— Diluted EPS of $4.17; Adjusted Diluted EPS1 of $4.10 —
— Comparable Sales Decreased 5.1% —
— Updates Full Year 2024 Outlook —
MOORESVILLE, N.C., Aug. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Lowe's Companies, Inc. (NYSE:LOW) today reported net earnings of $2.4 billion and diluted earnings per share (EPS) of $4.17 for the quarter ended Aug. 2, 2024, compared to diluted EPS of $4.56 in the second quarter of 2023. During the second quarter, the Company recognized a $43 million pre-tax gain associated with the 2022 sale of the Canadian retail business. This positively impacted second quarter diluted EPS by $0.07. Excluding this gain, second quarter 2024 adjusted diluted EPS1 was $4.10.
Total sales for the quarter were $23.6 billion, compared to $25.0 billion in the prior-year quarter. Comparable sales for the quarter decreased 5.1% driven by continued pressure in DIY bigger ticket discretionary spending and unfavorable weather adversely impacting sales in seasonal and other outdoor categories, partially offset by positive comparable sales in Pro and online.
"The company delivered strong operating performance and improved customer service despite a challenging macroeconomic backdrop, especially for the homeowner. At the same time, we continue to build momentum with our Total Home strategy reflected by our mid-single-digit positive comps with the Pro customer this quarter," said Marvin R. Ellison, Lowe's chairman, president and CEO. "As we look ahead, we are confident that we are making the right long-term investments to take share when the market recovers. I'd like to extend my appreciation to our dedicated frontline associates who remain committed to serving our customers."
As of Aug. 2, 2024, Lowe's operated 1,746 stores representing 194.9 million square feet of retail selling space.
Capital AllocationThrough a disciplined capital program, the company continues to deliver long-term, sustainable shareholder value. During the quarter, the company repurchased approximately 4.4 million shares for $1.0 billion, and it paid $629 million in dividends.
Lowe's Business Outlook
Based on lower-than-expected DIY sales and a pressured macroeconomic environment, the company is updating its outlook for the operating results of full year 2024.
Adjusted operating income, adjusted operating margin, adjusted effective income tax rate and adjusted diluted EPS are non-GAAP financial measures that exclude the gain associated with the 2022 sale of the Canadian retail business, recorded in the second quarter. The company does not provide a reconciliation for non-GAAP estimates on a forward-looking basis where it is unable to provide a meaningful or accurate calculation or estimation of reconciling items (which may be significant) without unreasonable effort, including timing of adjustments associated with the sale of our Canadian retail business.
Full Year 2024 Outlook
Total sales of $82.7 to $83.2 billion (previously $84 to $85 billion)
Comparable sales expected to be down -3.5 to -4.0% as compared to prior year (previously down -2 to -3%)
Adjusted operating income as a percentage of sales (adjusted operating margin) of 12.4 to 12.5% (previously 12.6 to 12.7%)
Net interest expense of approximately $1.4 billion
Adjusted effective income tax rate of approximately 24.5% (previously 25%)
Adjusted diluted earnings per share of approximately $11.70 to $11.90 (previously $12.00 to $12.30)
Capital expenditures of approximately $2 billion
A conference call to discuss second quarter 2024 operating results is scheduled for today, Tuesday, Aug. 20, at 9 a.m. ET. The conference call will be available by webcast and can be accessed by visiting Lowe's website at ir.lowes.com and clicking on Lowe's Second Quarter 2024 Earnings Conference Call Webcast. Supplemental slides will be available approximately 15 minutes prior to the start of the conference call. A replay of the call will be archived at ir.lowes.com.
Lowe's Companies, Inc.
Lowe's Companies, Inc. (NYSE:LOW) is a FORTUNE® 50 home improvement company serving approximately 16 million customer transactions a week in the United States. With total fiscal year 2023 sales of more than $86 billion, Lowe's operates over 1,700 home improvement stores and employs approximately 300,000 associates. Based in Mooresville, N.C., Lowe's supports the communities it serves through programs focused on creating safe, affordable housing and helping to develop the next generation of skilled trade experts. For more information, visit Lowes.com.
Disclosure Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This press release includes "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Statements including words such as "believe", "expect", "anticipate", "plan", "desire", "project", "estimate", "intend", "will", "should", "could", "would", "may", "strategy", "potential", "opportunity", "outlook", "scenario", "guidance", and similar expressions are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve, among other things, expectations, projections, and assumptions about future financial and operating results, objectives (including objectives related to environmental and social matters), business outlook, priorities, sales growth, shareholder value, capital expenditures, cash flows, the housing market, the home improvement industry, demand for products and services including customer acceptance of new offerings and initiatives, macroeconomic conditions and consumer spending, share repurchases, and Lowe's strategic initiatives, including those relating to acquisitions and dispositions and the impact of such transactions on our strategic and operational plans and financial results. Such statements involve risks and uncertainties, and we can give no assurance that they will prove to be correct. Actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied in such statements.
A wide variety of potential risks, uncertainties, and other factors could materially affect our ability to achieve the results either expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements including, but not limited to, changes in general economic conditions, such as volatility and/or lack of liquidity from time to time in U.S. and world financial markets and the consequent reduced availability and/or higher cost of borrowing to Lowe's and its customers, slower rates of growth in real disposable personal income that could affect the rate of growth in consumer spending, inflation and its impacts on discretionary spending and on our costs, shortages, and other disruptions in the labor supply, interest rate and currency fluctuations, home price appreciation or decreasing housing turnover, age of housing stock, the availability of consumer credit and of mortgage financing, trade policy changes or additional tariffs, outbreaks of pandemics, fluctuations in fuel and energy costs, inflation or deflation of commodity prices, natural disasters, geopolitical or armed conflicts, acts of both domestic and international terrorism, and other factors that can negatively affect our customers.
Investors and others should carefully consider the foregoing factors and other uncertainties, risks and potential events including, but not limited to, those described in "Item 1A - Risk Factors" in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and as may be updated from time to time in Item 1A in our quarterly reports on Form 10-Q or other subsequent filings with the SEC. All such forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made, and we do not undertake any obligation to update these statements other than as required by law.
LOW-IR
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1 Adjusted diluted earnings per share is a non-GAAP financial measure. Refer to the "Non-GAAP Financial Measures Reconciliation" section of this release for additional information, as well as reconciliations between the Company's GAAP and non-GAAP financial results.
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Contacts:
Shareholder/Analyst Inquiries:
Media Inquiries:
Kate Pearlman
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704-775-3856
Lowe's Companies, Inc.
Consolidated Statements of Current Earnings and Accumulated Deficit (Unaudited)
In Millions, Except Per Share and Percentage Data
Three Months Ended
Six Months Ended
August 2, 2024
August 4, 2023
August 2, 2024
August 4, 2023
Current Earnings
Amount
% Sales
Amount
% Sales
Amount
% Sales
Amount
% Sales
Net sales
$ 23,586
100.00
$ 24,956
100.00
$ 44,950
100.00
$ 47,304
100.00
Cost of sales
15,691
66.53
16,557
66.34
29,965
66.66
31,378
66.33
Gross margin
7,895
33.47
8,399
33.66
14,985
33.34
15,926
33.67
Expenses:
Selling, general and administrative
4,025
17.07
4,086
16.38
8,034
17.88
7,912
16.73
Depreciation and amortization
423
1.79
427
1.71
851
1.89
841
1.78
Operating income
3,447
14.61
3,886
15.57
6,100
13.57
7,173
15.16
Interest – net
317
1.34
341
1.36
669
1.49
689
1.45
Pre-tax earnings
3,130
13.27
3,545
14.21
5,431
12.08
6,484
13.71
Income tax provision
747
3.17
872
3.50
1,294
2.88
1,551
