Conning Inc. Sells 528 Shares of Lowe’s Companies, Inc. (NYSE:LOW)

Conning Inc. cut its position in Lowe’s Companies, Inc. (NYSE:LOW) by 10.9% during the fourth quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The institutional investor owned 4,319 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock after selling 528 shares during the quarter. Conning Inc.’s holdings in Lowe’s Companies were worth $1,066,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of LOW. Legacy Investment Solutions LLC acquired a new position in shares of Lowe’s Companies during the 3rd quarter worth about $27,000. IFS Advisors LLC bought a new position in Lowe’s Companies in the 4th quarter worth approximately $25,000. JNBA Financial Advisors lifted its holdings in shares of Lowe’s Companies by 555.6% during the third quarter. JNBA Financial Advisors now owns 118 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock worth $32,000 after buying an additional 100 shares during the last quarter. Winch Advisory Services LLC boosted its position in shares of Lowe’s Companies by 56.4% in the fourth quarter. Winch Advisory Services LLC now owns 122 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock valued at $30,000 after acquiring an additional 44 shares during the period. Finally, MFA Wealth Advisors LLC grew its stake in shares of Lowe’s Companies by 118.6% in the third quarter. MFA Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 129 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock worth $35,000 after acquiring an additional 70 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 74.06% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of equities research analysts recently weighed in on LOW shares. Mizuho lifted their target price on Lowe’s Companies from $282.00 to $305.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Thursday, December 12th. Royal Bank of Canada raised their price objective on shares of Lowe’s Companies from $291.00 to $292.00 and gave the stock a “sector perform” rating in a report on Thursday, December 12th. StockNews.com raised shares of Lowe’s Companies from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, January 17th. Bank of America raised their price target on shares of Lowe’s Companies from $275.00 to $305.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, October 11th. Finally, Telsey Advisory Group reiterated an “outperform” rating and issued a $305.00 price objective on shares of Lowe’s Companies in a research note on Thursday, December 12th. Ten research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seventeen have given a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Lowe’s Companies has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $280.85.

Lowe’s Companies Price Performance

LOW opened at $252.17 on Friday. The company’s 50 day simple moving average is $257.65 and its 200-day simple moving average is $257.70. The stock has a market capitalization of $142.39 billion, a P/E ratio of 21.03, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.18 and a beta of 1.11. Lowe’s Companies, Inc. has a one year low of $211.80 and a one year high of $287.01.

Lowe’s Companies Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, February 5th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, January 22nd were issued a dividend of $1.15 per share. This represents a $4.60 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.82%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Wednesday, January 22nd. Lowe’s Companies’s dividend payout ratio is presently 38.37%.

Insider Buying and Selling at Lowe’s Companies

In other news, EVP Quonta D. Vance sold 7,198 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated 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 completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 16,703 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,582,802.11. The trade was a 30.12 % decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. Corporate insiders own 0.26% of the company’s stock.

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.