Lowe's, the home improvement retailer, reported first quarter earnings for the fiscal year 2024 on May 21, 2024. The company's net income fell to $1.76 billion or $3.06 per share from $2.26 billion or $3.77 per share in the same quarter last year (Q1 FY2023). Sales dropped to $21.36 billion from $22.35 billion in the previous year (May 3, 20 twenty-three to May 3, 20 twenty-four).
Despite the decline in sales and net income, Lowe's beat Wall Street expectations for both earnings per share ($3.06 vs $2.94) and revenue ($21.36 billion vs $21.12 billion). The company attributed the decline in sales to a decrease in DIY (do-it-yourself) spending, which accounted for about 80% of Lowe's business.
Lowe's CEO, Marvin Ellison, stated that the home improvement customer is still expressing concerns about higher cost of living and the state of the overall economy. He also mentioned that a mix of factors kept customers from spending more freely, including continued pressure from inflation and uncertainty around when the Federal Reserve may cut interest rates.
Lowe's reported a decline in comparable sales (sales at stores open for at least one year) of 4.1%. This was an improvement compared to the previous quarter's decline of 4.3%. The company anticipates total sales for FY2024 to be between $84 billion and $85 billion, with earnings per share estimated around $12 to $12.30.
Lowe's competitors, Home Depot, also reported their Q1 earnings on May 17, 2024. Home Depot missed revenue expectations due to a tougher housing market and a delayed start to the spring season. The company expects total sales for FY2024 to be around $135 billion with earnings per share estimated at $9.85.
Despite the decline in sales, Lowe's stock closed Monday, May 20, 2024 at $229.17 and has gained nearly 3% this year compared to the S&P 500's gains of around 11%.