What You Need to Know Ahead of Lowe's Earnings Release

Mooresville, North Carolina-based Lowe's Companies, Inc. (LOW) operates as a home improvement retailer. With a market cap of $114.6 billion, the company offers tools, appliances, building supplies, carpet, bathroom, and lighting products. The leading home improvement retailer is expected to announce its fiscal second-quarter earnings for 2026 before the market opens on Wednesday, Aug. 19.

Ahead of the event, analysts expect Lowe's to report a profit of $4.26 per share on a diluted basis, down 1.6% from $4.33 per share in the year-ago quarter. The company has consistently surpassed Wall Street’s EPS estimates in its last four quarterly reports.

For the full year, analysts expect Lowe's to report EPS of $12.48, up 1.6% from $12.29 in fiscal 2026. Its EPS is expected to rise 7.9% year over year to $13.47 in fiscal 2028.

LOW stock has underperformed the S&P 500 Index’s ($SPX) 16.5% gains over the past 52 weeks, with shares down 11.7% during this period. Similarly, it lagged behind the State Street Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR ETF’s (XLY) 4% dip over the same time frame.

LOW has underperformed amid housing market headwinds and shifting consumer spending. In addition, multi-decade high mortgage rates have frozen home sales and cut demand for pre-sale and post-purchase renovations. At the same time, retail customers have pulled back on discretionary DIY projects, an area where Lowe's has more exposure than Pro-focused The Home Depot, Inc. (HD).

On May 20, LOW shares closed up more than 1% after reporting its Q1 results. Its adjusted EPS of $3.03 beat Wall Street expectations of $2.96. The company’s revenue was $23.1 billion, beating Wall Street forecasts of $22.9 billion. LOW expects full-year adjusted EPS in the range of $12.25 to $12.75, and revenue in the range of $92 million to $94 million.

Analysts’ consensus opinion on LOW stock is reasonably bullish, with a “Moderate Buy” rating overall. Out of 29 analysts covering the stock, 19 advise a “Strong Buy” rating, one suggests a “Moderate Buy,” eight give a “Hold,” and one recommends a “Strong Sell.” LOW’s average analyst price target is $262.27, indicating a potential upside of 29.9% from the current levels.