Lowe's Cos. (NYSE: LOW) reported Q4 EPS of $0.86, $0.07 better than the analyst estimate of $0.79. Revenue for the quarter came in at $15.78 billion versus the consensus estimate of $15.39 billion.

Comparable sales for the U.S. business increased 5.1 percent for the fourth quarter and 4.1 percent for the fiscal year.

GUIDANCE:

• Lowe's Cos. sees FY2017 EPS of $4.64, versus the consensus of $4.53.
• Total sales are expected to increase approximately 5 percent
• Comparable sales are expected to increase approximately 3.5 percent
• The company expects to add approximately 35 home improvement and hardware stores.
• Earnings before interest and taxes as a percentage of sales (operating margin) are expected to increase approximately 120 basis points2.
• The effective income tax rate is expected to be approximately 37.8%.

"We achieved strong fourth quarter results, delivering comparable sales growth and adjusted earnings per share above our expectations," commented Robert A. Niblock, Lowe's chairman, president and CEO. "We leveraged our omni-channel platform, customer experience design capabilities, and project expertise to drive strong holiday performance and capitalize on broad-based project demand throughout the quarter. Our success is a testament to our employees and I'd like to thank them for their dedication and purposeful commitment to serving the evolving needs of customers.

"We;ve entered 2017 well-positioned to capitalize on a favorable macroeconomic backdrop for home improvement by continuing to execute on our strategies to expand customer reach and develop capabilities to anticipate and support their needs. We remain committed to making productivity a core strength and investing in future capabilities that will add the most value for customers. We have the vision, the drive, the plan, and the leadership team to deliver long-term value for customer and shareholders," Niblock added.

For earnings history and earnings-related data on Lowe's Cos. (LOW) click here.