Lowe's Q1 EPS seen $2.97

Lowe’s reports first-quarter 2026 results on Wednesday, May 20, before the market opens, with management set to hold a conference call at 9 a.m. Eastern, the company said last week. Analysts tracked by Investing.com expect the home-improvement retailer to post earnings per share of $2.97 on revenue of $22.97 billion. The report lands one day after Home Depot said larger remodeling demand remained uneven as high mortgage rates and home prices weighed on household budgets. That leaves Lowe’s results as the next read on whether spring repair and renovation demand held up as the housing market stayed under pressure. ### Why are investors focused on the Pro business again? Lowe’s has spent the past several years pushing deeper into the professional contractor market, and the company said in its 2025 annual report that it delivered another year of positive comparable sales in Pro. The company also said it launched a redesigned MyLowe’s Pro Rewards program in March and began a multiyear buildout of its Pro Extended Aisle, which gives sales associates access to suppliers’ catalogs and deeper inventory. (corporate.lowes.com) The annual report said Lowe’s is trying to capture more planned spending from small-to-medium professional customers by expanding product assortment and delivery options. That strategy matters this quarter because Pros have generally been more resilient than do-it-yourself shoppers when big discretionary projects slow. (corporate.lowes.com) ### What did Home Depot say that raises the stakes for Lowe’s? Home Depot said on Tuesday, May 19, that Americans were scaling back large remodeling projects as macroeconomic uncertainty, elevated mortgage rates and high home prices strained affordability, according to Reuters. Chief Executive Ted Decker said on the post-earnings call that customers appeared to be in “reasonably good shape” but were hesitating on larger projects because of uncertainty. (corporate.lowes.com) Home Depot also reported first-quarter sales of $41.77 billion, above analysts’ estimates of $41.52 billion, Reuters said. Investing.com’s earnings page shows Home Depot posted adjusted earnings per share of $3.43, giving investors a fresh benchmark for Lowe’s a day later. ### Which Lowe’s numbers will matter beyond the EPS line? (money.usnews.com) Investing.com’s preview points to three pressure points in Lowe’s report: management guidance, the mix between Pro and DIY demand, and whether spring spending held up despite mortgage-rate pressure. Those questions matter because the expected $2.97 in earnings per share will only answer how the quarter ended, not how the company sees the rest of 2026. (money.usnews.com) Lowe’s last reported quarter, released on Feb. 24, showed earnings per share of $1.98 against a $1.94 forecast and revenue of $20.58 billion against a $20.34 billion forecast, according to Investing.com. The same page said management at that time pointed to momentum in Pro, online and home services, while investors also watched margin pressure. (investing.com) ### What does Lowe’s say about the size of the business entering this report? Lowe’s said fiscal 2025 sales topped $86 billion in its annual report. The company said it employs about 300,000 associates and operates more than 1,750 home-improvement stores, 540 branches and 120 distribution centers. The annual report also said online sales grew 8.8% in fiscal 2025 and represented 13% of retail sales. (investing.com) Those figures give context for what investors will look for on Wednesday in categories beyond store traffic, including digital demand and services. ### When will the details be available? Lowe’s said supplemental materials will be posted 15 minutes before the 9 a.m. (corporate.lowes.com) Eastern call on Wednesday, May 20, and a webcast replay will be available from noon the same day through May 19, 2027. The company said investors can access both through the quarterly earnings and events sections of its investor relations website. (corporate.lowes.com)