Lowe’s Companies, Inc. (NYSE:LOW) Shares Purchased by Trust Co. of Vermont

Trust Co. of Vermont boosted its holdings in Lowe’s Companies, Inc. (NYSE:LOW) by 2.9% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The firm owned 98,239 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock after buying an additional 2,795 shares during the period. Lowe’s Companies makes up about 1.2% of Trust Co. of Vermont’s investment portfolio, making the stock its 17th largest position. Trust Co. of Vermont’s holdings in Lowe’s Companies were worth $24,245,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other large investors also recently made changes to their positions in LOW. FMR LLC boosted its position in Lowe’s Companies by 10.2% in the 3rd quarter. FMR LLC now owns 26,010,730 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock valued at $7,045,006,000 after buying an additional 2,399,897 shares during the last quarter. International Assets Investment Management LLC grew its stake in Lowe’s Companies by 1,889.7% during the 3rd quarter. International Assets Investment Management LLC now owns 2,134,969 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock valued at $578,256,000 after purchasing an additional 2,027,668 shares in the last quarter. Applied Finance Capital Management LLC increased its holdings in Lowe’s Companies by 387.7% during the 3rd quarter. Applied Finance Capital Management LLC now owns 811,374 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock worth $219,761,000 after purchasing an additional 645,017 shares during the last quarter. Marshall Wace LLP raised its position in shares of Lowe’s Companies by 170.5% in the 2nd quarter. Marshall Wace LLP now owns 735,633 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock valued at $162,178,000 after purchasing an additional 463,645 shares in the last quarter. Finally, State Street Corp boosted its stake in shares of Lowe’s Companies by 1.9% during the 3rd quarter. State Street Corp now owns 25,013,655 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock valued at $6,774,948,000 after buying an additional 460,851 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 74.06% of the company’s stock.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Lowe’s Companies news, EVP Quonta D. Vance sold 7,198 shares of Lowe’s Companies stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, November 27th. The stock was sold at an average price of $274.37, for a total transaction of $1,974,915.26. Following the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 16,703 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $4,582,802.11. The trade was a 30.12 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. 0.26% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Lowe’s Companies Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE LOW traded up $2.61 during mid-day trading on Friday, reaching $261.39. 2,758,504 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 1,989,226. The company’s fifty day moving average is $260.29 and its two-hundred day moving average is $253.98. Lowe’s Companies, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $209.55 and a fifty-two week high of $287.01. The stock has a market cap of $147.59 billion, a PE ratio of 21.80, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.08 and a beta of 1.11.

Lowe’s Companies Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, February 5th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, January 22nd will be given a $1.15 dividend. This represents a $4.60 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.76%. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, January 22nd. Lowe’s Companies’s dividend payout ratio is currently 38.37%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several brokerages have weighed in on LOW. Telsey Advisory Group reissued an “outperform” rating and set a $305.00 price objective on shares of Lowe’s Companies in a report on Thursday, December 12th. Guggenheim reissued a “buy” rating and issued a $300.00 price objective on shares of Lowe’s Companies in a report on Thursday, December 12th. StockNews.com raised Lowe’s Companies from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Friday. Barclays boosted their price target on Lowe’s Companies from $229.00 to $245.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a report on Wednesday, November 20th. Finally, Loop Capital raised shares of Lowe’s Companies from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and lifted their price objective for the stock from $250.00 to $300.00 in a report on Wednesday, October 9th. Ten research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seventeen have assigned a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $280.85.

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.