Empirical Financial Services LLC d.b.a. Empirical Wealth Management Acquires 166 Shares of Lowe’s Companies, Inc. (NYSE:LOW)

Empirical Financial Services LLC d.b.a. Empirical Wealth Management raised its holdings in Lowe’s Companies, Inc. (NYSE:LOW) by 6.1% during the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The fund owned 2,881 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock after buying an additional 166 shares during the quarter. Empirical Financial Services LLC d.b.a. Empirical Wealth Management’s holdings in Lowe’s Companies were worth $641,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other hedge funds have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Apollon Wealth Management LLC boosted its position in Lowe’s Companies by 13.8% during the 4th quarter. Apollon Wealth Management LLC now owns 20,700 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock valued at $4,607,000 after acquiring an additional 2,514 shares in the last quarter. Private Advisor Group LLC raised its holdings in Lowe’s Companies by 11.5% in the fourth quarter. Private Advisor Group LLC now owns 64,441 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock worth $14,341,000 after purchasing an additional 6,667 shares in the last quarter. Summit Trail Advisors LLC lifted its position in Lowe’s Companies by 2.2% during the fourth quarter. Summit Trail Advisors LLC now owns 6,608 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock valued at $1,471,000 after buying an additional 143 shares during the period. Spire Wealth Management boosted its holdings in shares of Lowe’s Companies by 8.2% during the 4th quarter. Spire Wealth Management now owns 11,205 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock valued at $2,465,000 after buying an additional 853 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Clifford Swan Investment Counsel LLC grew its position in shares of Lowe’s Companies by 0.3% in the 4th quarter. Clifford Swan Investment Counsel LLC now owns 215,442 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock worth $47,947,000 after buying an additional 541 shares during the period. 74.06% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Lowe’s Companies Trading Up 0.3 %

LOW stock opened at $232.07 on Thursday. The stock has a market cap of $132.79 billion, a PE ratio of 17.63, a P/E/G ratio of 1.72 and a beta of 1.15. The company has a 50-day moving average price of $240.00 and a 200 day moving average price of $221.68. Lowe’s Companies, Inc. has a 12 month low of $181.85 and a 12 month high of $262.49.

Lowe’s Companies (NYSE:LOW) last issued its earnings results on Tuesday, February 27th. The home improvement retailer reported $1.77 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.68 by $0.09. Lowe’s Companies had a negative return on equity of 51.42% and a net margin of 8.94%. The business had revenue of $18.60 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $18.47 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $2.28 EPS. The business’s revenue for the quarter was down 17.1% compared to the same quarter last year. Sell-side analysts forecast that Lowe’s Companies, Inc. will post 12.21 EPS for the current year.

Lowe’s Companies Announces Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, May 8th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, April 24th were given a dividend of $1.10 per share. This represents a $4.40 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.90%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, April 23rd. Lowe’s Companies’s dividend payout ratio is currently 33.43%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

LOW has been the subject of a number of recent research reports. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their price target on shares of Lowe’s Companies from $265.00 to $268.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Wednesday, February 28th. StockNews.com downgraded Lowe’s Companies from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Wednesday, February 28th. Telsey Advisory Group reiterated a “market perform” rating and issued a $230.00 price target on shares of Lowe’s Companies in a research note on Wednesday, March 27th. Wedbush increased their price objective on shares of Lowe’s Companies from $215.00 to $250.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research report on Wednesday, February 28th. Finally, Mizuho assumed coverage on shares of Lowe’s Companies in a report on Tuesday, March 19th. They issued a “buy” rating and a $280.00 target price for the company. Fifteen research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and twelve have issued a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $252.67.

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.