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HD vs. LOW: Home Depot vs. Lowe's Companies Stock Comparison

How do Home Depot (HD) and Lowe's Companies (LOW) stack up? This page sets them side by side across company profile, performance and risk, profitability, growth, financial strength, dividends, and valuation, with selected fundamentals also measured against each stock's industry-group peers.

Company Profile

Home Depot (HD) and Lowe's Companies (LOW) are both classified in the Home Improvement Retail sub-industry within the broader Specialty Retail industry, placing them in the closest GICS peer bucket.

Company profile comparison for Home Depot (HD) and Lowe's Companies (LOW)
Profile ItemHDLOW
NameThe Home Depot, Inc.Lowe's Companies Inc.
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorConsumer DiscretionaryConsumer Discretionary
GICS Industry GroupConsumer Discretionary Distribution & RetailConsumer Discretionary Distribution & Retail
GICS IndustrySpecialty RetailSpecialty Retail
GICS Sub-IndustryHome Improvement RetailHome Improvement Retail
Market Capitalization351.66 billion USD123.63 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateSeptember 22, 1981March 17, 1980
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

HD
LOW
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Home Depot (HD) vs. Lowe's Companies (LOW): Growth of a $10,000 investment over the past five years. Adjusted for dividends and splits.

Trailing Returns

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Trailing total returns for Home Depot (HD) and Lowe's Companies (LOW). Returns over one year are annualized.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Home Depot (HD) and Lowe's Companies (LOW)
MetricHDLOW
Total Return (1Y)-1.25%1.33%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

HD
LOW
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Home Depot (HD) vs. Lowe's Companies (LOW): Drawdown from the running peak over the past five years. Each line shows the decline from its prior peak; 0% marks a new high.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Home Depot (HD) and Lowe's Companies (LOW)
MetricHDLOW
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)24.64%26.63%
Beta (5Y)0.950.86
Avg. Volume (3M)4.81M2.88M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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HD and LOW are plotted by 1-year volatility (risk) and 1-year return. The dashed Capital Allocation Line runs from the risk-free rate through the shared industry median.

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Capital efficiency shows on one side only: Home Depot (HD) earns 128.38% on shareholders’ equity, ranked against its industry; Lowe's Companies (LOW) has no ROE this period.

HD

Consumer Discretionary Distribution & Retail industry group

128.38%

HD
128.38%
Max
63.82%
Q3
31.92%
Median
13.94%
Q1
5.27%
Min
-29.94%

LOW

Consumer Discretionary Distribution & Retail industry group

--

Max
63.82%
Q3
31.92%
Median
13.94%
Q1
5.27%
Min
-29.94%
LOW
--
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Home Depot (HD) vs. Lowe's Companies (LOW): LOW does not report ROE, so it has no value marker; HD is benchmarked against the Consumer Discretionary Distribution & Retail industry group.

Net Margin (TTM)

Both Home Depot (HD) at 8.41% and Lowe's Companies (LOW) at 7.51% keep about the typical share of revenue as profit for their industries — neither bottom line stands out from peers.

HD

Consumer Discretionary Distribution & Retail industry group

8.41%

Max
20.45%
Q3
9.02%
HD
8.41%
Median
4.01%
Q1
0.70%
Min
-11.15%

LOW

Consumer Discretionary Distribution & Retail industry group

7.51%

Max
20.45%
Q3
9.02%
LOW
7.51%
Median
4.01%
Q1
0.70%
Min
-11.15%
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Home Depot (HD) vs. Lowe's Companies (LOW): A comparison of their net margin against the Consumer Discretionary Distribution & Retail industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Home Depot (HD) at 11.93% operates in the top operating margin quartile, ahead of Lowe's Companies (LOW) at 11.07%, which runs around its industry’s norm.

HD

Consumer Discretionary Distribution & Retail industry group

11.93%

Max
23.15%
HD
11.93%
Q3
11.20%
Median
4.77%
Q1
1.65%
Min
-8.71%

LOW

Consumer Discretionary Distribution & Retail industry group

11.07%

Max
23.15%
Q3
11.20%
LOW
11.07%
Median
4.77%
Q1
1.65%
Min
-8.71%
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Home Depot (HD) vs. Lowe's Companies (LOW): A comparison of their operating margin against the Consumer Discretionary Distribution & Retail industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Home Depot (HD) and Lowe's Companies (LOW)
MetricHDLOW
ROE (TTM)128.38%--
ROA (TTM)12.52%12.79%
Net Margin (TTM)8.41%7.51%
Operating Margin (TTM)11.93%11.07%
Gross Margin (TTM)33.13%33.29%

Growth

Revenue Growth

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Home Depot (HD) vs. Lowe's Companies (LOW): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

Revenue Growth Metrics

Revenue growth metrics for Home Depot (HD) and Lowe's Companies (LOW)
MetricHDLOW
Revenue Growth (YoY)3.24%3.12%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)1.52%-3.85%

EPS Growth

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Home Depot (HD) vs. Lowe's Companies (LOW): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth Metrics

EPS growth metrics for Home Depot (HD) and Lowe's Companies (LOW)
MetricHDLOW
EPS Growth (YoY)-4.56%-3.11%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)-5.18%5.23%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Both Home Depot (HD) at 1.05 and Lowe's Companies (LOW) at 1.09 carry current ratio within their industries’ typical mid-ranges, suggesting balanced short-term liquidity relative to peers.

HD

Consumer Discretionary Distribution & Retail industry group

1.05

Max
2.97
Q3
1.85
Median
1.38
HD
1.05
Q1
1.03
Min
0.46

LOW

Consumer Discretionary Distribution & Retail industry group

1.09

Max
2.97
Q3
1.85
Median
1.38
LOW
1.09
Q1
1.03
Min
0.46
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Home Depot (HD) vs. Lowe's Companies (LOW): A comparison of their current ratio against the Consumer Discretionary Distribution & Retail industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Only one side’s leverage can be read here: Home Depot (HD) carries debt-to-equity ratio of 4.59 against its industry range, while Lowe's Companies (LOW) reports no figure this period.

HD

Consumer Discretionary Distribution & Retail industry group

4.59

HD
4.59
Max
3.27
Q3
1.82
Median
1.09
Q1
0.72
Min
0.01

LOW

Consumer Discretionary Distribution & Retail industry group

--

Max
3.27
Q3
1.82
Median
1.09
Q1
0.72
Min
0.01
LOW
--
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Home Depot (HD) vs. Lowe's Companies (LOW): LOW does not report debt-to-equity ratio, so it has no value marker; HD is benchmarked against the Consumer Discretionary Distribution & Retail industry group.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for Home Depot (HD) and Lowe's Companies (LOW)
MetricHDLOW
Current Ratio (MRQ)1.051.09
Debt / Equity (MRQ)4.59--
Net Debt / EBITDA2.493.32

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Both Home Depot (HD) at 1.98% and Lowe's Companies (LOW) at 2.19% pay solid, industry-typical yields, sitting squarely within their peers’ usual range.

HD

Consumer Discretionary Distribution & Retail industry group

1.98%

Max
5.10%
Q3
2.22%
HD
1.98%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

LOW

Consumer Discretionary Distribution & Retail industry group

2.19%

Max
5.10%
Q3
2.22%
LOW
2.19%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Home Depot (HD) vs. Lowe's Companies (LOW): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Consumer Discretionary Distribution & Retail industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Both Home Depot (HD) at 65.55% and Lowe's Companies (LOW) at 40.57% pay out an above-typical share of earnings for their industries, leaving thinner cover if profits dip.

HD

Consumer Discretionary Distribution & Retail industry group

65.55%

Max
78.51%
HD
65.55%
Q3
32.35%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

LOW

Consumer Discretionary Distribution & Retail industry group

40.57%

Max
78.51%
LOW
40.57%
Q3
32.35%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Home Depot (HD) vs. Lowe's Companies (LOW): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Consumer Discretionary Distribution & Retail industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Home Depot (HD) and Lowe's Companies (LOW)
MetricHDLOW
Dividend Yield (TTM)1.98%2.19%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)65.55%40.57%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both Home Depot (HD) at 25.07 and Lowe's Companies (LOW) at 18.62 land around their industries’ usual P/E ratio levels — neither is getting a clear earnings-multiple discount or premium versus peers.

HD

Consumer Discretionary Distribution & Retail industry group

25.07

Max
55.55
Q3
32.06
HD
25.07
Median
19.03
Q1
12.24
Min
0.95

LOW

Consumer Discretionary Distribution & Retail industry group

18.62

Max
55.55
Q3
32.06
Median
19.03
LOW
18.62
Q1
12.24
Min
0.95
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Home Depot (HD) vs. Lowe's Companies (LOW): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Consumer Discretionary Distribution & Retail industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Lowe's Companies (LOW) at 1.40 is priced about in line with its industry on P/S ratio, while Home Depot (HD) at 2.11 sits in the pricier quartile — HD costs more per dollar of sales.

HD

Consumer Discretionary Distribution & Retail industry group

2.11

Max
3.48
HD
2.11
Q3
1.83
Median
0.75
Q1
0.27
Min
0.03

LOW

Consumer Discretionary Distribution & Retail industry group

1.40

Max
3.48
Q3
1.83
LOW
1.40
Median
0.75
Q1
0.27
Min
0.03
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Home Depot (HD) vs. Lowe's Companies (LOW): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Consumer Discretionary Distribution & Retail industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Lowe's Companies (LOW) reports a negative P/B ratio of -13.34, meaning negative book equity — the multiple itself is not meaningful for valuation. Meanwhile Home Depot (HD) reports 25.34, ranking against industry peers normally.

HD

Consumer Discretionary Distribution & Retail industry group

25.34

HD
25.34
Max
12.65
Q3
5.95
Median
2.27
Q1
1.10
Min
-4.28

LOW

Consumer Discretionary Distribution & Retail industry group

-13.34

Max
12.65
Q3
5.95
Median
2.27
Q1
1.10
Min
-4.28
LOW
-13.34
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Home Depot (HD) vs. Lowe's Companies (LOW): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Consumer Discretionary Distribution & Retail industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Home Depot (HD) and Lowe's Companies (LOW)
MetricHDLOW
P/E Ratio (TTM)25.0718.62
P/S Ratio (TTM)2.111.40
P/B Ratio (MRQ)25.34-13.34
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)2.88%3.90%