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Lowe's (LOW) Rides High on Growth Strategies: Apt to Hold

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Lowe's Companies, Inc. (LOW - Free Report) appears robust thanks to investments in technology, merchandise category and strength in the Pro business. A strong digital base has been aiding the company’s performance for a while. LOW’s Total Home strategy, including complete solutions for various home improvement needs, also bodes well. Let’s delve deeper.

Detailing Strategies

A strong digital base has been aiding the company’s performance for a while. Management continues to make investments in omnichannel capabilities to drive growth. These areas include expanding the online assortment, boosting the user experience and improving fulfillment.

Management has been expanding Lowes.com’s assortment to efficiently cater to customers' designs and lifestyles. Apparently, sales at Lowes.com increased 12% in the third quarter of fiscal 2022 from the year-ago fiscal quarter’s reported figure. This represents about 10% sales penetration. The company is focused on enhancing omnichannel retailing capabilities in store operations, website and supply chain with an aim to resonate well with the customers’ demand to shop, however, whenever and wherever they like.

Lowe’s is also expanding its market delivery strategy by adding bulky products in Florida, like patios, grills, riding lawnmowers, appliances and many more.  Management is on track to advance the same-day and next-day fulfillment capabilities. It constantly pilots various gig network solutions, such as partnering with Instacart across many markets with same-day DIY home delivery.

Management has launched Lowe's One Roof Media Network and looks forward to boosting digital advertising. Meanwhile, its focus on perpetual productivity improvement or the PPI initiative has also been yielding results as the company leverages store payroll by using technology to lower tasking hours, improve customer service and drive sales productivity.

Lowe's Total Home strategy includes providing complete solutions for various types of home repair and improvement needs. The strategy is an extension of the company’s retail-fundamentals approach. Management highlighted that this strategy focuses on strengthening customer engagement and market share, especially through an intensified focus on Pro customers. Moreover, the initiative includes improving online business, refurbishing installation services as well as enhancing localization efforts.

Pro customers have been a significant driver in Lowe's business growth. The company has been focused on its pro-focused brands. Lowe’s had refurbished its pro-service business website, LowesForPros.com, in order to cater to the needs of Pro-customers.

Continued focus on the Pro category is a very significant component of the Total Home strategy. In the fiscal third quarter, pro sales jumped 16% year over year and 36% on a two-year basis. This marks the 10th straight quarter of a double-digit Pro sales increase.

Management is quite focused on enhancing the Pro offering across the company’s stores and online with improved service levels, deeper inventory quantities, intuitive store layout and more Pro national brands. The Pro segment is expected to continue its momentum with improved in-stock inventory levels, enhanced service offerings and a Pro loyalty program.

What’s More?

This renowned home-improvement retailer has gained 14.6% in the past six months compared to the industry’s 15.6% growth. A long-term expected earnings growth rate of 13.2% coupled with a VGM Score of A further speaks volumes for this current Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) stock’s potential.

Zacks Investment Research
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Lowe’s fiscal 2022 sales and earnings per share (EPS) is currently pegged at $97.4 billion and $13.75, respectively. These estimates suggest growth of 1.2% and 14.2%, respectively, from the year-ago fiscal quarter’s corresponding figures, raising analysts’ optimism about the stock.
 
In a nutshell, Lowe’s is well-poised for growth, given the above-discussed tailwinds.

Solid Picks in Retail

We highlighted three better-ranked stocks, namely Tecnoglass (TGLS - Free Report) , Wingstop (WING - Free Report) and Capri Holdings (CPRI - Free Report) .

Tecnoglass manufactures and sells architectural glass and windows, and aluminum products for the residential and commercial construction industries. TGLS currently sports a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Tecnoglass’ next financial-year sales and EPS suggests growth of 111.2% and 9%, respectively, from the year-ago reported figures. TGLS has a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 26.9%, on average.

Wingstop, which franchises and operates restaurants, currently holds a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). The company has a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 5.8%, on average.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Wingstop’s next financial-year sales and EPS suggests growth of 18.4% and 16.1%, respectively, from the year-ago reported numbers. WING has an expected EPS growth rate of 12% for three-five years.

Capri Holdings, a global fashion luxury group of iconic brands like Versace, Jimmy Choo and Michael Kors, carries a Zacks Rank of 2 at present.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Capri Holdings’ current financial-year sales and EPS suggests growth of 0.9% and 10.6%, respectively, from the corresponding year-ago tallies. CPRI has a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 21%, on average.

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