LOWES COMPANIES INC (LOW)

Lowe's Companies, Inc. is a Fortune 100 company and the world's second largest home improvement retailer, founded in 1921 and incorporated in North Carolina in 1952, with common stock listed on the NYSE under ticker "LOW." As of January 30, 2026, the company operated 1,759 home improvement stores and outlets across the United States, representing approximately 196 million square feet of retail selling space, plus over 540 branch locations in the U.S. and Canada following its 2025 acquisitions of Foundation Building Materials (FBM) and Artisan Design Group (ADG). Lowe's operates as an omnichannel retailer executing its Total Home strategy, built on five pillars: driving Pro customer penetration, accelerating online sales, expanding home installation services, creating a loyalty ecosystem, and increasing space productivity. The company serves both DIY/DIFM homeowners and Pro customers (tradespeople, repair/remodelers, and property managers), competing in a highly fragmented market against national/regional home improvement chains, hardware and specialty retailers, online retailers, and wholesalers.

Lowe's offers a broad product assortment across 14 categories including Appliances, Lumber, Building Materials, and Tools, with typical stores stocking approximately 37,000 items supplemented by expanded online offerings, balancing national brands with private labels like Kobalt, STAINMASTER, and allen+roth. The company supports its retail and online operations with over 120 supply chain facilities, offers installation services primarily through independent contractors, and provides extended protection plans across multiple product categories. Lowe's business is seasonal, with peak sales in the second fiscal quarter and lowest volumes in the fourth quarter, funded primarily through operating cash flows and short-term borrowings as needed.

As of January 30, 2026, the company employed approximately 167,000 full-time and 109,000 part-time associates, primarily in the U.S. and India, with a minimum wage of $15/hour and various leadership development and trade certification programs, including the Track to the Trades initiative. Lowe's corporate responsibility efforts focus on three pillars—people and communities, product sustainability, and operational excellence—including a net-zero emissions target by 2050 with interim 2030 goals to cut scope 1 and 2 emissions by 42% and scope 3 emissions by 25% from 2021 levels, alongside investments in energy efficiency, renewable energy, waste reduction, and responsible sourcing practices governed by policies on human rights, conflict minerals, and wood sourcing.