Northeast Investment Management Reduces Stake in Lowe’s Companies, Inc. $LOW

Northeast Investment Management reduced its stake in Lowe’s Companies, Inc. (NYSE:LOW) by 1.9% during the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The firm owned 158,643 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock after selling 3,152 shares during the quarter. Lowe’s Companies makes up approximately 1.5% of Northeast Investment Management’s investment portfolio, making the stock its 18th biggest position. Northeast Investment Management’s holdings in Lowe’s Companies were worth $38,258,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

A number of other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Argos Wealth Advisors LLC bought a new position in Lowe’s Companies in the 4th quarter worth $325,000. Jacksonville Wealth Management LLC raised its holdings in Lowe’s Companies by 2.0% in the 4th quarter. Jacksonville Wealth Management LLC now owns 2,264 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock worth $546,000 after purchasing an additional 44 shares during the period. ELCO Management Co. LLC bought a new position in Lowe’s Companies in the 4th quarter worth $304,000. ESG Planning DBA Harper Investing raised its holdings in Lowe’s Companies by 17.6% during the fourth quarter. ESG Planning DBA Harper Investing now owns 4,130 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock valued at $996,000 after acquiring an additional 618 shares during the period. Finally, Meridian Wealth Management LLC raised its holdings in Lowe’s Companies by 2.3% during the fourth quarter. Meridian Wealth Management LLC now owns 11,948 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock valued at $2,881,000 after acquiring an additional 264 shares during the period. 74.06% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

LOW has been the topic of a number of recent analyst reports. Piper Sandler cut Lowe’s Companies from an “overweight” rating to a “neutral” rating in a report on Tuesday. Wells Fargo & Company raised their price target on Lowe’s Companies from $280.00 to $290.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Thursday, February 26th. Benchmark initiated coverage on Lowe’s Companies in a report on Tuesday. They set a “hold” rating on the stock. Evercore decreased their price target on Lowe’s Companies from $250.00 to $245.00 in a report on Tuesday, March 31st. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group assumed coverage on shares of Lowe’s Companies in a research note on Tuesday. They set a “buy” rating for the company. Twenty-two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, twelve have issued a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $288.41.

Key Headlines Impacting Lowe’s Companies

Here are the key news stories impacting Lowe’s Companies this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Citi upgraded Lowe’s to Buy, saying the company is well-positioned to outperform peers despite macro uncertainty and a sluggish housing market. Citi upgrades Lowe’s to Buy but retail sector faces uncertain consumer outlook
• Positive Sentiment: Other coverage highlighted Lowe’s as a potential dividend-stock winner, reinforcing investor interest in its steady cash return profile. Lowe’s (LOW) Could Be a Great Choice
• Neutral Sentiment: Bank of America reinstated Lowe’s at Neutral, which suggests the stock is viewed as fairly valued rather than a strong near-term outperformer. Analyst Reinstates Lowe’s (LOW) at ‘Neutral’ Rating
• Neutral Sentiment: Broader retail previews note Lowe’s is heading into earnings with revenue growth potential, but also margin pressure from a softer consumer backdrop. Costco & 3 Retail Stocks Set to Beat Wall Street This Earnings Season
• Negative Sentiment: Recent market commentary showed Lowe’s stock drifting lower while the broader market advanced, reflecting some near-term investor caution. Lowe’s (LOW) Stock Dips While Market Gains: Key Facts
• Negative Sentiment: Coverage about licensing-plate readers at Lowe’s stores may raise privacy or customer-trust concerns, though the business impact is unclear. Lowe’s, Home Depot could start spying on you using license plate readers in effort to boost safety

Lowe’s Companies Stock Performance

LOW opened at $224.70 on Wednesday. The stock has a market cap of $125.85 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 18.96, a P/E/G ratio of 4.33 and a beta of 0.91. The stock’s 50 day moving average price is $240.26 and its 200-day moving average price is $249.34. Lowe’s Companies, Inc. has a one year low of $210.33 and a one year high of $293.06.

Lowe’s Companies (NYSE:LOW) last released its earnings results on Wednesday, February 25th. The home improvement retailer reported $1.98 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.94 by $0.04. The firm had revenue of $20.59 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $20.34 billion. Lowe’s Companies had a negative return on equity of 61.40% and a net margin of 7.71%.The company’s quarterly revenue was up 10.9% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $1.93 earnings per share. Lowe’s Companies has set its FY 2026 guidance at 12.250-12.75 EPS. As a group, analysts predict that Lowe’s Companies, Inc. will post 12.61 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Lowe’s Companies Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, May 6th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, April 22nd were paid a dividend of $1.20 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Wednesday, April 22nd. This represents a $4.80 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.1%. Lowe’s Companies’s dividend payout ratio is currently 40.51%.

Lowe’s Companies Profile

Lowe’s Companies, Inc is a leading home improvement retailer that operates large-format stores and digital channels serving both do-it-yourself homeowners and professional contractors. The company offers a broad assortment of products including building materials, lumber, appliances, tools and hardware, plumbing and electrical supplies, paint, flooring, kitchen and bath fixtures, outdoor and garden products, and home decor. Lowe’s also provides a range of services such as installation, home improvement financing, tool and equipment rental, and contractor-focused sales programs.

Operations are centered on a nationwide brick-and-mortar store network supported by distribution centers and an e-commerce platform that enables online ordering, delivery and in-store pickup.