Lowe's sticks to forecasts amid muted US housing market, flags cost pressures
By Anuja Bharat Mistry
May 20 (Reuters) - Lowe's on Wednesday joined larger rival Home Depot in signaling a squeeze from the subdued U.S. housing market, and said elevated oil prices were fueling higher transportation and input costs.
U.S. consumer sentiment slumped to a record low in early May and a popular mortgage rate rose last month, as the Iran war pushed up oil prices and Treasury yields, piling more pressure on a market already strained by elevated home prices.
Lowe's executives on a post-earnings call said that the impact of rising costs was building in the current quarter without providing further details.
The company's shares were up about 1% in afternoon trading.
PRO DEMAND POWERS STRONG QUARTER
Lowe's, which expects the broader market to remain flat this year, retained its target of fiscal 2026 comparable sales of flat to up 2% and adjusted profit per share of between $12.25 and $12.75.
With housing turnover at historic lows, retailers like Lowe's are losing out on a key source of renovation demand, though maintained guidance signals confidence that Pro strength can offset do-it-yourself softness, said Zak Stambor, analyst with eMarketer.
A report from the National Association of Realtors earlier this month showed listed houses were staying longer on the market relative to the same period last year.
Like Home Depot, Lowe's also beat first-quarter sales estimates on steady growth in professional (Pro)-driven categories, particularly in rough plumbing and electrical wiring.
Lowe's has been investing in its Pro segment serving small-to-medium contractors, carpenters and builders by expanding assortments and offering job-site delivery.
"We are operating in a K-shaped economy where the higher-income consumers are spending on home upgrades, while the lower-income consumers are a little bit more cautious and uncertain," CEO Marvin Ellison said on the post-earnings call.
Comparable average ticket for the first quarter rose 1.5%, while comparable transactions dipped 0.9%.
"While tougher compares lie ahead, LOW has proven its ability to gain share through challenging backdrops," Jefferies analysts said in a note.
Quarterly sales of $23.08 billion beat estimates of $22.97 billion, according to data compiled by LSEG, while adjusted profit of $3.03 per share topped expectations of $2.97.
(Reporting by Anuja Bharat Mistry in Bengaluru; Editing by Sriraj Kalluvila)