What Analysts Think of Lowe's Stock Ahead of Earnings

Group 1 - Lowe's Companies is expected to report third-quarter results with analysts predicting a year-over-year decline in sales, despite potential boosts from recent hurricanes [1][2] - The professional contractor market will be a critical area to monitor, as do-it-yourself sales are under pressure from inflation [1][6] - Analysts have mixed views on Lowe's stock compared to Home Depot, with 10 "buy" ratings, 8 "holds," and 1 "sell" rating among the 19 analysts covering Lowe's [3] Group 2 - Lowe's is projected to report sales of $19.89 billion, down from $20.47 billion last year, with net income expected to decline nearly 10% to $1.60 billion, or $2.82 per share [4] - Analysts from Bank of America and Melius Research suggest that Home Depot's earnings may indicate a similar sales boost for Lowe's due to hurricanes affecting Southern states [5] - Melius analysts raised their price target for Lowe's to $310, emphasizing the importance of the professional contractor market amid lower spending on big-ticket and do-it-yourself projects [6][7]