Lowe's Companies Inc. (NYSE: NYSE:LOW) has maintained its neutral stance with a reiterated $240.00 price target from Citi, following the company's second-quarter earnings report.
The home improvement retailer's earnings per share (EPS) outperformed Wall Street's expectations by approximately 4%, bolstered by higher than anticipated gross margins (GM) and lower selling, general, and administrative expenses (SG&A).
However, same-store sales (SSS) declined by 5.1%, slightly underperforming the anticipated 4.5% decrease expected by analysts but aligning with broader market predictions. This dip in SSS was attributed to a reduction in high-value do-it-yourself (DIY) projects and adverse weather conditions.
Lowe's also adjusted its full-year 2024 guidance, lowering expectations for both SSS and EPS, a move that mirrors the actions taken by Home Depot (NYSE:HD) the previous week. Citi anticipates that Lowe's stock will trade relatively flat or possibly slightly lower based on initial reactions to the earnings report.
Despite the overall downturn, Lowe's experienced a notable increase in professional contractor sales, which grew in the mid-single digits percentage range, signaling market share gains amidst current demand.
The company is expected to provide additional insights during their earnings call at 9 AM ET, where further details on monthly SSS trends, including those for August, and the second half's gross margin expectations in relation to the new EBIT margin guidance will be discussed.
InvestingPro Insights
As Lowe's Companies Inc. (NYSE: LOW) navigates through market challenges, the InvestingPro platform offers valuable insights that can help investors understand the company's financial health and performance. Notably, Lowe's has a commendable track record of raising its dividend, with 40 consecutive years of increases, demonstrating a strong commitment to shareholder returns. Furthermore, the company has maintained dividend payments for an impressive 54 consecutive years, indicating a stable financial position and a reliable income stream for investors.
While analysts have revised their earnings expectations downwards for the upcoming period, Lowe's still trades at an attractive P/E ratio of 19.41 relative to its near-term earnings growth, which could signal an undervalued stock for value investors. Additionally, the company's market capitalization stands at a robust $138.59 billion, reflecting its significant presence in the Specialty Retail industry. Lowe's also boasts a high return on assets of 15.82% for the last twelve months as of Q1 2025, underscoring efficient asset utilization and profitability.
For investors seeking a deeper dive into Lowe's financial metrics and strategic outlook, there are numerous additional InvestingPro Tips available, which can be accessed for further analysis and investment decision-making.
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