Sanford C. Bernstein Has Lowered Expectations for Lowe’s Companies (NYSE:LOW) Stock Price

Lowe’s Companies (NYSE:LOW) had its price objective cut by equities research analysts at Sanford C. Bernstein from $313.00 to $303.00 in a note issued to investors on Thursday,Benzinga reports. The brokerage currently has an “outperform” rating on the home improvement retailer’s stock. Sanford C. Bernstein’s price target suggests a potential upside of 15.51% from the stock’s current price.

A number of other equities research analysts have also issued reports on LOW. Morgan Stanley upped their target price on Lowe’s Companies from $270.00 to $296.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Thursday, January 15th. Oppenheimer reduced their price objective on Lowe’s Companies from $320.00 to $315.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, December 5th. DA Davidson reissued a “neutral” rating and issued a $275.00 target price on shares of Lowe’s Companies in a research note on Thursday. Gordon Haskett reduced their target price on shares of Lowe’s Companies from $325.00 to $300.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a report on Thursday. Finally, Argus lowered their price target on shares of Lowe’s Companies from $290.00 to $286.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, December 2nd. Twenty-one investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eight have issued a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Lowe’s Companies has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $291.43.

Lowe’s Companies Price Performance

LOW traded down $0.71 during trading on Thursday, reaching $262.31. 1,078,401 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 2,885,190. The company has a market capitalization of $147.14 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 21.78, a P/E/G ratio of 4.34 and a beta of 0.97. Lowe’s Companies has a 1 year low of $206.38 and a 1 year high of $293.06. The business’s 50 day moving average price is $266.08 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $254.23.

Lowe’s Companies (NYSE:LOW) last released its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, February 25th. The home improvement retailer reported $1.98 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.94 by $0.04. The business had revenue of $20.58 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $20.34 billion. Lowe’s Companies had a negative return on equity of 55.86% and a net margin of 8.05%.The business’s revenue was up 10.9% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $1.93 EPS. Lowe’s Companies has set its FY 2026 guidance at 12.250-12.75 EPS. On average, analysts anticipate that Lowe’s Companies will post 11.9 EPS for the current year.

Insider Activity at Lowe’s Companies

In related news, CEO Marvin R. Ellison sold 18,000 shares of Lowe’s Companies stock in a transaction on Friday, January 9th. The shares were sold at an average price of $261.17, for a total transaction of $4,701,060.00. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer owned 231,043 shares in the company, valued at approximately $60,341,500.31. The trade was a 7.23% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Corporate insiders own 0.27% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Trading of Lowe’s Companies

Hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Brighton Jones LLC grew its position in Lowe’s Companies by 119.7% in the 4th quarter. Brighton Jones LLC now owns 31,965 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock worth $7,889,000 after purchasing an additional 17,413 shares during the last quarter. Revolve Wealth Partners LLC increased its stake in shares of Lowe’s Companies by 31.6% during the fourth quarter. Revolve Wealth Partners LLC now owns 1,078 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock valued at $266,000 after acquiring an additional 259 shares during the period. Sivia Capital Partners LLC raised its holdings in Lowe’s Companies by 22.3% during the second quarter. Sivia Capital Partners LLC now owns 1,534 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock worth $340,000 after purchasing an additional 280 shares in the last quarter. United Bank raised its holdings in Lowe’s Companies by 1.3% during the second quarter. United Bank now owns 12,124 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock worth $2,690,000 after purchasing an additional 155 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Schnieders Capital Management LLC. lifted its position in Lowe’s Companies by 13.1% in the second quarter. Schnieders Capital Management LLC. now owns 2,378 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock worth $528,000 after purchasing an additional 275 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 74.06% of the company’s stock.

Lowe’s Companies News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting Lowe’s Companies this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Multiple major brokers lifted price targets (Goldman Sachs and Guggenheim to $300, implying ~14% upside), signaling continued analyst confidence despite near‑term headwinds. Goldman/Guggenheim PT raises
• Positive Sentiment: Additional firms (Wells Fargo, Rothschild/Redburn, Telsey) raised targets or reiterated buy/outperform views (PTs moved into the high $280s–$295 range), supporting a constructive medium‑term thesis for Lowe’s. Analyst target coverage
• Neutral Sentiment: Q4 fundamentals beat: adjusted EPS $1.98 vs. ~$1.94 consensus and revenue $20.58B vs. ~$20.34B; comps +1.3% with Pro, online and Home Services strength — evidence Lowe’s operations are resilient. Q4 beat coverage
• Neutral Sentiment: Corporate reset and digital initiatives: Lowe’s announced ~600 corporate job cuts, expanded AI tools and a partnership with Affirm for financing — moves that could improve long‑term margins and B2B/Pro growth, but may take time to show up in results. Restructuring & partnerships
• Negative Sentiment: Cautious FY26 commentary: management flagged a soft housing/remodel backdrop and issued conservative forward comments (EPS guide 12.25–12.75; sales outlook mix seen as uncertain), which prompted the market to focus on near‑term demand risk and pressured the stock. Guidance & housing risk
• Negative Sentiment: Market reaction and sentiment pieces: media and analysts flagged weak guidance and recommended trimming positions (examples include sell calls and critical commentaries), amplifying selling pressure. Sell recommendation
• Negative Sentiment: Unusual options activity: heavy put buying was reported after the print, indicating some traders are hedging or betting on further downside in the near term. Options and market flow

About Lowe’s Companies

Lowe’s Companies, Inc is a leading home improvement retailer that operates large-format stores and digital channels serving both do-it-yourself homeowners and professional contractors. The company offers a broad assortment of products including building materials, lumber, appliances, tools and hardware, plumbing and electrical supplies, paint, flooring, kitchen and bath fixtures, outdoor and garden products, and home decor. Lowe’s also provides a range of services such as installation, home improvement financing, tool and equipment rental, and contractor-focused sales programs.

Operations are centered on a nationwide brick-and-mortar store network supported by distribution centers and an e-commerce platform that enables online ordering, delivery and in-store pickup.