What is the difference between a “registered shareholder” account and a “broker” or “street name” account?
When you purchase shares of Lowe’s Companies, you can have your shares registered in your name (“Customer Name”), and you will be added to the database of Lowe’s registered shareholders maintained by Lowe’s stock transfer agent, Computershare. In this case your certificates will be sent to you to keep or you can elect to have your Lowe’s stock certificates held for safekeeping by Computershare. With a “broker” or “street name” account you may elect to leave your shares in safekeeping with your broker, in which case the shares are registered in the broker firm name. If you choose to leave your stock certificates with your broker, registered in “Street Name,” your name will not appear in Lowe’s shareholder record file, and dividends or corporate mailings will not be sent to you directly. Instead, your broker will receive them and forward them to you according to the arrangements you make when establishing your account. You may change your decision on “Customer Name” versus “Street Name”
