Janney Montgomery Scott LLC Increases Stock Holdings in Lowe’s Companies, Inc. (NYSE:LOW)

Janney Montgomery Scott LLC boosted its stake in shares of Lowe’s Companies, Inc. (NYSE:LOW) by 0.1% during the 4th quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The institutional investor owned 297,595 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock after buying an additional 216 shares during the quarter. Janney Montgomery Scott LLC’s holdings in Lowe’s Companies were worth $73,447,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Albion Financial Group UT increased its position in Lowe’s Companies by 37,200.0% during the fourth quarter. Albion Financial Group UT now owns 1,119 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock valued at $276,000 after acquiring an additional 1,116 shares during the last quarter. Advisory Alpha LLC grew its holdings in Lowe’s Companies by 5.5% during the 4th quarter. Advisory Alpha LLC now owns 3,740 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock valued at $923,000 after purchasing an additional 194 shares during the last quarter. XML Financial LLC raised its position in Lowe’s Companies by 5.3% in the 4th quarter. XML Financial LLC now owns 5,733 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock worth $1,415,000 after purchasing an additional 286 shares during the period. Nisa Investment Advisors LLC lifted its stake in Lowe’s Companies by 2.6% in the fourth quarter. Nisa Investment Advisors LLC now owns 223,556 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock worth $55,174,000 after purchasing an additional 5,745 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Simon Quick Advisors LLC lifted its stake in Lowe’s Companies by 17.4% in the fourth quarter. Simon Quick Advisors LLC now owns 3,014 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock worth $744,000 after purchasing an additional 447 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 74.06% of the company’s stock.

Lowe’s Companies Trading Down 2.4 %

Shares of NYSE LOW opened at $258.04 on Thursday. Lowe’s Companies, Inc. has a 12-month low of $209.55 and a 12-month high of $287.01. The stock has a market cap of $145.70 billion, a PE ratio of 21.52, a P/E/G ratio of 2.22 and a beta of 1.11. The company has a 50-day moving average of $259.72 and a 200 day moving average of $255.58.

Lowe’s Companies Dividend Announcement

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, February 5th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, January 22nd will be paid a dividend of $1.15 per share. This represents a $4.60 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.78%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, January 22nd. Lowe’s Companies’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 38.37%.

Insider Buying and Selling at Lowe’s Companies

In related news, EVP Quonta D. Vance sold 7,198 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, November 27th. The shares were sold at an average price of $274.37, for a total transaction of $1,974,915.26. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 16,703 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $4,582,802.11. This trade represents a 30.12 % decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Company insiders own 0.26% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several equities research analysts have recently weighed in on LOW shares. Sanford C. Bernstein increased their price target on Lowe’s Companies from $301.00 to $304.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Thursday, December 12th. Loop Capital raised shares of Lowe’s Companies from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and boosted their target price for the company from $250.00 to $300.00 in a research note on Wednesday, October 9th. Barclays lifted their price objective on shares of Lowe’s Companies from $229.00 to $245.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a report on Wednesday, November 20th. Telsey Advisory Group restated an “outperform” rating and set a $305.00 price objective on shares of Lowe’s Companies in a report on Thursday, December 12th. Finally, StockNews.com raised Lowe’s Companies from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, January 17th. Ten equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seventeen have given a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $280.85.

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.