $270.00 to $290.00 and gave the company an “in-line” rating in a research report on Thursday, December 12th. Telsey Advisory Group reissued an “outperform” rating and set a $305.00 price target on shares of Lowe’s Companies in a research note on Wednesday, February 26th. Finally, StockNews.com downgraded Lowe’s Companies from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Tuesday, March 11th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, eleven have assigned a hold rating and fourteen have issued a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $280.83.

Lowe’s Companies Profile

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.