Crossmark Global Holdings Inc. Grows Holdings in Lowe’s Companies, Inc. (NYSE:LOW)

Crossmark Global Holdings Inc. boosted its holdings in Lowe’s Companies, Inc. (NYSE:LOW) by 0.9% during the fourth quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The firm owned 85,150 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock after acquiring an additional 776 shares during the quarter. Crossmark Global Holdings Inc.’s holdings in Lowe’s Companies were worth $21,015,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other large investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Sugar Maple Asset Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of Lowe’s Companies in the 4th quarter worth about $50,000. Pure Financial Advisors LLC lifted its stake in shares of Lowe’s Companies by 9.8% in the fourth quarter. Pure Financial Advisors LLC now owns 1,987 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock worth $490,000 after buying an additional 177 shares in the last quarter. Tudor Financial Inc. grew its holdings in shares of Lowe’s Companies by 23.5% during the fourth quarter. Tudor Financial Inc. now owns 8,557 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock valued at $2,112,000 after buying an additional 1,627 shares during the last quarter. Addenda Capital Inc. raised its holdings in Lowe’s Companies by 0.9% in the 4th quarter. Addenda Capital Inc. now owns 36,218 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock worth $8,939,000 after acquiring an additional 309 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Ulland Investment Advisors LLC boosted its position in shares of Lowe’s Companies by 1.2% during the fourth quarter. Ulland Investment Advisors LLC now owns 10,255 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock valued at $2,531,000 after buying an additional 123 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 74.06% of the company’s stock.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, EVP Quonta D. Vance sold 7,198 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, November 27th. The stock was sold at an average price of $274.37, for a total value of $1,974,915.26. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 16,703 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,582,802.11. This represents a 30.12 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. 0.26% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Lowe’s Companies Stock Performance

NYSE LOW opened at $261.39 on Tuesday. The stock’s fifty day moving average is $260.10 and its two-hundred day moving average is $254.89. The firm has a market capitalization of $147.59 billion, a P/E ratio of 21.80, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.19 and a beta of 1.11. Lowe’s Companies, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $209.55 and a fifty-two week high of $287.01.

Lowe’s Companies Announces Dividend

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

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of equities research analysts have commented on LOW shares. Bank of America lifted their target price on shares of Lowe’s Companies from $275.00 to $305.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, October 11th. Wedbush restated a “neutral” rating and set a $250.00 price target on shares of Lowe’s Companies in a research note on Thursday, December 12th. DA Davidson raised their price objective on shares of Lowe’s Companies from $240.00 to $270.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a report on Wednesday, November 20th. Oppenheimer raised shares of Lowe’s Companies from a “market perform” rating to an “outperform” rating and upped their target price for the company from $230.00 to $305.00 in a report on Tuesday, September 24th. Finally, Telsey Advisory Group reiterated an “outperform” rating and set a $305.00 price target on shares of Lowe’s Companies in a research note on Thursday, December 12th. Ten investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seventeen have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Lowe’s Companies presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $280.85.

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.