First Citizens Bank & Trust Co. Has $11.66 Million Stake in Lowe’s Companies, Inc. (NYSE:LOW)

First Citizens Bank & Trust Co. cut its stake in Lowe’s Companies, Inc. (NYSE:LOW) by 4.6% in the fourth quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The firm owned 47,233 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock after selling 2,276 shares during the quarter. First Citizens Bank & Trust Co.’s holdings in Lowe’s Companies were worth $11,657,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

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

Insider Buying and Selling at Lowe’s Companies

In other Lowe’s Companies news, EVP Quonta D. Vance sold 7,198 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, November 27th. The shares were sold at an average price of $274.37, for a total value of $1,974,915.26. Following the sale, the executive vice president now owns 16,703 shares in the company, valued at $4,582,802.11. This trade represents a 30.12 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. Company insiders own 0.26% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several brokerages have recently weighed in on LOW. StockNews.com upgraded Lowe’s Companies from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, January 17th. DA Davidson upped their price objective on Lowe’s Companies from $240.00 to $270.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research note on Wednesday, November 20th. Loop Capital raised shares of Lowe’s Companies from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and raised their target price for the company from $250.00 to $300.00 in a research note on Wednesday, October 9th. Guggenheim reaffirmed a “buy” rating and set a $300.00 price target on shares of Lowe’s Companies in a research report on Thursday, December 12th. Finally, Telsey Advisory Group reissued an “outperform” rating and issued a $305.00 price objective on shares of Lowe’s Companies in a research report on Thursday, December 12th. Ten analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seventeen have assigned a buy rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $280.85.

Lowe’s Companies Stock Up 0.4 %

LOW opened at $262.35 on Friday. The stock has a market capitalization of $148.13 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 21.88, a P/E/G ratio of 2.16 and a beta of 1.11. Lowe’s Companies, Inc. has a twelve month low of $209.55 and a twelve month high of $287.01. The company has a 50-day simple moving average of $259.11 and a 200 day simple moving average of $255.95.

Lowe’s Companies Dividend Announcement

The company also recently declared 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. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, January 22nd. This represents a $4.60 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.75%. Lowe’s Companies’s dividend payout ratio is 38.37%.

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.