Lowe's teams with MrBeast on a marketing push as it heads into earnings report

Lowe's added a MrBeast-themed store program on Monday as the home-improvement chain heads into a closely watched earnings report on Wednesday. The company said it will launch a series of MyLowe's Rewards Kids Club workshops and buildable toy kits tied to MrBeast Lab Swarms, a collectible toy line linked to digital creator Jimmy Donaldson, known as MrBeast. The announcement came as analysts and market previews pointed to Lowe's results as another check on U.S. do-it-yourself demand after Home Depot's report this week. Lowe's is scheduled to report first-quarter results before the market opens on May 20 and hold a conference call at 9 a.m. Eastern. ### Why is Lowe's bringing MrBeast into stores now? May 18 is when Lowe's said registration opened for the new workshops, which it described as a summer program for families looking for in-person activities. The company said the events are part of its MyLowe's Rewards Kids Club and are being launched with MrBeast, whom Lowe's identified as a member of its Creator Network. (corporate.lowes.com) Business Insider, citing an interview with Lowe's Chief Marketing Officer Jen Wilson, reported the retailer wants the campaign to help drive store visits, app registrations and additional purchases while families are in the store. The report said Lowe's aims to sell out workshop slots and the toys tied to the program. (corporate.lowes.com) ### What exactly is Lowe's selling and when do the events start? Lowe's said each workshop kit will cost $14.98 plus tax and include a MrBeast Swarms collectible. The company said children can also earn badges by completing the workshops. May 30 is the first workshop date, according to Lowe's, with follow-up events scheduled for June 27 and July 25. (goodfest.westfield.com) Lowe's said the first three builds are Swarm Launcher, Swarm Spinner and Swarm Jet, and that the program will run across more than 1,750 stores. (stocktitan.net) ### Why does this matter ahead of earnings? Wednesday, May 20, is when Lowe's is due to post first-quarter results, and analysts have framed the report as a read on home-improvement demand and consumer spending. Zacks said Lowe's is set to follow Home Depot's first-quarter report and that investors will be watching the sector for clues on home-improvement spending. (stocktitan.net) Investopedia and other market previews cited in sector coverage said traders expect a notable post-earnings move in Lowe's shares, while broader earnings commentary has pointed to comparable sales and margins as key measures. Lowe's has not tied the MrBeast campaign directly to quarterly guidance in the materials reviewed, but the timing puts a traffic-building marketing push next to an earnings event that investors are already using to gauge retail and DIY conditions. (zacks.com) ### What are investors likely to watch on Wednesday? The May 20 conference call is scheduled for 9 a.m. Eastern, and Lowe's said supplemental materials will be posted shortly before the call on its investor relations site. The company has already published the event notice in its newsroom and investor materials. (zacks.com) Home Depot's report on Tuesday and Lowe's report on Wednesday place the two largest U.S. home-improvement chains back-to-back this week. Lowe's next public milestone is its first-quarter earnings release before the opening bell on May 20, followed by the webcast for investors and analysts. (zacks.com) (corporate.lowes.com)