Lowe’s earnings top estimates as same-store sales jump 28%, warns some DIY trends could fade

Lowe’s said Wednesday that its fourth-quarter same-store sales climbed 28.1%, as consumers continued to spend money on home projects during the pandemic.

That’s higher than the 22% growth that analysts expected, according to StreetAccount.

Shares of the company were up less than 1% in premarket trading.

Here’s what the company reported for the quarter ended Jan. 29 compared with what Wall Street was expecting, based on a survey of analysts by Refinitiv:

• Earnings per share: $1.33, adjusted, vs. $1.21 expected
• Revenue: $20.31 billion vs. $19.48 billion expected

Lowe’s reported fourth-quarter net income of $978 million, or $1.32 per share, up from $509 million, or 66 cents per share, a year earlier.

Excluding items, it earned $1.33 per share, exceeding the $1.21 per share expected by analysts surveyed by Refinitiv.

Net sales rose to $20.31 billion, outpacing analysts’ expectations of $19.48 billion.

Sales at its U.S. stores open at least a year and online grew by 28.6% in the quarter.

Lowe’s reiterated its prior forecast. At an investor day in December, Lowe’s Chief Financial Officer David Denton said home improvement sales will likely decline in 2021 as more people get Covid-19 vaccines and spend more time outside of their homes. He said the retailer’s outlook for 2021 anticipates a between 5% and 7% drop in demand for the home improvement sector on a mix adjusted basis.

As of Tuesday’s close, Lowe’s shares are up nearly 35% over the past year. The company’s market value is $123.53 billion.

This story is developing and will be updated.