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LOW vs. ORLY: Lowe's vs. O'Reilly Automotive Stock Comparison

How do Lowe's (LOW) and O'Reilly Automotive (ORLY) 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

Lowe's (LOW) and O'Reilly Automotive (ORLY) both belong to the Specialty Retail industry, though LOW is classified under Home Improvement Retail while ORLY falls under Automotive Retail.

Company profile comparison for Lowe's (LOW) and O'Reilly Automotive (ORLY)
Profile ItemLOWORLY
NameLowe's Companies, Inc.O'Reilly Automotive 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 RetailAutomotive Retail
Market Capitalization125.98 billion USD72.33 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENasdaq
Listing DateMarch 17, 1980April 23, 1993
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

LOW
ORLY
GSPC
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Lowe's (LOW) vs. O'Reilly Automotive (ORLY), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: 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 Lowe's (LOW) and O'Reilly Automotive (ORLY). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for Lowe's (LOW) and O'Reilly Automotive (ORLY). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Lowe's (LOW) and O'Reilly Automotive (ORLY)
MetricLOWORLY
Total Return (1Y)1.84%-7.41%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)9.02%11.29%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)1.87%15.95%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

LOW
ORLY
GSPC
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Lowe's (LOW) vs. O'Reilly Automotive (ORLY), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Drawdown from the running peak over the past five years. Each line shows the decline from its prior peak; 0% marks a new high.

Return Distribution

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Distribution of monthly total returns for Lowe's (LOW) and O'Reilly Automotive (ORLY). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Lowe's (LOW) and O'Reilly Automotive (ORLY)
MetricLOWORLY
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)30.08%26.15%
Beta (5Y)0.780.55
Max Drawdown (5Y)-36.85%-23.27%
Avg. Volume (3M)3.23M5.82M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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LOW and ORLY 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.

Risk-Adjusted Metrics

Risk-adjusted metrics for Lowe's (LOW) and O'Reilly Automotive (ORLY)
MetricLOWORLY
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)-0.08-0.45
Sortino Ratio (1Y)-0.13-0.65

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Neither Lowe's (LOW) nor O'Reilly Automotive (ORLY) reports a ROE value for this period, so a direct comparison isn’t possible.

LOW

Consumer Discretionary Distribution & Retail industry group

--

Max
62.17%
Q3
29.44%
Median
15.69%
Q1
6.73%
Min
-12.16%
LOW
--

ORLY

Consumer Discretionary Distribution & Retail industry group

--

Max
62.17%
Q3
29.44%
Median
15.69%
Q1
6.73%
Min
-12.16%
ORLY
--
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Lowe's (LOW) vs. O'Reilly Automotive (ORLY): Neither stock reports ROE, so the chart shows available benchmark boxes without value markers.

Net Margin (TTM)

O'Reilly Automotive (ORLY) at 14.27% retains a top-quartile share of revenue as profit, ahead of Lowe's (LOW) at 7.35%, which keeps about the industry-typical share.

LOW

Consumer Discretionary Distribution & Retail industry group

7.35%

Max
16.94%
Q3
8.69%
LOW
7.35%
Median
3.55%
Q1
1.14%
Min
-9.41%

ORLY

Consumer Discretionary Distribution & Retail industry group

14.27%

Max
16.94%
ORLY
14.27%
Q3
8.69%
Median
3.55%
Q1
1.14%
Min
-9.41%
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Lowe's (LOW) vs. O'Reilly Automotive (ORLY): A comparison of their net margin against the Consumer Discretionary Distribution & Retail industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Both Lowe's (LOW) at 13.37% and O'Reilly Automotive (ORLY) at 21.45% convert sales into operating profit at a top-quartile rate, pointing to tighter cost discipline before financing and tax.

LOW

Consumer Discretionary Distribution & Retail industry group

13.37%

Max
21.45%
LOW
13.37%
Q3
10.89%
Median
5.57%
Q1
2.28%
Min
-7.12%

ORLY

Consumer Discretionary Distribution & Retail industry group

21.45%

ORLY
21.45%
Max
21.45%
Q3
10.89%
Median
5.57%
Q1
2.28%
Min
-7.12%
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Lowe's (LOW) vs. O'Reilly Automotive (ORLY): A comparison of their operating margin against the Consumer Discretionary Distribution & Retail industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Lowe's (LOW) and O'Reilly Automotive (ORLY)
MetricLOWORLY
ROE (TTM)----
ROA (TTM)12.52%13.85%
Net Margin (TTM)7.35%14.27%
Operating Margin (TTM)13.37%21.45%
Gross Margin (TTM)32.99%51.79%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both Lowe's (LOW) at 3.12% and O'Reilly Automotive (ORLY) at 6.43% land near their industries' usual revenue growth ranges, so top-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

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Lowe's (LOW) vs. O'Reilly Automotive (ORLY): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Both Lowe's (LOW) at -3.11% and O'Reilly Automotive (ORLY) at 9.57% land near their industries' usual EPS growth ranges, so bottom-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

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Lowe's (LOW) vs. O'Reilly Automotive (ORLY): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Lowe's (LOW) and O'Reilly Automotive (ORLY)
MetricLOWORLY
Revenue Growth (YoY)3.12%6.43%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)-3.85%7.26%
EPS Growth (YoY)-3.11%9.57%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)5.23%10.03%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Lowe's (LOW) at 1.11 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while O'Reilly Automotive (ORLY) at 0.77 runs in the tighter-liquidity quartile — a thinner cushion against current liabilities for ORLY.

LOW

Consumer Discretionary Distribution & Retail industry group

1.11

Max
2.62
Q3
1.75
Median
1.35
LOW
1.11
Q1
1.00
Min
0.48

ORLY

Consumer Discretionary Distribution & Retail industry group

0.77

Max
2.62
Q3
1.75
Median
1.35
Q1
1.00
ORLY
0.77
Min
0.48
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Lowe's (LOW) vs. O'Reilly Automotive (ORLY): A comparison of their current ratio against the Consumer Discretionary Distribution & Retail industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Neither Lowe's (LOW) nor O'Reilly Automotive (ORLY) reports a debt-to-equity ratio value for this period, so a direct comparison isn’t possible.

LOW

Consumer Discretionary Distribution & Retail industry group

--

Max
3.93
Q3
2.14
Median
1.25
Q1
0.73
Min
0.01
LOW
--

ORLY

Consumer Discretionary Distribution & Retail industry group

--

Max
3.93
Q3
2.14
Median
1.25
Q1
0.73
Min
0.01
ORLY
--
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Lowe's (LOW) vs. O'Reilly Automotive (ORLY): Neither stock reports debt-to-equity ratio, so the chart shows available benchmark boxes without value markers.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for Lowe's (LOW) and O'Reilly Automotive (ORLY)
MetricLOWORLY
Current Ratio (MRQ)1.110.77
Debt / Equity (MRQ)----
Net Debt / EBITDA3.052.35

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

O'Reilly Automotive (ORLY) pays no dividend (yield 0.00%) — it may be reinvesting, using buybacks, or simply not returning cash through dividends. Meanwhile Lowe's (LOW) reports a yield of 2.13%, ranking against industry peers normally.

LOW

Consumer Discretionary Distribution & Retail industry group

2.13%

Max
5.84%
Q3
2.50%
LOW
2.13%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

ORLY

Consumer Discretionary Distribution & Retail industry group

0.00%

Max
5.84%
Q3
2.50%
ORLY
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Lowe's (LOW) vs. O'Reilly Automotive (ORLY): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Consumer Discretionary Distribution & Retail industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

O'Reilly Automotive (ORLY) pays no dividend (payout 0.00%) — it may be reinvesting, using buybacks, or simply not returning cash through dividends. Meanwhile Lowe's (LOW) reports a payout of 41.00%, ranking against industry peers normally.

LOW

Consumer Discretionary Distribution & Retail industry group

41.00%

Max
72.73%
LOW
41.00%
Q3
32.44%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

ORLY

Consumer Discretionary Distribution & Retail industry group

0.00%

Max
72.73%
Q3
32.44%
ORLY
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Lowe's (LOW) vs. O'Reilly Automotive (ORLY): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Consumer Discretionary Distribution & Retail industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Lowe's (LOW) and O'Reilly Automotive (ORLY)
MetricLOWORLY
Dividend Yield (TTM)2.13%0.00%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)41.00%0.00%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Lowe's (LOW) at 18.98 is near its industry’s usual P/E ratio, while O'Reilly Automotive (ORLY) at 27.57 sits in the richer quartile — ORLY needs stronger growth or earnings quality to justify the premium.

LOW

Consumer Discretionary Distribution & Retail industry group

18.98

Max
40.50
Q3
24.26
Median
19.23
LOW
18.98
Q1
12.64
Min
4.67

ORLY

Consumer Discretionary Distribution & Retail industry group

27.57

Max
40.50
ORLY
27.57
Q3
24.26
Median
19.23
Q1
12.64
Min
4.67
Loading chart…
Lowe's (LOW) vs. O'Reilly Automotive (ORLY): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Consumer Discretionary Distribution & Retail industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Lowe's (LOW) at 1.39 is priced about in line with its industry on P/S ratio, while O'Reilly Automotive (ORLY) at 3.81 sits in the pricier quartile — ORLY costs more per dollar of sales.

LOW

Consumer Discretionary Distribution & Retail industry group

1.39

Max
4.32
Q3
1.99
LOW
1.39
Median
0.70
Q1
0.26
Min
0.03

ORLY

Consumer Discretionary Distribution & Retail industry group

3.81

Max
4.32
ORLY
3.81
Q3
1.99
Median
0.70
Q1
0.26
Min
0.03
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Lowe's (LOW) vs. O'Reilly Automotive (ORLY): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Consumer Discretionary Distribution & Retail industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Both Lowe's (LOW) at -16.94 and O'Reilly Automotive (ORLY) at -34.56 report negative P/B ratio values, meaning both companies have negative book equity — neither multiple is meaningful for valuation.

LOW

Consumer Discretionary Distribution & Retail industry group

-16.94

Max
10.96
Q3
5.26
Median
2.16
Q1
1.08
Min
-4.45
LOW
-16.94

ORLY

Consumer Discretionary Distribution & Retail industry group

-34.56

Max
10.96
Q3
5.26
Median
2.16
Q1
1.08
Min
-4.45
ORLY
-34.56
Loading chart…
Lowe's (LOW) vs. O'Reilly Automotive (ORLY): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Consumer Discretionary Distribution & Retail industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Lowe's (LOW) and O'Reilly Automotive (ORLY)
MetricLOWORLY
P/E Ratio (TTM)18.9827.57
P/S Ratio (TTM)1.393.81
P/B Ratio (MRQ)-16.94-34.56
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)3.66%2.23%