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LOW FY2026 Q2 LOWERED

Lowe's Companies, Inc. earnings call

Aug 19, 2026 · 09:00 ET Bill BoltzBrandon SinkJoe McFarland
Buzzberg read

Online sales grew 15.7% with AI tool Milo tripling conversion

Lowe's reported solid Q2 results with positive comps, strong online and pro growth, but guided down to the low end of its full-year outlook due to a cautious consumer, persistent DIY softness, and elevated input costs. Management highlighted competitive pricing pressure in July from rivals using tariff refunds. Q2 comp sales +0.2% with strong online (+15.7%), pro, and home services growth offsetting weak DIY demand.

Buzzberg read Online sales grew 15.7% with AI tool Milo tripling conversion Lowe's reported solid Q2 results with positive comps, strong online and pro growth, but guided down to the low end of its full-year outlook due to a cautious consumer, persistent DIY softness, and elevated input costs. Management highlighted competitive pricing pressure in July from rivals using tariff refunds. Q2 comp sales +0.2% with strong online (+15.7%), pro, and home services growth offsetting weak DIY demand. Read full analysisCollapse analysis

Lowe's reported solid Q2 results with positive comps, strong online and pro growth, but guided down to the low end of its full-year outlook due to a cautious consumer, persistent DIY softness, and elevated input costs. Management highlighted competitive pricing pressure in July from rivals using tariff refunds. Q2 comp sales +0.2% with strong online (+15.7%), pro, and home services growth offsetting weak DIY demand.

  • Full-year 2026 guidance lowered to ~$92B sales, 11.6% operating margin, and $12.25 EPS, reflecting a cautious consumer and cost pressures.
  • Management cited heightened competitive pricing in July from rivals using tariff refunds, which Lowe's chose not to match.
  • Announced rollout of Traeger grills and expansion of premium appliance assortment to capture a wider range of price points.
Revenue $25.956B +12% QoQ
EPS $4.40 +45% QoQ
Gross margin 33.04% reported
Op margin 13.67% reported

What changed this quarter

01
AI

Online sales grew 15.7% with AI tool Milo tripling conversion

Management discussed the positive impact of AI on their digital experience, specifically the online agent Milo and the internal Associate AI Companion, which have supported over 25 million questions. They noted that customers who use Milo convert at triple the rate of those who…

02
Competition

Management sees competitive pricing pressure as transitory

Q2 comp sales +0.2% with strong online (+15.7%), pro, and home services growth offsetting weak DIY demand.

03
Guidance

Full-year outlook lowered to flat comps and EPS of $12.25

Guidance · revenue to $92B

04
Competition

July comp pressured by competitor seasonal price cuts

Management cited heightened competitive pricing in July from rivals using tariff refunds, which Lowe's chose not to match.

AI, capex & demand read

AI

Platform & monetization

Management discussed the positive impact of AI on their digital experience, specifically the online agent Milo and the internal Associate AI Companion, which have supported over 25 million questions. They noted that customers who use Milo convert at triple the rate of those who do not, positioning AI as a clear driver in purchasing decisions.

Demand

Bookings & conversion

Management described a cautious consumer, with DIY discretionary demand under pressure due to macro uncertainty and elevated fuel prices. Pro and home services showed continued strength, but homeowners are prioritizing smaller repair and maintenance projects over larger remodeling jobs, reflecting a steady but cautious demand environment.

Capex

Investment and capacity

Lowe's maintained its full-year capital expenditure guidance of up to $2.5 billion, reflecting continued investment in key total home strategy initiatives. The company also committed to investing in growth platforms like FBM and ADG despite near-term pressures.

Tone · Measured

Management acknowledged persistent macro headwinds and soft DIY demand but highlighted operational discipline, strategic investments, and confidence in long-term positioning, balancing caution with reassurance.

Supply-chain alpha

A1

Lowe's saw competitive pricing pressures in July as competitors used tariff refunds to aggressively price seasonal categories, leading Lowe's to refrain from matching promotions to protect margins.

“We observed some heightened competitive pressures, primarily in July. We had competitors being aggressive on price, primarily seasonal categories.”
Marvin Ellison
A2

Lowe's noted a 'K-shaped economy' with strength in both premium and value-oriented customers, while middle-income DIY customers remain cautious.

“As Bill talked about that K-shaped economy, online is a great place to really look at that happen in real time because we see premium customers and value-oriented customers shopping.”
Marvin Ellison
A3

Lowe's is rolling out Traeger grills, which could support Traeger's revenue growth and market penetration through a major national retailer.

“We're also pleased to welcome Traeger to our already strong grilling lineup.”
Bill Boltz
A4

The transition to a new centralized communications portal for store associates resulted in 'real payroll productivity' gains, highlighting ongoing operational efficiency improvements.

“The impact of our perpetual productivity improvement effort is evident in our successful transition of all store and field associates to a new centralized communications portal.”
Joe McFarland
A5

Lowe's expects elevated fuel and transportation costs to persist into the second half of the year, offsetting any potential tariff refund benefits.

“We are now projecting that across the second half of the year, and we're actually expecting it to be a bit more elevated as we start to turn through new cost layers that built up through the first half of the year.”
Brandon Sink

Forward guidance

LoweredGuidance · revenue to $92B · was IN LINE last Q
Forward guidance
MetricPeriodRangeMidpointStatus
CapexFY2026$2.5B$2.5BGUIDED
EPSFY2026$12.25$12.25LOWERED
Op marginFY202611.6%11.6%LOWERED
RevenueFY2026$92B$92BLOWERED

Guidance credibility

3 / 3met or beat
Guidance credibility
IssuedMetricTargetGuideActualOutcome
FY2026 Q1EPSFY2026 Q2$3.00$4.40Met / beat
FY2025 Q3EPSFY2025$12.25$12.28Met / beat
FY2025 Q3RevenueFY2025$86B$86.3BMet / beat

Company read-throughs

+0.6%
since call
$48.95$49.24
Partners

Lowe's is partnering with Instacart to enable grocery delivery synced with new smart appliances.

“This refrigerator can scan everyday grocery items and automatically add them to a shared digital shopping list that then can be synced to Instacart for quick delivery.”
Bill Boltz
+1.9%
since call
$61.90$63.08
Suppliers

Lowe's saw positive comps in rough plumbing, with A.O. Smith products driving sales in HVAC and water heaters.

“Within rough plumbing, we drove sales in HVAC, water heaters, and air circulation, supported by trusted brands like A.O. Smith and SharkBite, whose solutions make installation fast and simple.”
Bill Boltz
-3.8%
since call
$48.66$46.83
Suppliers

Lowe's saw positive comps in lumber, with Trex and TimberTech driving sales in composite decking.

-19.1%
since call
$32.00$25.90
Suppliers

Lowe's completed its exclusive rollout of Cree light bulbs, which could drive market share gains for the supplier.

-7.4%
since call
$377.01$349.00
Suppliers

Lowe's is expanding into premium appliances with brands like Cafe, presenting a growth opportunity for those suppliers.

since call
Suppliers

Lowe's is adding new Bosch 4-volt products, indicating continued partnership and innovation with the supplier.

+2.0%
since call
$39.75$40.54
-0.9%
since call
$9,590.00$9,500.00
Suppliers

Lowe's continued to see strong demand for appliances, with Whirlpool among the key brands driving performance.

+9.1%
since call
$593.52$647.76
+2.6%
since call
$96.91$99.44
since call
Suppliers

Lowe's saw strong demand in outdoor power equipment, with John Deere as a key differentiating brand.

+0.9%
since call
$99.05$99.98
Suppliers

Lowe's is expanding into premium appliances with brands like KitchenAid, presenting a growth opportunity for those suppliers.

+0.4%
since call
$55.17$55.37
SuppliersSupply-chain alpha

Lowe's is rolling out Traeger grills, which could support Traeger's revenue growth and market penetration through a major national retailer. — Traeger's channel expansion into Lowe's stores is a potential positive catalyst for the company's sales growth.

-1.5%
since call
$341.08$335.96
Supply chainSupply-chain alpha

Lowe's saw competitive pricing pressures in July as competitors used tariff refunds to aggressively price seasonal categories, leading Lowe's to refrain from matching promotions to protect margins. — Indicates Home Depot likely used its tariff refunds to drive sales and market share, potentially impacting future pricing dynamics in the home improvement sector.