Ashton Thomas Securities LLC Takes $223,000 Position in Lowe’s Companies, Inc. (NYSE:LOW)

Ashton Thomas Securities LLC purchased a new stake in Lowe’s Companies, Inc. (NYSE:LOW) in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The firm purchased 823 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock, valued at approximately $223,000.

Several other hedge funds have also modified their holdings of LOW. Angeles Wealth Management LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Lowe’s Companies by 36.9% in the 1st quarter. Angeles Wealth Management LLC now owns 1,585 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock valued at $404,000 after buying an additional 427 shares during the period. Verus Capital Partners LLC acquired a new position in Lowe’s Companies during the first quarter worth $205,000. Avantax Advisory Services Inc. raised its holdings in Lowe’s Companies by 22.8% during the first quarter. Avantax Advisory Services Inc. now owns 35,397 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock worth $9,017,000 after purchasing an additional 6,579 shares during the last quarter. Bleakley Financial Group LLC raised its holdings in Lowe’s Companies by 9.1% during the first quarter. Bleakley Financial Group LLC now owns 10,712 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock worth $2,729,000 after purchasing an additional 890 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Koshinski Asset Management Inc. raised its holdings in Lowe’s Companies by 91.8% during the first quarter. Koshinski Asset Management Inc. now owns 5,822 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock worth $1,483,000 after purchasing an additional 2,787 shares during the last quarter. 74.06% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Lowe’s Companies news, EVP Margrethe R. Vagell sold 5,730 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, October 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $271.45, for a total transaction of $1,555,408.50. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 13,214 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $3,586,940.30. This trade represents a 0.00 % decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. In other news, CAO Dan Clayton Griggs, Jr. sold 6,769 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, September 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $248.82, for a total transaction of $1,684,262.58. Following the sale, the chief accounting officer now directly owns 9,383 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,334,678.06. This represents a 0.00 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, EVP Margrethe R. Vagell sold 5,730 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on 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 completion of the sale, the executive vice president now owns 13,214 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,586,940.30. This represents a 0.00 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 0.26% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Lowe’s Companies Stock Performance

NYSE:LOW opened at $274.51 on Tuesday. Lowe’s Companies, Inc. has a one year low of $192.10 and a one year high of $287.01. The business’s 50-day simple moving average is $264.61 and its 200 day simple moving average is $242.26. The stock has a market cap of $155.73 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 22.76, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.23 and a beta of 1.10.

Lowe’s Companies (NYSE:LOW) last released its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, August 20th. The home improvement retailer reported $4.10 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $3.96 by $0.14. Lowe’s Companies had a negative return on equity of 47.07% and a net margin of 8.25%. The business had revenue of $23.59 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $23.93 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $4.56 earnings per share. The company’s revenue was down 5.5% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, equities research analysts predict that Lowe’s Companies, Inc. will post 11.92 EPS for the current year.

Lowe’s Companies Increases Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, November 6th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, October 23rd were issued a dividend of $1.15 per share. This represents a $4.60 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.68%. The ex-dividend date was Wednesday, October 23rd. This is an increase from Lowe’s Companies’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.15. Lowe’s Companies’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 38.14%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several equities analysts have weighed in on LOW shares. Evercore ISI raised their price target on Lowe’s Companies from $225.00 to $250.00 and gave the stock an “in-line” rating in a research report on Wednesday, August 21st. Wells Fargo & Company raised their price target on Lowe’s Companies from $280.00 to $295.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Wednesday, November 6th. TD Cowen raised their price target on Lowe’s Companies from $270.00 to $290.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a research report on Monday, October 28th. Stifel Nicolaus raised their price target on Lowe’s Companies from $250.00 to $260.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a research report on Monday. Finally, Morgan Stanley lifted their price objective on Lowe’s Companies from $250.00 to $255.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Wednesday, August 21st. Ten research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and sixteen have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, Lowe’s Companies has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $273.84.

About Lowe’s Companies

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.