Lowe's Companies Inc. (LOW): Today's Featured Retail Winner

Lowe's Companies (LOW) pushed the Retail industry higher today making it today's featured retail winner. The industry as a whole closed the day down 0.7%. By the end of trading, Lowe's Companies rose 27 cents (1%) to $27.85 on light volume. Throughout the day, 9.3 million shares of Lowe's Companies exchanged hands as compared to its average daily volume of 15.1 million shares. The stock ranged in a price between $27.29-$27.86 after having opened the day at $27.32 as compared to the previous trading day's close of $27.58. Other companies within the Retail industry that increased today were: Duckwall-Alco Stores (DUCK), up 7.2%, Orchard Supply Hardware (OSH), up 4.1%, China Jo-Jo Drugstores (CJJD), up 3.3%, and Acorn International (ATV), up 3.3%.

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Lowe's Companies, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, operates as a home improvement retailer. It offers a range of products for maintenance, repair, remodeling, and home decorating. Lowe's Companies has a market cap of $32.5 billion and is part of the services sector. The company has a P/E ratio of 18.3, equal to the average retail industry P/E ratio and above the S&P 500 P/E ratio of 17.7. Shares are up 8.7% year to date as of the close of trading on Thursday. Currently there are 12 analysts that rate Lowe's Companies a buy, no analysts rate it a sell, and 10 rate it a hold.

TheStreet Ratings rates Lowe's Companies as a buy. The company's strengths can be seen in multiple areas, such as its increase in net income, revenue growth, growth in earnings per share, solid stock price performance and good cash flow from operations. We feel these strengths outweigh the fact that the company shows low profit margins.

• You can view the full Lowe's Companies Ratings Report.

On the negative front, Christopher & Banks Corporation (CBK), down 8.7%, Pricesmart (PSMT), down 5.1%, Guess (GES), down 4.9%, and Gordman's Stores (GMAN), down 4.4%, were all losers within the retail industry with Walgreen Company (WAG) being today's retail industry loser.

• Use our retail section to find industry-relevant news.
• Or find some new ideas from our top rated stocks lists.

For investors not wanting singular stock exposure, ETFs may be of interest. Investors who are bullish on the retail industry could consider SPDR S&P Retail ETF (XRT) while those bearish on the retail industry could consider ProShares Ultra Sht Consumer Goods (SZK).

• Find other investment ideas from our top rated ETFs lists.

For more information on Lowe's Companies Inc. click any of the following:

• Lowe's Companies Inc. Stock Price

• Lowe's Companies Inc. Analyst Ratings

• Lowe's Companies Inc. Key Stats & Profile

• Lowe's Companies Inc. Earnings

• Lowe's Companies Inc. Ratio Comparison

• Lowe's Companies Inc. Growth Rates

• Lowe's Companies Inc. Balance Sheet

• Lowe's Companies Inc. Cash Flow

• Lowe's Companies Inc. Income Statement