Lowe’s Companies, Inc. (NYSE:LOW) Shares Bought by Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan Trust Fund

Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan Trust Fund boosted its stake in shares of Lowe’s Companies, Inc. (NYSE:LOW) by 101.3% during the 3rd quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The institutional investor owned 150,000 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock after purchasing an additional 75,500 shares during the quarter. Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan Trust Fund’s holdings in Lowe’s Companies were worth $40,628,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Hancock Whitney Corp grew its position in shares of Lowe’s Companies by 1.8% in the first quarter. Hancock Whitney Corp now owns 5,138 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock valued at $1,309,000 after purchasing an additional 93 shares during the last quarter. Citizens Financial Group Inc. RI boosted its position in Lowe’s Companies by 3.9% during the first quarter. Citizens Financial Group Inc. RI now owns 12,754 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock worth $3,249,000 after acquiring an additional 478 shares during the last quarter. Virtu Financial LLC acquired a new stake in Lowe’s Companies during the first quarter worth approximately $814,000. LRI Investments LLC acquired a new stake in Lowe’s Companies during the first quarter worth approximately $264,000. Finally, Swedbank AB acquired a new stake in Lowe’s Companies during the first quarter worth approximately $79,366,000. 74.06% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Insider Activity

In related news, EVP Margrethe R. Vagell sold 5,730 shares of Lowe’s Companies stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, October 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $271.45, for a total value of $1,555,408.50. Following the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 13,214 shares in the company, valued at $3,586,940.30. This trade represents a 30.25 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, CAO Dan Clayton Griggs, Jr. sold 6,769 shares of Lowe’s Companies stock in a transaction dated Thursday, September 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of $248.82, for a total transaction of $1,684,262.58. Following the completion of the sale, the chief accounting officer now owns 9,383 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,334,678.06. This represents a 41.91 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Company insiders own 0.26% of the company’s stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of brokerages recently issued reports on LOW. Loop Capital upgraded shares of Lowe’s Companies from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and raised their target price for the stock from $250.00 to $300.00 in a research report on Wednesday, October 9th. DA Davidson raised their target price on shares of Lowe’s Companies from $240.00 to $270.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research report on Wednesday, November 20th. Sanford C. Bernstein cut their price target on shares of Lowe’s Companies from $306.00 to $301.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, November 20th. Barclays increased their price target on shares of Lowe’s Companies from $229.00 to $245.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Wednesday, November 20th. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada increased their price target on shares of Lowe’s Companies from $290.00 to $291.00 and gave the stock a “sector perform” rating in a research note on Wednesday, November 20th. Ten equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and sixteen have issued a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $277.92.

Lowe’s Companies Stock Performance

NYSE LOW opened at $273.14 on Thursday. Lowe’s Companies, Inc. has a one year low of $196.32 and a one year high of $287.01. The company has a 50-day simple moving average of $269.80 and a 200-day simple moving average of $245.66. The firm has a market capitalization of $154.95 billion, a PE ratio of 22.78, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.31 and a beta of 1.10.

Lowe’s Companies Increases Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, November 6th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, October 23rd were issued a $1.15 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Wednesday, October 23rd. This is a positive change from Lowe’s Companies’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.15. This represents a $4.60 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.68%. Lowe’s Companies’s payout ratio is 38.37%.

Lowe’s Companies Company 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.