Lowe's Companies, Inc. (NYSE:LOW) Shares Sold by Public Employees Retirement System of Ohio

Public Employees Retirement System of Ohio lessened its position in shares of Lowe's Companies, Inc. (NYSE:LOW - Free Report) by 1.6% during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The fund owned 258,550 shares of the home improvement retailer's stock after selling 4,328 shares during the quarter. Public Employees Retirement System of Ohio's holdings in Lowe's Companies were worth $70,028,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other large investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. FMR LLC boosted its stake in shares of Lowe's Companies by 10.2% in the third quarter. FMR LLC now owns 26,010,730 shares of the home improvement retailer's stock worth $7,045,006,000 after buying an additional 2,399,897 shares during the last quarter. International Assets Investment Management LLC boosted its stake in shares of Lowe's Companies by 1,889.7% in the third quarter. International Assets Investment Management LLC now owns 2,134,969 shares of the home improvement retailer's stock worth $578,256,000 after buying an additional 2,027,668 shares during the last quarter. Strategic Financial Concepts LLC boosted its stake in shares of Lowe's Companies by 20,275.6% in the second quarter. Strategic Financial Concepts LLC now owns 1,205,014 shares of the home improvement retailer's stock worth $2,657,000 after buying an additional 1,199,100 shares during the last quarter. Applied Finance Capital Management LLC boosted its stake in shares of Lowe's Companies by 387.7% in the third quarter. Applied Finance Capital Management LLC now owns 811,374 shares of the home improvement retailer's stock worth $219,761,000 after buying an additional 645,017 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Marshall Wace LLP raised its holdings in Lowe's Companies by 170.5% in the 2nd quarter. Marshall Wace LLP now owns 735,633 shares of the home improvement retailer's stock worth $162,178,000 after purchasing an additional 463,645 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 74.06% of the company's stock.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other news, CAO Dan Clayton Griggs, Jr. sold 6,769 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction 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 completion of the transaction, the chief accounting officer now directly owns 9,383 shares in the company, valued at $2,334,678.06. This trade represents a 41.91 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. Also, EVP Quonta D. Vance sold 7,198 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction 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 owns 16,703 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $4,582,802.11. This represents a 30.12 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last three months, insiders sold 19,697 shares of company stock worth $5,214,586. Company insiders own 0.26% of the company's stock.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of equities analysts recently weighed in on the company. Bank of America upped their price target on Lowe's Companies from $275.00 to $305.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a report on Friday, October 11th. Melius Research assumed coverage on Lowe's Companies in a report on Monday, September 23rd. They issued a "buy" rating and a $290.00 price target for the company. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reduced their price target on Lowe's Companies from $272.00 to $270.00 and set an "overweight" rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, August 21st. DA Davidson upped their price target on Lowe's Companies from $240.00 to $270.00 and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a report on Wednesday, November 20th. Finally, StockNews.com raised Lowe's Companies from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a report on Wednesday, September 18th. Ten research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and sixteen have given a buy rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Lowe's Companies presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $277.92.

Lowe's Companies Trading Up 0.1 %

Lowe's Companies stock traded up $0.33 during mid-day trading on Monday, hitting $273.76. The company's stock had a trading volume of 1,752,721 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,437,061. The firm has a market capitalization of $154.58 billion, a PE ratio of 22.80, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.29 and a beta of 1.10. Lowe's Companies, Inc. has a 1 year low of $205.84 and a 1 year high of $287.01. The stock's fifty day moving average is $271.01 and its two-hundred day moving average is $247.87.

Lowe's Companies 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.