Group 1: Company Performance Expectations - Home Depot (HD.US) is expected to report a first-quarter sales increase of 8% year-over-year, reaching $39.26 billion, while Lowe's (LOW.US) is projected to see a 2% decline in revenue to $20.95 billion [1] - Adjusted earnings per share for Home Depot are anticipated to decrease to $3.56, and for Lowe's, to $2.87 [1] - Analysts are generally optimistic, with 11 out of 13 analysts rating Home Depot as "buy" or equivalent, and 10 out of 15 analysts rating Lowe's as "buy" [1] Group 2: Analyst Insights and Market Conditions - UBS analysts do not expect any significant surprises in the first-quarter results but remain positive on the stocks due to stable demand and potential improvement in the housing market later this year [1] - Morgan Stanley analysts view these retailers as "high-quality barometers" and expect them to maintain previous annual forecasts, although they may widen guidance ranges to reflect uncertainties [2] - Concerns over consumer spending due to tariff uncertainties have led to a downgrade in same-store sales forecasts for both Home Depot and Lowe's [2] Group 3: Broader Economic Context - Walmart (WMT.US) reported solid quarterly sales but indicated that tariffs and economic volatility would lead to price increases, creating pressure on competitors like Home Depot and Lowe's [3] - Recent performance from consumer-facing companies has been weak, with several firms lowering annual forecasts amid demand fluctuations and economic uncertainty [3]

Group 1: Walmart's Performance - Walmart's results showed better-than-expected comparable sales, with its domestic e-commerce business becoming profitable for the first time [1] - The 'general merchandise' category faced slight negative comps, particularly in electronics, home, and sporting goods, although there was positive momentum in toys, automotive, and kids apparel [2][3] - Walmart's ability to provide guidance amidst operational uncertainty is a positive sign for investors [1] Group 2: Target's Challenges - Target's shares have significantly underperformed, losing over 25% of their value this year, while Walmart's shares have increased by more than 8% [5] - Target is expected to report a decline in EPS by 17.2% year-over-year, with same-store sales projected to decrease by 1.7% [5] - Target's vulnerability to global trade issues is greater than Walmart's, as Walmart sources two-thirds of its merchandise domestically [6] Group 3: Home Improvement Retailers - Home Depot and Lowe's are facing challenges due to high interest rates affecting the housing market, which is impacting discretionary spending on home improvement [10][11] - Home Depot is expected to report a slight decline in EPS of 1.1% year-over-year, while Lowe's is projected to see a decline of 1.99% in comps [14][15] - The overall operating environment for home improvement retailers remains difficult, with a focus on repair and replacement rather than new projects [13] Group 4: Retail Sector Overview - The retail sector has seen a 16.7% increase in total Q1 earnings for 21 retailers in the S&P 500, with 57.1% beating EPS estimates [18] - The earnings growth for the sector is significantly influenced by Amazon, with the group outside of Amazon showing a decline in earnings despite revenue growth [20][22] - The overall earnings picture for the retail sector indicates a stabilization trend, although estimates for Q2 have been cut more than usual [35][39]

Lowe's Companies ( LOW ) is the second-largest home improvement retailer in the U.S., with 1,748 stores (as of January 31, 2025). Those investing during the pandemic surely remember how it was one of the winners of that troublesome period. Others may recall thatI focus on long term growth and dividend growth investing. I follow both the US and the European stock markets, looking for undervalued stock and/or for high quality dividend growing companies that provide me with cash to reinvest. Over time, I have ...

Core Insights - Lowe's is expected to report quarterly earnings of $2.89 per share, a decline of 5.6% year-over-year, with revenues forecasted at $20.95 billion, reflecting a 2% decrease compared to the previous year [1] Earnings Estimates - The consensus EPS estimate has been revised down by 0.2% in the last 30 days, indicating a reassessment by analysts [2] - Revisions to earnings projections are crucial for predicting investor behavior and are linked to short-term stock price performance [3] Key Metrics - Analysts estimate a total of 1,750 stores for Lowe's, slightly up from 1,746 in the same quarter last year [5] - The estimated total sales floor square footage is projected to be 195.19 million, compared to 195 million reported in the same quarter of the previous year [5] - The average store size selling square feet is expected to remain at 112 thousand, unchanged from the previous year [6] Stock Performance - Lowe's shares have returned +6.1% over the past month, while the Zacks S&P 500 composite has seen a +9.8% change, indicating that Lowe's is expected to perform in line with the overall market [6]

"At the heart of our company are 300,000 associates who proudly wear the red vest to help our customers and communities. Our associates never shy away from rolling up their sleeves and digging in to help," said Marvin Ellison, Lowe's chairman and CEO. "When helping others is in your DNA, you just show up. That's exactly who we are and who we will always be." Lowe's 10 million square feet of impact promise will measure all the ways the company helps each year, tracking its force for good foot by foot, from b ...

Lowe's (LOW) is expected to deliver a year-over-year decline in earnings on lower revenues when it reports results for the quarter ended April 2025. This widely-known consensus outlook gives a good sense of the company's earnings picture, but how the actual results compare to these estimates is a powerful factor that could impact its near-term stock price.The earnings report, which is expected to be released on May 21, 2025, might help the stock move higher if these key numbers are better than expectations. ...

Core Viewpoint - Lowe's Companies, Inc. is set to hold its First Quarter 2025 Earnings Conference Call on May 21, 2025, at 9 a.m. Eastern time, with a webcast available for investors [1][2]. Company Overview - Lowe's Companies, Inc. is a FORTUNE® 50 home improvement company, serving approximately 16 million customer transactions weekly in the United States [3]. - The company reported total sales exceeding $83 billion for the fiscal year 2024 and operates over 1,700 home improvement stores, employing around 300,000 associates [3]. - Based in Mooresville, N.C., Lowe's engages in community support through various programs aimed at safe housing, community space improvement, skilled trade development, and disaster relief [3].

In the latest market close, Lowe's (LOW) reached $230.77, with a -0.86% movement compared to the previous day. This move lagged the S&P 500's daily gain of 0.73%. Elsewhere, the Dow saw a downswing of 0.64%, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq appreciated by 1.61%.The home improvement retailer's stock has climbed by 3.85% in the past month, falling short of the Retail-Wholesale sector's gain of 9.91% and the S&P 500's gain of 9.07%.Analysts and investors alike will be keeping a close eye on the performance of Lowe' ...

Core Insights - The retail sector is currently under scrutiny as major retailers like Walmart, Home Depot, Lowe's, and Target prepare to report their earnings [1] Earnings Performance - 20 out of 33 retailers in the S&P 500 Index have reported earnings, showing a 20.2% increase in earnings compared to the same period last year, with revenues up by 6.9%. 55% of these companies exceeded EPS estimates, while 45% surpassed revenue estimates. The overall retail sector is projected to achieve earnings growth of 20.1% and revenue growth of 7% [2] ETF Performance - Traditional retail ETFs are gaining attention, with SPDR S&P Retail ETF (XRT) and VanEck Vectors Retail ETF (RTH) increasing by approximately 13.3% and 9.8% respectively over the past month [3] Individual Retailer Insights - Walmart has an Earnings ESP of -1.76% and a Zacks Rank of 3, with a slight negative earnings estimate revision. The company has an average earnings surprise of 7.36% over the last four quarters and is set to report on May 15 [5] - Home Depot has an Earnings ESP of +0.43% and a Zacks Rank of 3, with no revisions in earnings estimates. The average earnings surprise over the last four quarters is 2.56%, and it will report on May 20 [6] - Lowe's has an Earnings ESP of -0.16% and a Zacks Rank of 3, with no revisions in earnings estimates. The average earnings surprise is 3.89%, and it is scheduled to report on May 21 [7] - Target has an Earnings ESP of -2.45% and a Zacks Rank of 4, with a negative earnings estimate revision. The average earnings surprise is 1.48%, and it will report on May 21 [8] - Nordstrom has an Earnings ESP of -25.37% and a Zacks Rank of 2, with no revisions in earnings estimates. The average earnings surprise is -26.1%, and it is set to report on May 29 [9] - Kohl's has an Earnings ESP of +35.91% and a Zacks Rank of 3, with a positive earnings estimate revision. The average earnings surprise is -166.43%, and it will report on May 29 [10] ETF Details - SPDR S&P Retail ETF (XRT) tracks the S&P Retail Select Industry Index, holding 76 diversified stocks with no single stock exceeding 2% of the total. It has an asset under management (AUM) of $437.7 million and an average trading volume of 7 million shares [11][12] - VanEck Vectors Retail ETF (RTH) tracks the MVIS US Listed Retail 25 Index, focusing on the 26 largest retail firms. It has an AUM of $239.6 million and trades an average of 6,000 shares daily [13][14]

Company Overview - Lowe's has established itself as a major home improvement retailer with over 1,700 stores in the U.S. and a workforce exceeding 300,000 employees [1] - The company generates annual sales surpassing $83 billion [1] Investment Characteristics - The company is characterized by growth in revenue, earnings, and free cash flow [1] - It possesses excellent growth prospects and favorable valuations [1] - Lowe's is noted for its high free cash flow margins, dividend payments, and share repurchase programs [1]