Lowe's (LOW): analysis in plain words
Is Lowe's cheap or expensive? How it makes money, whether it grows and its risks, explained in plain words and with its official accounts.
Lowe's (LOW) is listed on the NYSE and we classify it in retail. Below are its key dated figures, how it makes money, how it compares with its sector, what works for and against Lowe's according to those figures, and the questions people ask most about the stock. No buy or sell tips.
Lowe's (LOW) key figures as of November 4, 2026
| Figure | Value | What it measures |
|---|---|---|
| Share price | $229.38 | Last price on November 4, 2026 |
| P/E ratio (TTM) | 19.4x | Price over earnings per share |
| Revenue growth | +8.3% | Latest quarter vs the same quarter a year earlier |
| Net margin (TTM) | 7.3% | Profit for every 100 of sales |
| Net debt / EBITDA | 3.1x | Years of operating profit to repay debt |
| Dividend yield | 2.34% | Annual dividend over price |
| Market cap | $128.7 billion | What the stock market values it at |
The Lowe's figures come from Yahoo Finance, the same source the Fintols analysis uses, retrieved on November 4, 2026. Any LOW figure that is not available shows as N/A: we do not estimate it.
How Lowe's makes money
Lowe's operates home improvement stores across the United States. It sells tools, building materials, appliances, lawn and garden products, paint, and kitchen and bath items to do-it-yourself homeowners and, increasingly, to professional contractors. It also sells online and reports a single segment.
Over the last 12 months, Lowe's brought in revenue of $90.4 billion. For every 100 it sells, Lowe's keeps 33.0 after the direct cost of what it sells (gross margin) and 13.4 after all operating costs (operating margin). With 300,000 full-time employees, that is about $301,000 of revenue per employee.
Lowe's against its sector
To know whether a Lowe's figure is high or low you have to put it next to similar companies. This table compares Lowe's with the median of the 18 retail companies Fintols covers, with data as of November 4, 2026.
| Figure | Lowe's | retail median |
|---|---|---|
| P/E | 19.4x | 26.2x (18) |
| Revenue growth | +8.3% | +7.1% (18) |
| Net margin | 7.3% | 7.2% (18) |
| Dividend yield | 2.34% | 0.78% (18) |
| Net debt / EBITDA | 3.1x | 1.5x (18) |
In short, against the typical retail company, Lowe's trades on a lower P/E, grows faster and pays a higher dividend yield. By size, Lowe's ranks number 8 of 17 retail companies quoted in USD on Fintols.
The bull case for Lowe's
What works in favour of Lowe's, according to its figures as of November 4, 2026:
- On a P/E basis Lowe's trades cheaper than its sector: 19.4x its annual earnings, against 26.2x for the retail median (18 companies with data).
- Lowe's grew sales +8.3% in its latest quarter against the same quarter a year earlier, while the median retail company Fintols tracks grew +7.1%.
The main risk for Lowe's
Debt is heavy: Lowe's carries net debt equal to 3.1x its annual EBITDA. With high interest rates or a weak year, interest payments eat into what it can invest or pay out.
And, like the rest of retail, Lowe's is exposed to price competition, which keeps margins thin, and a slowdown in consumer spending.
Frequently asked questions about Lowe's
Is it a good time to buy Lowe's stock?
Fintols does not tell you whether to buy or sell Lowe's, and nobody knows what the price will do tomorrow. What we can show you is where it stands today. As of November 4, 2026, Lowe's stock trades at $229.38, 22% below its 52-week high ($293.06) and 29% above its low ($178.45). Its P/E is 19.4x against a retail median of 26.2x, and 17.7x on the earnings analysts expect over the next 12 months. With Lowe's, as with any stock, timing matters less than understanding the business, investing for the long run and not betting everything on a single company.
Does Lowe's pay a dividend?
Yes. As of November 4, 2026, Lowe's pays $5.00 per share a year, which at today's price is a yield of 2.34%. It uses 41% of its profit to pay it, which leaves room to keep paying it if profit dips. Its average dividend yield over the last five years is 1.83%. The retail median on Fintols is 0.78%.
Is Lowe's stock expensive?
It depends on what you compare it with. On P/E, Lowe's trades at 19.4x its last 12 months of earnings: cheaper than the retail median (26.2x). Including its debt, Lowe's is valued at 12.5x its EBITDA (EV/EBITDA). A high P/E alone does not make Lowe's expensive: it can be justified if earnings grow fast, and a low one can reflect a business in trouble.
Who are Lowe's's competitors?
On Fintols we compare Lowe's with TJX, Shopify and Alibaba, which are also in retail. As of November 4, 2026, TJX is worth $159.2 billion and trades on a P/E of 26.8; Shopify is worth $196.9 billion and trades on a P/E of 93.9; Alibaba is worth $261.9 billion and trades on a P/E of 25.5. Each has a side-by-side comparison with Lowe's below.
Lowe's competitors
- TJX (TJX) analysis · Lowe's vs TJX comparison
- Shopify (SHOP) analysis · Lowe's vs Shopify comparison
- Alibaba (BABA) analysis · Lowe's vs Alibaba comparison
To understand Lowe's better
More companies like Lowe's: retail stocks, S&P 500 companies and S&P 100 companies. Open the full LOW analysis with its valuation and scenarios. Educational content about Lowe's, not investment advice.