Retail Sector Performance - The recent earnings focus has been on the Retail sector, with big-box operators like Walmart and Home Depot reporting quarterly results [2] - Walmart's shares declined post-earnings due to disappointing guidance, despite solid results and continued market share gains [3] - Home Depot's shares increased after reporting better-than-expected comparable sales, marking a positive turnaround after eight consecutive quarters of declines [4] Earnings Trends - Over 90% of S&P 500 companies have reported earnings, showing a notable growth trend with total earnings up +13.6% year-over-year and revenues up +5.5% [7] - In the Retail sector, earnings for companies reporting are up +32.3% year-over-year, with 72% beating EPS and revenue estimates [7] - Excluding Amazon, the Retail sector's earnings growth adjusts to +4.6% and revenue growth to +5.4% [7] Tech Sector Outlook - The Tech sector is expected to see earnings growth of +24.6% in Q4, continuing a trend of double-digit growth for six consecutive quarters [9][10] - Despite a strong outlook, recent data indicates a shift in earnings estimate revisions for the Tech sector [11] Future Earnings Expectations - Total S&P 500 earnings for Q1 2025 are expected to increase by +6.5% year-over-year, although estimates have been declining since the quarter began [14] - A broad-based revision trend shows cuts in estimates across 15 of 16 sectors, with the Tech sector also experiencing downward pressure [17] - The expectation for 2025 is nearly all sectors to enjoy earnings growth, with seven sectors projected to achieve double-digit growth [19]

Core Viewpoint - Home Depot remains a strong dividend stock despite facing challenges in the current macroeconomic environment, with a long-term investment thesis intact [2][5][10]. Company Performance - Home Depot's market capitalization has increased from approximately $50 billion 15 years ago to over $380 billion today, indicating strong stock performance [2]. - In fiscal 2023, comparable sales fell by 3.5% and diluted EPS decreased by 9.5%, reflecting a multiyear downturn [4]. - The company's stock has increased by around 11% over the last three years and 57% over the last five years, although it is underperforming compared to the S&P 500 [5]. Macroeconomic Challenges - High interest rates are making home improvement financing more expensive, while elevated mortgage rates are discouraging home purchases [7]. - Existing home sales in the U.S. are near a 10-year low, down approximately 20% from pre-pandemic levels, indicating a strained housing market [8]. - The Case-Shiller Home Price Index is at a 10-year high, contributing to affordability issues for potential homebuyers [7][8]. Dividend Growth - Home Depot has consistently raised its quarterly dividend from $0.25 per share in 2011 to $2.25 per share in 2024, showcasing a commitment to dividend growth [11]. - The company has a dividend yield of 2.3%, making it an attractive option for passive income investors [12]. Valuation and Future Outlook - Home Depot's current price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio is 26.2, with a forward P/E of 24.5, indicating a reasonable valuation despite appearing slightly overvalued [14]. - The acquisition of SRS Distribution for $18.25 billion is expected to enhance Home Depot's exposure to the contractor market, although the full benefits may take time to materialize due to industry slowdowns [15][16]. - Fiscal 2025 may see a slight uptick in sales and earnings post-integration of SRS, even if interest rates remain high [17].

Core Insights - Lowe's is strategically investing in digital and in-store offerings to enhance value and convenience for Pro customers, driving growth amid a challenging macroeconomic landscape [1] - The company reported high single-digit growth in the Pro segment and a 9.5% increase in online sales during the fourth quarter, with a 0.2% rise in comparable store sales, marking the first positive increase in two years [2] Pro Customer Momentum and Loyalty Programs - Lowe's is gaining momentum with Pro customers and has updated its MVPs Pro Rewards & Partnership Program to MyLowe's Pro Rewards, allowing members to earn points on purchases redeemable for rewards [3] - The DIY loyalty program has 30 million members, with members outspending non-members by 50% [4] Driving Growth Through Productivity Improvement - Lowe's future growth strategy includes Perpetual Productivity Improvement (PPI) initiatives, which now extend to supply chain, merchandising, HR, IT, and online operations, focusing on store front-end transformation [5] Targeting Millennials and Strengthening Digital Experience - Millennials are leading in home improvement retail, with 25% having purchased building materials or tools in the past 30 days, compared to 19% of consumers overall [7] - Lowe's launched a Digital Home Platform for MyLowe's Rewards members, providing personalized home maintenance management and product recommendations [8] Looking Ahead - The company is prepared to outperform the market in various macro scenarios, leveraging data from loyalty programs to drive engagement and offering exclusive deals [10] - The normalization of the home improvement market remains uncertain, with a focus on tracking discretionary big-ticket items for DIY and the home installation business [11]

Lowe’s Companies, Inc. (LOW) reported fourth-quarter fiscal 2024 results, with the top and bottom lines surpassing the Zack Consensus Estimate. While net sales declined marginally year over year, earnings improved from the year-ago period. The Mooresville, NC-based company posted comparable sales growth, ending its streak of declines.LOW’s Quarterly Performance: Key Metrics and InsightsThe home improvement retailer posted adjusted quarterly earnings of $1.93 per share, which came ahead of the Zacks Consensu ...

Lowe’s Companies Inc. (NYSE:LOW) Q4 2024 Earnings Conference Call February 26, 2025 9:00 AM ET Company Participants Marvin Ellison - Chairman, Chief Executive Officer Joe McFarland - Executive Vice President, Stores Bill Boltz - Executive Vice President, Merchandising Brandon Sink - Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer Kate Pearlman - Vice President, Investor Relations Conference Call Participants Christopher Horvers - JP Morgan Simeon Gutman - Morgan Stanley Peter Benedict - Baird Kate McSha ...

Market Overview - Pre-market futures show positive movement with the Dow up +126 points, S&P 500 up +33 points, Nasdaq up +178 points, and Russell 2000 up +10 points [1] - Over the past five trading days, the Dow is down -1.8%, S&P 500 down -2.3%, Nasdaq down -3.8%, and Russell 2000 down -4.0% [1] - All indexes are still up year-to-date except for the Russell 2000, with the Nasdaq barely maintaining its gains [1] Economic Indicators - Key Q4 earnings reports are anticipated, but no major economic reports are expected until New Home Sales for January are released at 10am ET [2] - New Home Sales are projected to reach 671K, lower than December's 698K but an improvement from the 12-month low of 615K in October [3] - The last time new home sales exceeded 1 million was in October 2020 [3] Company Earnings Reports - NVIDIA is set to report Q4 earnings with estimates indicating +60% growth in earnings and +70% growth in revenues, reflecting its significant market cap of $3 trillion [4] - Salesforce is expected to report Q4 results with +13.5% earnings growth and +8% revenue growth, following a rare earnings miss last quarter [5] - The TJX Companies reported Q4 earnings of $1.23 per share, beating expectations of $1.16, with revenues of $16.35 billion surpassing projections [6] - Lowe's reported earnings of $1.93 per share, exceeding consensus estimates, and revenues of $18.55 billion, outperforming expectations by +1.13% [7] - Anheuser-Busch InBev reported earnings of 88 cents per share, significantly above expectations of 72 cents, with revenues of $14.84 billion, exceeding projections by +2.5% [8]

For the quarter ended January 2025, Lowe's (LOW) reported revenue of $18.55 billion, down 0.3% over the same period last year. EPS came in at $1.93, compared to $1.77 in the year-ago quarter.The reported revenue compares to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $18.35 billion, representing a surprise of +1.13%. The company delivered an EPS surprise of +5.46%, with the consensus EPS estimate being $1.83.While investors closely watch year-over-year changes in headline numbers -- revenue and earnings -- and how they ...

The home improvement retailer exceeded analysts' expectations, driven by growth in online and Pro sales.Lowe's Companies (LOW 2.52%), a leading home improvement retailer, reported its fourth-quarter 2024 earnings on Feb. 26. The results reflected a robust performance despite facing challenging economic conditions. The company posted adjusted diluted EPS of $1.93, surpassing analysts' expectations of $1.84. Revenue remained flat at $18.6 billion compared to the same period last year, but exceeded forecasts o ...

Just a day after competitor Home Depot (HD) had its turn in the earnings confessional, Lowe's Companies Inc (NYSE:LOW) revealed a top- and bottom-line win for the fourth quarter amid improving sales. The home improvement retailer also saw demand fall amid higher interest rates and home costs, however, issuing a lackluster sales and profit forecast for the year.LOW is up 3.6% to trade at $251 at last glance, after yesterday snapping a six-day losing streak. The stock has only had three positive weeks since t ...

Core Insights - Lowe's exceeded Wall Street's expectations for quarterly earnings and revenue, projecting modest sales growth for the upcoming year [1][2] - The company anticipates full-year total sales between $83.5 billion and $84.5 billion, with comparable sales expected to be flat to up 1% year-over-year [1][3] - For the fiscal fourth quarter, Lowe's reported a net income of $1.13 billion, or $1.99 per share, compared to $1.02 billion, or $1.77 per share, in the previous year [2][6] Financial Performance - Lowe's fiscal fourth quarter revenue was $18.55 billion, surpassing expectations of $18.29 billion [6] - The company's net sales for the fiscal year totaled $83.67 billion, reflecting a 3% decline from the prior fiscal year [3] Market Context - The home improvement market is currently facing challenges due to slower housing turnover and higher borrowing costs, which have kept some customers from making purchases [3] - Competitor Home Depot also reported better-than-expected results but indicated that the housing market and mortgage rates are unlikely to change significantly in the near future [4]