LOW vs. SW: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at LOW and SW, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Profile
| Symbol | LOW | SW |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | Lowe's Companies, Inc. | Smurfit Westrock Plc |
| Country | United States | Ireland |
| GICS Sector | Consumer Discretionary | Materials |
| GICS Industry | Specialty Retail | Containers & Packaging |
| Market Capitalization | 144.20 billion USD | 22.27 billion USD |
| Exchange | NYSE | NYSE |
| Listing Date | March 17, 1980 | June 17, 2008 |
| Security Type | Common Stock | Common Stock |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of LOW and SW by tracking the growth of an initial $10,000 investment in each. Use the tabs to select the desired time period. Data is adjusted for dividends and splits.
Historical Performance at a Glance
| Symbol | LOW | SW |
|---|---|---|
| 5-Day Price Return | -2.34% | -1.57% |
| 13-Week Price Return | 13.27% | -1.34% |
| 26-Week Price Return | 8.30% | -5.99% |
| 52-Week Price Return | -5.93% | -15.01% |
| Month-to-Date Return | -2.62% | -10.11% |
| Year-to-Date Return | 1.83% | -20.96% |
| 10-Day Avg. Volume | 3.00M | 4.96M |
| 3-Month Avg. Volume | 2.83M | 3.86M |
| 3-Month Volatility | 23.05% | 32.95% |
| Beta | 0.88 | 1.08 |
Profitability
Return on Equity (TTM)
LOW
264.53%
Specialty Retail Industry
- Max
- 64.63%
- Q3
- 37.13%
- Median
- 19.07%
- Q1
- 10.79%
- Min
- -16.66%
LOW’s Return on Equity of 264.53% is exceptionally high, placing it well beyond the typical range for the Specialty Retail industry. This demonstrates a superior ability to generate profit from shareholder investments, though it could also be inflated by high financial leverage.
SW
2.94%
Containers & Packaging Industry
- Max
- 36.99%
- Q3
- 19.86%
- Median
- 10.47%
- Q1
- 6.76%
- Min
- -0.20%
SW’s Return on Equity of 2.94% is in the lower quartile for the Containers & Packaging industry. This indicates a less efficient generation of profit from its equity base when compared to its competitors.
Net Profit Margin (TTM)
LOW
8.20%
Specialty Retail Industry
- Max
- 21.04%
- Q3
- 10.99%
- Median
- 6.08%
- Q1
- 2.46%
- Min
- -4.37%
LOW’s Net Profit Margin of 8.20% is aligned with the median group of its peers in the Specialty Retail industry. This indicates its ability to convert revenue into profit is typical for the sector.
SW
1.18%
Containers & Packaging Industry
- Max
- 10.84%
- Q3
- 8.25%
- Median
- 4.91%
- Q1
- 3.65%
- Min
- -0.12%
Falling into the lower quartile for the Containers & Packaging industry, SW’s Net Profit Margin of 1.18% indicates weaker profitability. This means the company retains a smaller portion of each dollar in sales as profit compared to its competitors.
Operating Profit Margin (TTM)
LOW
12.35%
Specialty Retail Industry
- Max
- 33.35%
- Q3
- 16.40%
- Median
- 9.28%
- Q1
- 4.05%
- Min
- -10.63%
LOW’s Operating Profit Margin of 12.35% is around the midpoint for the Specialty Retail industry, indicating that its efficiency in managing core business operations is typical for the sector.
SW
4.20%
Containers & Packaging Industry
- Max
- 22.03%
- Q3
- 13.09%
- Median
- 8.06%
- Q1
- 6.46%
- Min
- -0.07%
SW’s Operating Profit Margin of 4.20% is in the lower quartile for the Containers & Packaging industry. This indicates weaker profitability from core operations, which may stem from inefficiencies or competitive pressures on pricing.
Profitability at a Glance
| Symbol | LOW | SW |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | 264.53% | 2.94% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | 15.26% | 1.17% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | 8.20% | 1.18% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | 12.35% | 4.20% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 33.46% | 19.46% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
LOW
1.05
Specialty Retail Industry
- Max
- 2.72
- Q3
- 1.81
- Median
- 1.38
- Q1
- 1.15
- Min
- 0.52
LOW’s Current Ratio of 1.05 falls into the lower quartile for the Specialty Retail industry. This indicates a tighter liquidity situation and a more constrained capacity to handle short-term debt than many of its competitors.
SW
1.45
Containers & Packaging Industry
- Max
- 1.96
- Q3
- 1.45
- Median
- 1.33
- Q1
- 1.09
- Min
- 0.87
SW’s Current Ratio of 1.45 aligns with the median group of the Containers & Packaging industry, indicating that its short-term liquidity is in line with its sector peers.
Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)
LOW
52.23
Specialty Retail Industry
- Max
- 3.44
- Q3
- 1.57
- Median
- 0.60
- Q1
- 0.22
- Min
- 0.00
With a Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 52.23, LOW operates with exceptionally high leverage compared to the Specialty Retail industry norm. This suggests an aggressive reliance on debt financing, which can magnify returns but also significantly elevates financial risk.
SW
0.79
Containers & Packaging Industry
- Max
- 4.15
- Q3
- 2.03
- Median
- 1.20
- Q1
- 0.53
- Min
- 0.23
SW’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.79 is typical for the Containers & Packaging industry, indicating its use of leverage is in line with the sector norm. This suggests a balanced approach to its capital structure.
Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)
LOW
7.97
Specialty Retail Industry
- Max
- 48.12
- Q3
- 39.12
- Median
- 14.13
- Q1
- 3.63
- Min
- -36.00
LOW’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 7.97 is positioned comfortably within the norm for the Specialty Retail industry, indicating a standard and healthy capacity to cover its interest payments.
SW
2.41
Containers & Packaging Industry
- Max
- 13.16
- Q3
- 8.10
- Median
- 3.38
- Q1
- 2.83
- Min
- 1.06
In the lower quartile for the Containers & Packaging industry, SW’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 2.41 indicates a tighter cushion for servicing debt, suggesting less financial flexibility than many of its competitors.
Financial Strength at a Glance
| Symbol | LOW | SW |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | 1.05 | 1.45 |
| Quick Ratio (MRQ) | 0.29 | 0.95 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ) | 52.23 | 0.79 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | 7.97 | 2.41 |
Growth
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
Dividend
Dividend Yield (TTM)
LOW
1.87%
Specialty Retail Industry
- Max
- 6.48%
- Q3
- 2.84%
- Median
- 1.04%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
LOW’s Dividend Yield of 1.87% is consistent with its peers in the Specialty Retail industry, providing a dividend return that is standard for its sector.
SW
3.45%
Containers & Packaging Industry
- Max
- 7.14%
- Q3
- 4.65%
- Median
- 3.69%
- Q1
- 2.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
SW’s Dividend Yield of 3.45% is consistent with its peers in the Containers & Packaging industry, providing a dividend return that is standard for its sector.
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)
LOW
37.82%
Specialty Retail Industry
- Max
- 192.64%
- Q3
- 79.43%
- Median
- 26.55%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
LOW’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 37.82% is within the typical range for the Specialty Retail industry, suggesting a balanced approach between shareholder payouts and company reinvestment.
SW
85.87%
Containers & Packaging Industry
- Max
- 222.75%
- Q3
- 132.16%
- Median
- 65.79%
- Q1
- 28.53%
- Min
- 0.00%
SW’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 85.87% is within the typical range for the Containers & Packaging industry, suggesting a balanced approach between shareholder payouts and company reinvestment.
Dividend at a Glance
| Symbol | LOW | SW |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 1.87% | 3.45% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 37.82% | 85.87% |
Valuation
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)
LOW
20.24
Specialty Retail Industry
- Max
- 47.04
- Q3
- 27.74
- Median
- 23.51
- Q1
- 13.77
- Min
- 7.47
LOW’s P/E Ratio of 20.24 is within the middle range for the Specialty Retail industry. This suggests its valuation is in line with the sector average, representing neither a significant premium nor a discount compared to its peers.
SW
42.29
Containers & Packaging Industry
- Max
- 24.22
- Q3
- 20.28
- Median
- 17.07
- Q1
- 15.06
- Min
- 7.79
At 42.29, SW’s P/E Ratio is exceptionally high, exceeding the typical maximum for the Containers & Packaging industry. This suggests the stock may be significantly overvalued compared to its peers and implies high market expectations that could be difficult to meet.
Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)
LOW
1.66
Specialty Retail Industry
- Max
- 5.77
- Q3
- 2.79
- Median
- 1.21
- Q1
- 0.53
- Min
- 0.09
LOW’s P/S Ratio of 1.66 aligns with the market consensus for the Specialty Retail industry. This suggests its valuation, based on sales, is seen as standard and is on par with its competitors.
SW
0.50
Containers & Packaging Industry
- Max
- 1.99
- Q3
- 1.17
- Median
- 0.94
- Q1
- 0.55
- Min
- 0.31
In the lower quartile for the Containers & Packaging industry, SW’s P/S Ratio of 0.50 indicates its revenue is valued more conservatively than most of its peers. This could present a compelling opportunity if the market has overlooked its sales-generating capabilities.
Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)
LOW
316.28
Specialty Retail Industry
- Max
- 16.93
- Q3
- 7.92
- Median
- 3.98
- Q1
- 1.86
- Min
- 0.55
At 316.28, LOW’s P/B Ratio is at an extreme premium to the Specialty Retail industry. This signifies that the market’s valuation is heavily reliant on future potential rather than its current net asset value, which can be a high-risk proposition.
SW
1.23
Containers & Packaging Industry
- Max
- 4.79
- Q3
- 3.32
- Median
- 2.14
- Q1
- 1.60
- Min
- 0.89
SW’s P/B Ratio of 1.23 is in the lower quartile for the Containers & Packaging industry. From a value investing perspective, this is favorable, as it suggests the stock is trading at a discount to its net asset value and may offer a greater margin of safety.
Valuation at a Glance
| Symbol | LOW | SW |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM) | 20.24 | 42.29 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) | 1.66 | 0.50 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ) | 316.28 | 1.23 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM) | 18.05 | 42.78 |