Lowe's Companies Option Alert: Jun 20 $240 Puts at the Ask: 900 vs 811 OI; Earnings 2/26 Before Open 

Lowe's Companies Option Alert: Jun 20 $240 Puts at the Ask: 900 @ $8.65 vs 811 OI; Earnings 2/26 Before Open Ref=$252.83

Lowe's Companies 株価情報 (NYSE: LOW)

Lowe's Companies (NYSE:LOW) 株価情報

Lowe's Companies

Lowe's is the second-largest home improvement retailer in the world, operating more than 1,700 stores in the United States, after the 2023 divestiture of its Canadian locations (RONA, Lowe's Canada, Réno-Dépôt, and Dick's Lumber). The firm's stores offer products and services for home decorating, maintenance, repair, and remodeling, with maintenance and repair accounting for two thirds of products sold. Lowe's primarily targets retail do-it-yourself (around 70% of sales in 2024) and do-it-for-me customers, but has expanded its commercial and professional business clients to 30% from less than 20% in the past six years. We estimate Lowe's captures a high-single-digit share of the domestic home improvement market, based on US Census data and management's market size estimates.

Lowe's Companies Inc

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AB Active ETFs, Inc. AB US Low Volatility Equity ETF

Lowe's Companies's (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LOW#NYSE">LOW</a>) short percent of float has risen 3.97% since its last report. The company recently reported that it has 7.37 million shares sold short, which is 1.31% of all regular shares that are available for trading. Based on its trading volume, it would take traders 3.49 days to cover their short positions on average.
<h3>Why Short Interest Matters</h3>
Short interest is the number of shares that have been sold short but have not yet been covered or closed out. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/how-to-short-a-stock?adType=benzinga-insights&amp;ad=short-interest&amp;campaign=wallstreetadvantage">Short selling</a> is when a trader sells shares of a company they do not own, with the hope that the price will fall. Traders make money from short selling if the price of the stock falls and they lose if it rises.
Short interest is important to track because it can act as an indicator of market sentiment towards a particular stock. An increase in short interest can signal that investors have become more bearish, while a decrease in short interest can signal they have become more bullish.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/short-interest?adType=benzinga-insights&amp;ad=short-interest&amp;campaign=wallstreetadvantage">List of the most shorted stocks</a>
<h3>Lowe's Companies Short Interest Graph (3 Months)</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2025/1740503721_0.png" alt="short_fig" />
As you can see from the chart above the percentage of shares that are sold short for Lowe's Companies has grown since its last report. This does not mean that the stock is going to fall in the near-term but traders should be aware that more shares are being shorted.
<h3>Comparing Lowe's Companies's Short Interest Against Its Peers</h3>
Peer comparison is a popular technique amongst analysts and investors for gauging how well a company is performing. A company's peer is another company that has similar characteristics to it, such as industry, size, age, and financial structure. You can find a company's peer group by reading its 10-K, proxy filing, or by doing your own similarity analysis.
According to <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/pro/">Benzinga Pro</a>, Lowe's Companies's peer group average for short interest as a percentage of float is 5.11%, which means the company has less short interest than most of its peers.
Did you know that increasing short interest can actually be bullish for a stock? <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/how-to-make-money-on-a-short-squeeze?adType=benzinga-insights&amp;ad=short-interest&amp;campaign=wallstreetadvantage">This post by Benzinga Money explains how you can profit from it.</a>
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and was reviewed by an editor.

Short Sellers

Short Ideas

Trading Ideas

What's Driving the Market Sentiment Around Lowe's Companies?

Lowe&#8217;s Companies, Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LOW#NYSE">LOW</a>) will release its fourth-quarter financial results before the opening bell <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/insights/news/25/02/43746164/heres-how-much-1000-invested-in-lowes-companies-20-years-ago-would-be-worth-today">on Wednesday, Feb. 26</a>.
Analysts expect the Mooresville, North Carolina-based company to report quarterly earnings at $1.84 per share, up from $1.77 per share in the year-ago period. Lowe&#8217;s projects quarterly revenue of $18.29 billion, compared to $18.6 billion a year earlier, according to data from <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard">Benzinga Pro</a>.
On Feb. 20, Telsey Advisory Group analyst Joseph Feldman maintained Lowe&#8217;s with an Outperform rating and maintained a $305 price target.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/25/01/43166746/home-depot-likely-to-outcomp-lowes-in-q4-analyst-says-as-home-improvement-battle-heads-toward-earnings">Home Depot &#8216;Likely To Outcomp&#8217; Lowe&#8217;s In Q4, Analyst Says As Home Improvement Battle Heads Toward Earnings</a>
With the recent buzz around Lowe&#8217;s, some investors may be eyeing potential gains from the company's dividends too. As of now, the retailer offers an annual dividend yield of 1.92%, which is a quarterly dividend amount of $1.15 per share ($4.60 a year).
To figure out how to earn $500 monthly from Lowe&#8217;s, we start with the yearly target of $6,000 ($500 x 12 months).
Next, we take this amount and divide it by Lowe&#8217;s $4.60 dividend: $6,000 / $4.60 = 1,304 shares.
So, an investor would need to own approximately $309,152 worth of Lowe&#8217;s, or 993 shares to generate a monthly dividend income of $500.
Assuming a more conservative goal of $100 monthly ($1,200 annually), we do the same calculation: $1,200 / $4.60 = 261 shares, or $61,878 to generate a monthly dividend income of $100.
Note that dividend yield can change on a rolling basis, as the dividend payment and the stock price both fluctuate over time.
The dividend yield is calculated by dividing the annual dividend payment by the current stock price. As the stock price changes, the dividend yield will also change.
For example, if a stock pays an annual dividend of $2 and its current price is $50, its dividend yield would be 4%. However, if the stock price increases to $60, the dividend yield would decrease to 3.33% ($2/$60).
Conversely, if the stock price decreases to $40, the dividend yield would increase to 5% ($2/$40).
Further, the dividend payment itself can also change over time, impacting the dividend yield. If a company increases its dividend payment, the dividend yield will increase even if the stock price remains the same. Similarly, the dividend yield will decrease if a company decreases its dividend payment.
Price Action: Shares of Lowe&#8217;s fell by 0.8% to close at $237.21 on Monday.
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News

Markets

How To Earn $500 A Month From Lowe's Stock Ahead Of Q4 Earnings

Home improvement retailer Home Depot Inc (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HD#NYSE">HD</a>) could provide a gauge for home buying and choosing to refinance and repair when the company reports fourth-quarter financial results Tuesday<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/earnings"> before market open.</a>
Here are the analyst earnings estimates, what experts are saying and key items to watch.
Earnings Estimates: Analysts expect Home Depot to report fourth-quarter revenue of $39.14 billion — up from $34.79 billion in last year's fourth quarter, as reported<a href="https://bzresearch.myclickfunnels.com/benzinga-pro-content-webinar-registration/?utm_source=BZprocontent022425&amp;t=be2bearmibe3na1"> by Benzinga Pro.</a>
The company has beaten analyst estimates for revenue in one straight quarter and six of the last 10 quarters overall.
Analysts expect the company to report earnings per share of $3.00 in the fourth quarter. That&#8217;s up from $2.82 in last year's fourth quarter. The company has beaten analyst estimates for earnings per share in more than 10 straight quarters.
What Experts Are Saying: Home Depot's recent financial results haven't done much to move the share price, Freedom Capital Markets Chief Global Strategist Jay Woods said in a weekly <a href="https://jaywoods.substack.com/">newsletter</a>.
"Investors are hoping that slowing new home sales and higher mortgage rates lead to more home renovations that will help the company's bottom line. Over the last four quarters results have barely oved the needle. The range has varied between -1.28% and +1.23%," Woods said.
The market strategist said Home Depot stock is not in an ideal technical setup with a head-and-shoulders top formation.
In January, JPMorgan analyst Christopher Horvers said Home Depot has an <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/25/01/43166746/home-depot-likely-to-outcomp-lowes-in-q4-analyst-says-as-home-improvement-battle-heads-toward-earnings">advantage to rival </a>Lowe's Companies (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LOW#NYSE">LOW</a>) ahead of fourth-quarter financials.
"We believe HD is likely to outcomp LOW in 4Q," Horvers said.
The analyst highlighted consumer trends, technology and the company's acquisition of SRS Distribution as reasons for preferring Home Depot.
"HD continues to lead in terms of adopting technology to drive in-stocks and inventory productivity."
Here are recent <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/HD/analyst-ratings">analyst ratings on Home Depot</a> and their price targets:
<ul>
<li>Telsey: Maintained Outperform rating, $455 price target</li>
<li>Wells Fargo: Maintained Overweight rating, raised price target from $440 to $450</li>
<li>Truist: Maintained Buy rating, raised price target from $465 to $467</li>
</ul>
Read Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/25/01/43127666/uber-eats-partners-with-home-depot-for-on-demand-deliveries">Uber Eats Partners With Home Depot For On-Demand Deliveries</a>
Key Items to Watch: Same-store sales and revenue per visitor will be key metrics and come as a recent <a href="https://www.placer.ai/blog/home-improvement-segment-shows-stability">report </a>from Placer.ai showed visitors to both Home Depot and Lowe's down on a year-over-year basis in the fourth quarter.
For Home Depot, visits were down 2.6% year-over-year in 2024 with a 3% decline during the fourth quarter.
Lowe's saw visits down 3.7% year-over-year in 2024, but recovered more in the fourth quarter with a 2.2% decline.
The Placer.ai report showed that Mother's Day, Memorial Day and Black Friday are the three busiest days for the home improvement retailers. Black Friday, which falls in the fourth quarter, had 79.1% more visitors for Home Depot than their daily average.
This data shows that customers may be waiting for sales on these holidays to go to the retailers. Data showed Home Depot and Lowe's had fewer return customer visits in the fourth quarter.
Home Depot's third quarter <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/24/11/41902698/home-depot-q3-earnings-revenue-and-eps-beat-lifts-full-year-forecast-despite-customer-traffic-dip">saw sales growth</a> of 6.6% year-over-year with comparable sales down 1.3% and customer transactions down 0.2%.
The company highlighted engagement for seasonal goods and outdoor products. With the fourth quarter having some seasonal challenges in certain markets, analysts and investors will be looking for commentary on what the highlights were for the company.
Home Depot raised its full-year sales outlook after the third quarter.
Analysts and investors will be hoping for more color on what's anticipated in the next fiscal year.
Home Depot's results and share reaction could have a trickle effect to Lowe's, which reports quarterly results one day later on Wednesday.
ETFs that track the Dow Jones Industrial Average, like the SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DIA#NYSE">DIA</a>), could also be volatile with Home Depot's report.
The company is the fourth largest holding in the Dow Jones Industrial Average due to its share-price weighting.
Price Action: Home Depot stock trades at $383.66 versus a 52-week trading range of $323.77 to $439.37. The stock is down 1.2% year-to-date and up 3.3% over the last year.
Lowe's shares are down 3.7% year-to-date and up 2.7% over the last year.
Both stocks trail the SPDR S&amp;P 500 ETF Trust, which tracks the S&amp;P 500. That ETF is up 2.8% year-to-date and up 18.8% over the last year.
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Shares of companies in the broader consumer discretionary sector are trading lower amid overall market weakness on US consumer and economic concerns.

This whale alert can help traders discover the next big trading opportunities.
Whales are entities with large sums of money and we track their transactions here at Benzinga on our options activity scanner.
Traders will search for circumstances when the market estimation of an option diverges heavily from its normal worth. High amounts of trading activity could push option prices to exaggerated or underestimated levels. 
Here's the list of options activity happening in today's session: 
<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Symbol</th>
<th>PUT/CALL</th>
<th>Trade Type</th>
<th>Sentiment</th>
<th>Exp. Date</th>
<th>Strike Price</th>
<th>Total Trade Price</th>
<th>Open Interest</th>
<th>Volume</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>BABA</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>02/28/25</td>
<td>$150.00</td>
<td>$26.9K</td>
<td>5.4K</td>
<td>16.6K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>PDD</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>02/28/25</td>
<td>$141.00</td>
<td>$81.2K</td>
<td>580</td>
<td>1.1K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>FND</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>05/16/25</td>
<td>$85.00</td>
<td>$120.0K</td>
<td>336</td>
<td>1.1K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>MODG</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>NEUTRAL</td>
<td>08/15/25</td>
<td>$7.50</td>
<td>$54.0K</td>
<td>164</td>
<td>713</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>LOW</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>02/21/25</td>
<td>$245.00</td>
<td>$34.1K</td>
<td>1.6K</td>
<td>468</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>TSLA</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>08/15/25</td>
<td>$700.00</td>
<td>$63.7K</td>
<td>4.5K</td>
<td>315</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>MELI</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>NEUTRAL</td>
<td>01/16/26</td>
<td>$2500.00</td>
<td>$25.2K</td>
<td>39</td>
<td>272</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>JD</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>05/16/25</td>
<td>$40.00</td>
<td>$28.5K</td>
<td>3.4K</td>
<td>174</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>SFIX</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>01/16/26</td>
<td>$3.00</td>
<td>$27.8K</td>
<td>445</td>
<td>105</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>NKE</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>03/21/25</td>
<td>$85.00</td>
<td>$27.5K</td>
<td>3.6K</td>
<td>72</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

<h2>Explanation</h2>
These itemized elaborations have been created using the accompanying table. 
• Regarding BABA (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BABA#NYSE">BABA</a>), we observe a call option trade with bullish sentiment. It expires in 7 day(s) on February 28, 2025. Parties traded 106 contract(s) at a $150.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $26.9K, with a price of $254.0 per contract. There were 5458 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 16646 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding PDD (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PDD#NASDAQ">PDD</a>), we observe a call option trade with bearish sentiment. It expires in 7 day(s) on February 28, 2025. Parties traded 700 contract(s) at a $141.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $81.2K, with a price of $116.0 per contract. There were 580 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 1118 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For FND (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/FND#NYSE">FND</a>), we notice a put option sweep that happens to be bullish, expiring in 84 day(s) on May 16, 2025. This event was a transfer of 300 contract(s) at a $85.00 strike. This particular put needed to be split into 26 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $120.0K, with a price of $400.0 per contract. There were 336 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 1118 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For MODG (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MODG#NYSE">MODG</a>), we notice a call option trade that happens to be neutral, expiring in 175 day(s) on August 15, 2025. This event was a transfer of 373 contract(s) at a $7.50 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $54.0K, with a price of $145.0 per contract. There were 164 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 713 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For LOW (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LOW#NYSE">LOW</a>), we notice a put option sweep that happens to be bullish, is expiring today. Parties traded 99 contract(s) at a $245.00 strike. This particular put needed to be split into 9 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $34.1K, with a price of $345.0 per contract. There were 1684 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 468 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding TSLA (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>), we observe a call option sweep with bearish sentiment. It expires in 175 day(s) on August 15, 2025. Parties traded 148 contract(s) at a $700.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 5 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $63.7K, with a price of $431.0 per contract. There were 4552 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 315 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding MELI (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MELI#NASDAQ">MELI</a>), we observe a call option trade with neutral sentiment. It expires in 329 day(s) on January 16, 2026. Parties traded 1 contract(s) at a $2500.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $25.2K, with a price of $25240.0 per contract. There were 39 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 272 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For JD (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/JD#NASDAQ">JD</a>), we notice a call option sweep that happens to be bearish, expiring in 84 day(s) on May 16, 2025. This event was a transfer of 50 contract(s) at a $40.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 4 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $28.5K, with a price of $573.0 per contract. There were 3414 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 174 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding SFIX (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SFIX#NASDAQ">SFIX</a>), we observe a call option sweep with bearish sentiment. It expires in 329 day(s) on January 16, 2026. Parties traded 105 contract(s) at a $3.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 5 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $27.8K, with a price of $265.0 per contract. There were 445 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 105 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For NKE (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NKE#NYSE">NKE</a>), we notice a put option sweep that happens to be bearish, expiring in 28 day(s) on March 21, 2025. This event was a transfer of 30 contract(s) at a $85.00 strike. This particular put needed to be split into 7 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $27.5K, with a price of $915.0 per contract. There were 3668 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 72 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
Options Alert Terminology 
 - Call Contracts: The right to buy shares as indicated in the contract. 
 - Put Contracts: The right to sell shares as indicated in the contract. 
 - Expiration Date: When the contract expires. One must act on the contract by this date if one wants to use it. 
 - Premium/Option Price: The price of the contract. 
For more information, visit our <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/blog/how-to-understand-option-alerts/">Guide to Understanding Options Alerts</a> or read <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/options">more about unusual options activity</a>. 
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor.

Options

BABA

MELI

MODG

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SFIX

10 Consumer Discretionary Stocks Whale Activity In Today's Session

Telsey Advisory Group analyst Joseph Feldman maintains Lowe's Companies (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LOW#NYSE">LOW</a>) with a Outperform and maintains $305 price target.

Price Target

Analyst Ratings

Telsey Advisory Group Maintains Outperform on Lowe's Companies, Maintains $305 Price Target

Lowe's Companies (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LOW#NYSE">LOW</a>) has outperformed the market over the past 20 years by 2.92% on an annualized basis producing an average annual return of 11.45%. Currently, Lowe's Companies has a market capitalization of $141.87 billion. 
Buying $1000 In LOW: If an investor had bought $1000 of LOW stock 20 years ago, it would be worth $8,734.92 today based on a price of $251.26 for LOW at the time of writing.
<h3>Lowe's Companies's Performance Over Last 20 Years</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2025/1739565914_0.png" alt="comp_fig" />
Finally -- what's the point of all this? The key insight to take from this article is to note how much of a difference compounded returns can make in your cash growth over a period of time.
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor.

Here's How Much $1000 Invested In Lowe's Companies 20 Years Ago Would Be Worth Today

Truist Securities analyst Scot Ciccarelli maintains Lowe's Companies (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LOW#NYSE">LOW</a>) with a Buy and raises the price target from $307 to $308.

Truist Securities Maintains Buy on Lowe's Companies, Raises Price Target to $308

Pershing Square Capital CEO Bill Ackman sparked controversy on social media platform X by criticizing the Coca-Cola Co. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/KO#NYSE">KO</a>) and PepsiCo Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PEP#NYSE">PEP</a>) over their marketing practices, comparing them to tobacco companies and linking them to obesity and diabetes concerns.
What Happened: Ackman&#8217;s comments came in response to Cindy Crawford&#8216;s iconic 1992 Pepsi commercial, where he stated, &#8220;This is why we have an obesity crisis in America. She wouldn&#8217;t look like that if she actually drank Pepsi.&#8221; 
He questioned why class action lawyers haven&#8217;t pursued legal action against the beverage giants for what he considers misleading advertising.
Critics quickly pointed out potential contradictions in Ackman&#8217;s stance. Restaurant Brands International Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/QSR#NYSE">QSR</a>), the parent company of Burger King, represents <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/long-ideas/24/08/40322250/bill-ackmans-third-largest-holding-faces-bearish-headwinds-despite-tim-hortons-boost">Pershing Square&#8217;s third-largest position</a>.
The firm also holds a significant stake in Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CMG#NYSE">CMG</a>). Ross Gerber, CEO of Gerber Kawasaki Wealth and Investment Management, highlighted this apparent disconnect, noting that &#8220;He owns several crap food companies.&#8221;
<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"> 
<div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">He owns several crap food companies.
&mdash; Ross Gerber (@GerberKawasaki) <a href="https://twitter.com/GerberKawasaki/status/1889079387225805090?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 10, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
</figure>
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43613306/ios-1831-released-with-critical-security-fix-apple-confirms-usb-restricted-mode-vulnerability-was-actively-exploited">iOS 18.3.1 Released With Critical Security Fix: Apple Confirms USB Restricted Mode Vulnerability Was Actively Exploited</a>
What Happened: The billionaire investor&#8217;s broader critique extends beyond advertising. Ackman previously argued that both companies have failed to adequately disclose health impacts and have suppressed criticism. He contends that their reported profitability doesn&#8217;t account for societal costs, particularly affecting <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/23/01/30252254/is-bill-ackman-hypocrite-for-going-after-pepsico-coca-cola-warren-buffett-fan-highl">lower-income communities and children</a>.
In 2023, Christopher Bloomstran, CIO of Semper Augustus Investments, noted that Pershing&#8217;s top four holdings, which include Lowe&#8217;s Companies Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LOW#NYSE">LOW</a>) and Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HLT#NYSE">HLT</a>), all distribute Coca-Cola and PepsiCo products. 
This observation further fueled debate about the consistency of Ackman&#8217;s position on beverage industry practices while maintaining investments in their distribution channels.
Read Next: 
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/25/02/43613133/trumps-25-tarrifs-a-self-inflicted-wound-says-economist-amid-warnings-of-fewer-american-jobs-peter-schiff-says-youll-pay-more-for-cars-and-homes">Trump&#8217;s 25% Tariffs A &#8216;Self-Inflicted Wound,&#8217; Says Economist Amid Warnings Of Fewer American Jobs — Peter Schiff Says You&#8217;ll Pay More For Cars And Homes</a>&nbsp;</li>
</ul>
Image Via Shutterstock 
Disclaimer:&nbsp;This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

Equities

Social Media

Bill Ackman Calls Out Coca-Cola, Pepsi Over Obesity Crisis — Ross Gerber Notes 'He Owns Several Crap Food Companies'

A dangerous winter storm is bringing snow, ice and freezing rain to portions of the Midwest and Northeast on Thursday. 
Another storm is following close behind and is expected to arrive this weekend. Here's a look at the potential impacts of <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/01/43108615/southern-power-grids-face-historic-winter-test-as-snow-blankets-gulf">the winter weather. </a>
The Details: A moist air mass collided with cold air across the Midwest, Ohio Valley and Northeast, producing a corridor of sleet and freezing rain on Thursday.
&#8220;A storm sweeping across the central and eastern United States will bring a swath of hazardous freezing rain through Thursday,&#8221; warned AccuWeather Meteorologist Brandon Buckingham.
Blustery winds will enter the region behind the storm with maximum wind gusts of 65 miles per hour Thursday into Friday, <a href="https://www.accuweather.com/en/winter-weather/dangerous-snow-and-ice-storm-to-snarl-travel-across-the-midwest-northeast/1741400">according to</a> AccuWeather.&nbsp;
Read Next: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/social-media/25/02/43535256/palantir-adds-elon-musks-ai-chatbot-grok-to-aip">Palantir Adds Elon Musk&#8217;s AI Chatbot Grok To AIP</a>
Forecast: Meteorologists warn that another winter storm will hit many of the same areas affected by Thursday's storm. A mix of snow, ice and rain or thunderstorms will advance from the Central states and head for the East Coast Friday night through Sunday morning.
Stocks To Watch: Observers expect Lowe&#8217;s Companies, Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LOW#NYSE">LOW</a>) and Home Depot, Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HD#NYSE">HD</a>) stores will have increased traffic as consumers buy salt, shovels and snowblowers to handle the storm. 
Walmart, Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/WMT#NYSE">WMT</a>) could also see a bump in sales as shoppers stock up on groceries and other household essentials. 
There is an increased risk of power outages, especially with freezing rain and ice in the forecast. 
Eversource Energy (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ES#NYSE">ES</a>) and Consolidated Edison, Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ED#NYSE">ED</a>) are two power companies that operate in the Northeast. Observers would be wise to monitor those stocks in the event of widespread outages. 
Travelers should expect Thursday&#8217;s weather to affect flights through the weekend. JetBlue Airways Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/JBLU#NASDAQ">JBLU</a>) has major hubs in New York City and Boston. Delta Air Lines, Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DAL#NYSE">DAL</a>) is also on watch as the air carrier operates all ten of the busiest US routes from Boston Logan International Airport. 
Read Next:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/25/02/43512137/ford-shares-skid-after-q4-report-details">Ford Shares Skid After Q4 Report: Details</a></li>
</ul>
Image: Shutterstock

Travel

Movers

General

JBLU

Snow, Ice Blast Many US States Thursday With Another Winter Storm Expected This Weekend

TMHC

Shares of homebuilders and construction companies are trading lower as investors assess U.S. tariff concerns which may harm the industry.

Hedge funds have always been closely watched for cues on investment opportunities. Although their strategies can be complex, understanding the trends they're bullish on can offer important insights for retail investors. 
Siddharth Singhai, CIO of value-based global hedge fund IronHold Capital, recently shared his perspective on sectors worth watching, and how <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/etfs">ETFs can help investors</a> capitalize on these themes. 
From automobiles and homebuilding to mining and AI, here are some ETFs based on his insights:
<h1 class="wp-block-heading">Automobile Industry On Third Gear</h1>
One area drawing attention is the U.S. auto industry. With protectionist policies likely to intensify under the Trump administration, automakers such as General Motors Co (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GM#NYSE">GM</a>), Ford Motor Co (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/F#NYSE">F</a>), and Stellantis NV (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/STLA#NYSE">STLA</a>) stand to benefit significantly, according to Singhai. 
Possible tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles could set the playing field for these companies, making the U.S. auto sector one to keep a close eye on. 
&#8220;We do anticipate a clear protectionism policy in place for U.S. auto, specifically the big three: General Motors, Ford and Stellantis. Simply because if the tariffs were not put in place against Chinese EVs, U.S. automakers would be at about a 30% to 40% cost disadvantage, which would essentially mean the end of U.S. auto as we know it,&#8221; said Singhai.
However, as a word of caution, he said that one should be wary of auto companies that might face trouble in the face of EV revolution. 
&#8220;We believe U.S. autos and U.S. auto parts suppliers, who have been hit badly due to the excess inventories prevailing in the U.S. auto industry in general, could be a good hunting ground, potentially. Although investors should be focused on auto suppliers that are probably not going to get disrupted by the EV transition,&#8221; Singhai said.
For investors, ETFs like the First Trust S-Network Future Vehicles &amp; Tech (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CARZ#NASDAQ">CARZ</a>) offer exposure to the expected surge in domestic automotive manufacturing. The ETF has an expense ratio of 0.7% and among its holdings are Tesla, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>), Ford, General Motors and Stellantis.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/25/01/43236579/chinas-deepseek-ai-rattles-tech-stocks">China&#8217;s DeepSeek AI Rattles Tech Stocks, Analyst Ives Says Market Plunge &#8216;Golden Buying Opportunity&#8217;</a>
<h1 class="wp-block-heading">Home Building Industry In Focus</h1>
Homebuilders are another promising area, according to Singhai. Despite overvaluation concerns in the equity market, the housing sector continues to experience a significant supply-demand imbalance. Years of undersupply following the 2008 financial crisis created the opportunity for select homebuilding companies to thrive.
&#8220;U.S. market is extremely overvalued at the moment, and there are not that many sectors that could be happy hunting grounds for hedge funds or value investors like us. In general, homebuilders, some of them, seem to be still attractively positioned given the great imbalance between supply and demand, mainly because of years of undersupply post-Great Recession in 2008-&#8217;09. So we believe homebuilders, some of them, present very compelling opportunities,&#8221; Singhai noted.
Investors interested in this space might consider ETFs such as the iShares U.S. Home Construction ETF (BATS:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ITB#BATS">ITB</a>), which focuses on leading players in the sector, such as Builders Firstsource, Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BLDR#NYSE">BLDR</a>) and Lowes Companies, Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LOW#NYSE">LOW</a>). The expense ratio that this ETF carries is 0.39%.
<h1 class="wp-block-heading">Mining — Hidden Gems To Look For</h1>
Mining is another area that stands out. Many companies in this space, especially low-cost producers, are undervalued and largely overlooked by the market. These firms could see strong performance with a rebound in global demand for raw materials.
&#8220;Mining companies also seem to be hit badly and ignored by investors. You could find some really good mining companies that are the lowest cost producers in their respective industries that could prove to be high performers over the next two to three years,&#8221; Singhai noted from his expertise.
ETFs such as the SPDR S&amp;P Metals and Mining ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/XME#NYSE">XME</a>) invest in a range of mining companies and could be a good fit for investors looking to capture growth in this area. The ETF carries an expense ratio of 0.35% and holdings in Hecla Mining Co (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HL#NYSE">HL</a>) and Reliance Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/RS#NYSE">RS</a>), among others.
<h1 class="wp-block-heading">AI Trends To Watch</h1>
Singhai also touched upon the continued interest in semiconductors and AI. While these industries are undeniably buzzing, he warns against impulsive investing. Many companies in this space are trading at lofty valuations that may not be sustainable. 
&#8220;I do foresee a lot of hedge funds diving right into semiconductors and AI stocks. I also believe more retail investors will seriously consider allocating capital to this particular sector moving forward as well. However, it is ripe with extreme bubble-like valuations. The marquee names in the AI industry are trading for as high as 20 to 50 times revenue, which to us seems excessive even given the promise of AI,&#8221; he said.
Singhai also added, &#8220;Not all AI companies can capture 50% of the market or even 30% of the market, and if they fail to do so, they cannot foreseeably justify their current valuations. This leads us to the ultimate conclusion that there will be a few big winners and many, many losers within the industry. As such, most AI companies do not deserve their expensive, hefty valuations.&#8221;
For those interested in exploring the AI-driven growth story, a diversified ETF like the VanEck Semiconductor ETF (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SMH#NASDAQ">SMH</a>) offers exposure to leading players like NVDIA Corp (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>) and Broadcom Inc&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AVGO#NASDAQ">AVGO</a>) while mitigating the risks of betting on individual stocks. And the cost of investing in this ETF is also reasonable at 0.35%.
All that said, Singhai emphasized the route of ETFs should be seen as tools for diversification and steady returns — not as a shortcut to mimicking hedge fund performance. It will be wise for retail investors to focus on sectors with solid fundamentals rather than on speculative trends.
See Next: 
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/etfs/new-etfs/25/01/43198940/how-foliobeyonds-innovative-fixed-income-etf-can-provide-low-risk-income-generation-in-volatile-tim">How FolioBeyond&#8217;s Innovative Fixed Income ETF Can Provide Low-Risk Income Generation In Volatile Times</a></li>
</ul>
Photo: Shutterstock

Sector ETFs

Broad U.S. Equity ETFs

Hedge Funds

ETFs

AVGO

BLDR

CARZ

iShares Dow Jones US Homenstruction Index Fund

NVDA

STLA

IronHold Capital CIO Reveals Trends Hedge Funds Track: 4 ETFs To Watch

Home Depot Inc (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HD#NYSE">HD</a>) has an edge over Lowe&#8217;s Companies Inc (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LOW#NYSE">LOW</a>) ahead of <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/HD/earnings">fourth-quarter earnings</a>, according to JPMorgan's Christopher Horvers.
&#8220;We believe HD is likely to outcomp LOW in 4Q,&#8221; he says, citing stabilizing consumer trends, cutting-edge technology, and its acquisition of SRS Distribution.
Horvers also mentions that the "COVID share of wallet pullforward is behind us." Consumers have adjusted to the higher rates and are accepting the new housing market dynamics.
Read Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/25/01/43127666/uber-eats-partners-with-home-depot-for-on-demand-deliveries">Uber Eats Partners With Home Depot For On-Demand Deliveries</a>
Existing home sales turnover should stabilize at 3-4%. That sets a solid foundation for industry growth. 
Analysts expect same-store sales growth for 2025 to be moderate for both Home Depot and Lowe&#8217;s, with challenges from larger-ticket items easing up, Horvers adds. 
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">AI And Automation Take The Lead</h2>
Home Depot is focusing on technology to enhance its operational efficiency. Horvers notes, &#8220;HD continues to lead in terms of adopting technology to drive in-stocks and inventory productivity.&#8221; 
He highlights AI and the use of computer vision to track shelf availability, calling it a multi-year opportunity for improvement in inventory management.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The SRS Factor: A Key Growth Catalyst</h2>
Home Depot's acquisition of SRS Distribution is proving to be a strategic win. 
Horvers notes that management sees no negative surprises with the acquisition. 
So far, SRS bolstered Home Depot&#8217;s vendor relationships. It&#8217;s also helping the company expand its presence in roofing, landscape, and pool supplies, he adds.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Lowe's Lags As Home Depot Powers Ahead</h2>
While Lowe's remains a strong competitor, Home Depot's greater exposure to the West Coast, where home sales are rebounding, gives it a clear advantage. Horvers mentions that Home Depot benefits from the dynamic of storm recovery, as areas like Florida are recovering faster than North Carolina. He also believes that SRS will add about 75 bps to comps when it enters the comp base in mid-2Q25.
With Home Depot's fundamentals improving after years of COVID-related disruption, Horvers maintains an "Overweight" rating, projecting a potential valuation peak of 30x earnings. The competition between the two home improvement giants is intensifying, and for now, &#8220;we believe HD is likely to outcomp LOW in 4Q.&#8221;
Read Next: 
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/econ-s/25/01/43063460/housing-market-builders-forge-ahead-as-buyers-enter-acceptance-phase-on-rates">Housing Market: Builders Forge Ahead As Buyers Enter &#8216;Acceptance Phase&#8217; On Rates</a></li>
</ul>
Image: Shutterstock

Analyst Color

Retail Sales

Home Depot 'Likely To Outcomp' Lowe's In Q4, Analyst Says As Home Improvement Battle Heads Toward Earnings

Lowe's Companies (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LOW#NYSE">LOW</a>) has outperformed the market over the past 5 years by 4.08% on an annualized basis producing an average annual return of 17.24%. Currently, Lowe's Companies has a market capitalization of $149.79 billion. 
Buying $100 In LOW: If an investor had bought $100 of LOW stock 5 years ago, it would be worth $220.65 today based on a price of $265.29 for LOW at the time of writing.
<h3>Lowe's Companies's Performance Over Last 5 Years</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2025/1737471611_0.png" alt="comp_fig" />
Finally -- what's the point of all this? The key insight to take from this article is to note how much of a difference compounded returns can make in your cash growth over a period of time.
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor.

If You Invested $100 In This Stock 5 Years Ago, You Would Have This Much Today

Lowe's Companies's (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LOW#NYSE">LOW</a>) short percent of float has risen 8.04% since its last report. The company recently reported that it has 6.81 million shares sold short, which is 1.21% of all regular shares that are available for trading. Based on its trading volume, it would take traders 2.96 days to cover their short positions on average.
<h3>Why Short Interest Matters</h3>
Short interest is the number of shares that have been sold short but have not yet been covered or closed out. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/how-to-short-a-stock/">Short selling</a> is when a trader sells shares of a company they do not own, with the hope that the price will fall. Traders make money from short selling if the price of the stock falls and they lose if it rises.
Short interest is important to track because it can act as an indicator of market sentiment towards a particular stock. An increase in short interest can signal that investors have become more bearish, while a decrease in short interest can signal they have become more bullish.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/short-interest">List of the most shorted stocks</a>
<h3>Lowe's Companies Short Interest Graph (3 Months)</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2025/1736279117_0.png" alt="short_fig" />
As you can see from the chart above the percentage of shares that are sold short for Lowe's Companies has grown since its last report. This does not mean that the stock is going to fall in the near-term but traders should be aware that more shares are being shorted.
<h3>Comparing Lowe's Companies's Short Interest Against Its Peers</h3>
Peer comparison is a popular technique amongst analysts and investors for gauging how well a company is performing. A company's peer is another company that has similar characteristics to it, such as industry, size, age, and financial structure. You can find a company's peer group by reading its 10-K, proxy filing, or by doing your own similarity analysis.
According to <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/">Benzinga Pro</a>, Lowe's Companies's peer group average for short interest as a percentage of float is 5.87%, which means the company has less short interest than most of its peers.
Did you know that increasing short interest can actually be bullish for a stock? <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/how-to-make-money-on-a-short-squeeze/">This post by Benzinga Money explains how you can profit from it.</a>
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and was reviewed by an editor.

Peering Into Lowe's Companies's Recent Short Interest

Whales with a lot of money to spend have taken a noticeably bearish stance on Lowe's Companies.
Looking at options history for Lowe's Companies (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LOW#NYSE">LOW</a>) we detected 8 trades.
If we consider the specifics of each trade, it is accurate to state that 12% of the investors opened trades with bullish expectations and 75% with bearish.
From the overall spotted trades, 6 are puts, for a total amount of $825,230 and 2, calls, for a total amount of $80,025.
<h3>Projected Price Targets</h3>
Analyzing the Volume and Open Interest in these contracts, it seems that the big players have been eyeing a price window from $195.0 to $250.0 for Lowe's Companies during the past quarter. 
<h3>Insights into Volume &amp; Open Interest</h3>
Examining the volume and open interest provides crucial insights into stock research. This information is key in gauging liquidity and interest levels for Lowe's Companies's options at certain strike prices. Below, we present a snapshot of the trends in volume and open interest for calls and puts across Lowe's Companies's significant trades, within a strike price range of $195.0 to $250.0, over the past month.
<h3>Lowe's Companies Option Activity Analysis: Last 30 Days</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2025/1735846231_0.png" alt="Options Call Chart" />
<h3>Significant Options Trades Detected:</h3>

<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Symbol</th>
<th>PUT/CALL</th>
<th>Trade Type</th>
<th>Sentiment</th>
<th>Exp. Date</th>
<th>Ask</th>
<th>Bid</th>
<th>Price</th>
<th>Strike Price</th>
<th>Total Trade Price</th>
<th align="right">Open Interest</th>
<th align="right">Volume</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>LOW</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>06/20/25</td>
<td>$16.85</td>
<td>$16.5</td>
<td>$16.75</td>
<td>$250.00</td>
<td>$670.0K</td>
<td align="right">387</td>
<td align="right">402</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>LOW</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>01/10/25</td>
<td>$15.0</td>
<td>$15.0</td>
<td>$15.0</td>
<td>$235.00</td>
<td>$52.5K</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
<td align="right">35</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>LOW</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>01/16/26</td>
<td>$12.25</td>
<td>$11.65</td>
<td>$12.25</td>
<td>$220.00</td>
<td>$31.8K</td>
<td align="right">843</td>
<td align="right">60</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>LOW</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>01/16/26</td>
<td>$12.3</td>
<td>$11.8</td>
<td>$12.15</td>
<td>$220.00</td>
<td>$31.5K</td>
<td align="right">843</td>
<td align="right">137</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>LOW</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>01/16/26</td>
<td>$12.3</td>
<td>$11.75</td>
<td>$12.1</td>
<td>$220.00</td>
<td>$31.4K</td>
<td align="right">843</td>
<td align="right">60</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

<h3>About Lowe's Companies</h3>
Lowe's is the second-largest home improvement retailer in the world, operating more than 1,700 stores in the United States, after the 2023 divestiture of its Canadian locations (RONA, Lowe's Canada, Réno-Dépôt, and Dick's Lumber). The firm's stores offer products and services for home decorating, maintenance, repair, and remodeling, with maintenance and repair accounting for two thirds of products sold. Lowe's primarily targets retail do-it-yourself (around 70% of sales in 2024) and do-it-for-me customers, but has expanded its commercial and professional business clients to 30% from less than 20% in the past six years. We estimate Lowe's captures a high-single-digit share of the domestic home improvement market, based on US Census data and management's market size estimates.
After a thorough review of the options trading surrounding Lowe's Companies, we move to examine the company in more detail. This includes an assessment of its current market status and performance.
<h3>Present Market Standing of Lowe's Companies</h3>
<ul>
<li>Currently trading with a volume of 929,740, the LOW's price is down by -0.34%, now at $245.95. </li>
<li>RSI readings suggest the stock is currently may be oversold.</li>
<li>Anticipated earnings release is in 54 days.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Expert Opinions on Lowe's Companies</h3>
In the last month, 5 experts released ratings on this stock with an average target price of $287.4.
Unusual Options Activity Detected: Smart Money on the Move
Benzinga Edge's Unusual Options board spots potential market movers before they happen. See what positions big money is taking on your favorite stocks. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/premium/ideas/benzinga-edge-checkout/?t=Be8be9arja3be22bz20&amp;utm_source=benzinga-insights">Click here for access</a>. 
&#x2A; Consistent in their evaluation, an analyst from Telsey Advisory Group keeps a Outperform rating on Lowe's Companies with a target price of $305. 
&#x2A; Maintaining their stance, an analyst from Stifel continues to hold a Hold rating for Lowe's Companies, targeting a price of $270. 
&#x2A; Consistent in their evaluation, an analyst from Truist Securities keeps a Buy rating on Lowe's Companies with a target price of $307. 
&#x2A; An analyst from Mizuho has decided to maintain their Outperform rating on Lowe's Companies, which currently sits at a price target of $305. 
&#x2A; An analyst from Wedbush downgraded its action to Neutral with a price target of $250. 
Options trading presents higher risks and potential rewards. Astute traders manage these risks by continually educating themselves, adapting their strategies, monitoring multiple indicators, and keeping a close eye on market movements. Stay informed about the latest Lowe's Companies options trades with real-time alerts from <a href="https://benzinga.grsm.io/register174">Benzinga Pro</a>.

Decoding Lowe's Companies's Options Activity: What's the Big Picture?

This whale alert can help traders discover the next big trading opportunities.
Whales are entities with large sums of money and we track their transactions here at Benzinga on our options activity scanner.
Traders often look for circumstances when the market estimation of an option diverges away from its normal worth. Abnormal amounts of trading activity could push option prices to hyperbolic or underperforming levels. 
Below are some instances of options activity happening in the Consumer Discretionary sector: 
<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Symbol</th>
<th>PUT/CALL</th>
<th>Trade Type</th>
<th>Sentiment</th>
<th>Exp. Date</th>
<th>Strike Price</th>
<th>Total Trade Price</th>
<th>Open Interest</th>
<th>Volume</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>TSLA</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>01/03/25</td>
<td>$420.00</td>
<td>$28.3K</td>
<td>7.4K</td>
<td>31.8K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>PDD</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>01/17/25</td>
<td>$100.00</td>
<td>$105.6K</td>
<td>13.5K</td>
<td>4.3K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>CVNA</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>01/03/25</td>
<td>$222.50</td>
<td>$111.9K</td>
<td>4.0K</td>
<td>4.0K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>VIK</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>01/17/25</td>
<td>$40.00</td>
<td>$527.5K</td>
<td>4.5K</td>
<td>3.5K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>AMZN</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>01/03/25</td>
<td>$220.00</td>
<td>$25.7K</td>
<td>8.9K</td>
<td>3.0K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>RIVN</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>01/15/27</td>
<td>$15.00</td>
<td>$33.9K</td>
<td>13.5K</td>
<td>1.5K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>LOW</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>NEUTRAL</td>
<td>03/21/25</td>
<td>$250.00</td>
<td>$51.3K</td>
<td>641</td>
<td>659</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>DBI</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>02/21/25</td>
<td>$6.00</td>
<td>$47.5K</td>
<td>0</td>
<td>500</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>GME</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>01/16/26</td>
<td>$125.00</td>
<td>$28.7K</td>
<td>4.8K</td>
<td>180</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>SHAK</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>01/17/25</td>
<td>$133.00</td>
<td>$30.0K</td>
<td>1</td>
<td>160</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

<h2>Explanation</h2>
These bullet-by-bullet explanations have been constructed using the accompanying table. 
• Regarding TSLA (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>), we observe a call option sweep with bearish sentiment. It expires in 3 day(s) on January 3, 2025. Parties traded 35 contract(s) at a $420.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 4 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $28.3K, with a price of $810.0 per contract. There were 7420 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 31837 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding PDD (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PDD#NASDAQ">PDD</a>), we observe a call option sweep with bullish sentiment. It expires in 17 day(s) on January 17, 2025. Parties traded 400 contract(s) at a $100.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 13 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $105.6K, with a price of $264.0 per contract. There were 13545 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 4352 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For CVNA (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CVNA#NYSE">CVNA</a>), we notice a call option sweep that happens to be bearish, expiring in 3 day(s) on January 3, 2025. This event was a transfer of 1000 contract(s) at a $222.50 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 20 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $111.9K, with a price of $111.0 per contract. There were 4081 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 4055 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For VIK (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/VIK#NYSE">VIK</a>), we notice a call option sweep that happens to be bullish, expiring in 17 day(s) on January 17, 2025. This event was a transfer of 1198 contract(s) at a $40.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 3 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $527.5K, with a price of $446.0 per contract. There were 4557 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 3584 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For AMZN (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMZN#NASDAQ">AMZN</a>), we notice a call option sweep that happens to be bearish, expiring in 3 day(s) on January 3, 2025. This event was a transfer of 100 contract(s) at a $220.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 3 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $25.7K, with a price of $257.0 per contract. There were 8911 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 3028 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For RIVN (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/RIVN#NASDAQ">RIVN</a>), we notice a put option sweep that happens to be bullish, expiring in 745 day(s) on January 15, 2027. This event was a transfer of 60 contract(s) at a $15.00 strike. This particular put needed to be split into 4 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $33.9K, with a price of $565.0 per contract. There were 13516 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 1576 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For LOW (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LOW#NYSE">LOW</a>), we notice a put option sweep that happens to be neutral, expiring in 80 day(s) on March 21, 2025. This event was a transfer of 42 contract(s) at a $250.00 strike. This particular put needed to be split into 3 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $51.3K, with a price of $1222.0 per contract. There were 641 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 659 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding DBI (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DBI#NYSE">DBI</a>), we observe a put option sweep with bullish sentiment. It expires in 52 day(s) on February 21, 2025. Parties traded 500 contract(s) at a $6.00 strike. This particular put needed to be split into 8 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $47.5K, with a price of $95.0 per contract. There were 0 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 500 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding GME (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GME#NYSE">GME</a>), we observe a put option trade with bearish sentiment. It expires in 381 day(s) on January 16, 2026. Parties traded 3 contract(s) at a $125.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $28.7K, with a price of $9590.0 per contract. There were 4876 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 180 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For SHAK (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SHAK#NYSE">SHAK</a>), we notice a call option sweep that happens to be bearish, expiring in 17 day(s) on January 17, 2025. This event was a transfer of 51 contract(s) at a $133.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 3 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $30.0K, with a price of $590.0 per contract. There were 1 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 160 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
Options Alert Terminology 
 - Call Contracts: The right to buy shares as indicated in the contract. 
 - Put Contracts: The right to sell shares as indicated in the contract. 
 - Expiration Date: When the contract expires. One must act on the contract by this date if one wants to use it. 
 - Premium/Option Price: The price of the contract. 
For more information, visit our <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/blog/how-to-understand-option-alerts/">Guide to Understanding Options Alerts</a> or read <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/options">more about unusual options activity</a>. 
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor.

AMZN

RIVN

10 Consumer Discretionary Stocks With Whale Alerts In Today's Session

Lowe's Companies (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LOW#NYSE">LOW</a>) has outperformed the market over the past 15 years by 5.55% on an annualized basis producing an average annual return of 17.22%. Currently, Lowe's Companies has a market capitalization of $139.47 billion. 
Buying $100 In LOW: If an investor had bought $100 of LOW stock 15 years ago, it would be worth $1,072.28 today based on a price of $247.00 for LOW at the time of writing.
<h3>Lowe's Companies's Performance Over Last 15 Years</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2024/1735567208_0.png" alt="comp_fig" />
Finally -- what's the point of all this? The key insight to take from this article is to note how much of a difference compounded returns can make in your cash growth over a period of time.
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor.

$100 Invested In Lowe's Companies 15 Years Ago Would Be Worth This Much Today

Investors with a lot of money to spend have taken a bearish stance on Lowe's Companies (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LOW#NYSE">LOW</a>).
And retail traders should know.
We noticed this today when the trades showed up on publicly available options history that we track here at Benzinga.
Whether this is an institution or just a wealthy individual, we don't know. But when something this big happens with LOW, it often means somebody knows something is about to happen.
Today, Benzinga's options scanner spotted 14 options trades for Lowe's Companies.
This isn't normal.
The overall sentiment of these big-money traders is split between 35% bullish and 57%, bearish.
Out of all of the options we uncovered, 13 are puts, for a total amount of $807,820, and there was 1 call, for a total amount of $90,170.
<h3>What's The Price Target?</h3>
Based on the trading activity, it appears that the significant investors are aiming for a price territory stretching from $260.0 to $260.0 for Lowe's Companies over the recent three months. 
<h3>Volume &amp; Open Interest Trends</h3>
In today's trading context, the average open interest for options of Lowe's Companies stands at 632.0, with a total volume reaching 3,724.00. The accompanying chart delineates the progression of both call and put option volume and open interest for high-value trades in Lowe's Companies, situated within the strike price corridor from $260.0 to $260.0, throughout the last 30 days.
<h3>Lowe's Companies Option Activity Analysis: Last 30 Days</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2024/1735315237_0.png" alt="Options Call Chart" />
<h3>Biggest Options Spotted:</h3>

<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Symbol</th>
<th>PUT/CALL</th>
<th>Trade Type</th>
<th>Sentiment</th>
<th>Exp. Date</th>
<th>Ask</th>
<th>Bid</th>
<th>Price</th>
<th>Strike Price</th>
<th>Total Trade Price</th>
<th align="right">Open Interest</th>
<th align="right">Volume</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>LOW</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>03/21/25</td>
<td>$16.15</td>
<td>$16.05</td>
<td>$16.15</td>
<td>$260.00</td>
<td>$101.7K</td>
<td align="right">486</td>
<td align="right">433</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>LOW</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>03/21/25</td>
<td>$16.1</td>
<td>$15.9</td>
<td>$16.1</td>
<td>$260.00</td>
<td>$97.9K</td>
<td align="right">486</td>
<td align="right">554</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>LOW</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>03/21/25</td>
<td>$7.1</td>
<td>$7.05</td>
<td>$7.1</td>
<td>$260.00</td>
<td>$90.1K</td>
<td align="right">778</td>
<td align="right">127</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>LOW</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>03/21/25</td>
<td>$16.05</td>
<td>$15.15</td>
<td>$15.8</td>
<td>$260.00</td>
<td>$71.1K</td>
<td align="right">486</td>
<td align="right">167</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>LOW</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>03/21/25</td>
<td>$15.9</td>
<td>$15.5</td>
<td>$15.62</td>
<td>$260.00</td>
<td>$70.4K</td>
<td align="right">486</td>
<td align="right">212</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

<h3>About Lowe's Companies</h3>
Lowe's is the second-largest home improvement retailer in the world, operating more than 1,700 stores in the United States, after the 2023 divestiture of its Canadian locations (RONA, Lowe's Canada, Réno-Dépôt, and Dick's Lumber). The firm's stores offer products and services for home decorating, maintenance, repair, and remodeling, with maintenance and repair accounting for two thirds of products sold. Lowe's primarily targets retail do-it-yourself (around 70% of sales in 2024) and do-it-for-me customers, but has expanded its commercial and professional business clients to 30% from less than 20% in the past six years. We estimate Lowe's captures a high-single-digit share of the domestic home improvement market, based on US Census data and management's market size estimates.
After a thorough review of the options trading surrounding Lowe's Companies, we move to examine the company in more detail. This includes an assessment of its current market status and performance.
<h3>Where Is Lowe's Companies Standing Right Now?</h3>
<ul>
<li>With a trading volume of 213,256, the price of LOW is down by -0.07%, reaching $249.25.</li>
<li>Current RSI values indicate that the stock is may be oversold.</li>
<li>Next earnings report is scheduled for 60 days from now.</li>
</ul>
<h3>What Analysts Are Saying About Lowe's Companies</h3>
A total of 5 professional analysts have given their take on this stock in the last 30 days, setting an average price target of $284.8.
Unusual Options Activity Detected: Smart Money on the Move
Benzinga Edge's Unusual Options board spots potential market movers before they happen. See what positions big money is taking on your favorite stocks. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/premium/ideas/benzinga-edge-checkout/?t=Be8be9arja3be22bz20&amp;utm_source=benzinga-insights">Click here for access</a>. 
&#x2A; An analyst from Mizuho persists with their Outperform rating on Lowe's Companies, maintaining a target price of $305. 
&#x2A; An analyst from Wedbush downgraded its action to Neutral with a price target of $250. 
&#x2A; An analyst from RBC Capital persists with their Sector Perform rating on Lowe's Companies, maintaining a target price of $292. 
&#x2A; An analyst from Truist Securities persists with their Buy rating on Lowe's Companies, maintaining a target price of $307. 
&#x2A; An analyst from Stifel persists with their Hold rating on Lowe's Companies, maintaining a target price of $270. 
Trading options involves greater risks but also offers the potential for higher profits. Savvy traders mitigate these risks through ongoing education, strategic trade adjustments, utilizing various indicators, and staying attuned to market dynamics. Keep up with the latest options trades for Lowe's Companies with <a href="https://benzinga.grsm.io/register174">Benzinga Pro</a> for real-time alerts.

Lowe's Companies's Options: A Look at What the Big Money is Thinking

Lowe's Companies (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LOW#NYSE">LOW</a>) has outperformed the market over the past 10 years by 3.05% on an annualized basis producing an average annual return of 13.98%. Currently, Lowe's Companies has a market capitalization of $141.74 billion. 
Buying $100 In LOW: If an investor had bought $100 of LOW stock 10 years ago, it would be worth $367.69 today based on a price of $251.03 for LOW at the time of writing.
<h3>Lowe's Companies's Performance Over Last 10 Years</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2024/1734616821_0.png" alt="comp_fig" />
Finally -- what's the point of all this? The key insight to take from this article is to note how much of a difference compounded returns can make in your cash growth over a period of time.
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor.

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