Swot Analysis For Lowe's

Lowes is currently involved in all sorts of different initiatives in order to boost sales during this current economic down turn. The first thing the company focuses on is the mindset of the average consumer. Lowes has discovered through lots of research the people basically want five things: balance, control, value, simplicity, and to shop for everything in one trip. In order to accomplish these five things, Lowes has focused on improving its skills in the following three areas: merchandising strategy, merchandise selection, marketing and advertising, and offering higher value at lower prices in order

In 1979, they opened three Home Depot outlets in the Atlanta area, adding fourth outlet in 1980. The next year Home Depot when public, opened four stores in South Florida, and posted sales of $50 million. After opening two more stores and making sales of $100 million in 1982, the company was named Retailer of the Year in the home building supply industry. The chain entered Louisiana and Arizona next.

While Lowes has a smaller debt-to-asset ratio (~.64 compared to Home Depot’s ~.69) and a smaller debt-to-equity ratio (~1.76 compared to Home Depot’s ~2.24), the future liquidity and solvency of the company could come into question due to Lowes’s low current ratio, which has consistently trended downward, dropping from ~1.28 to ~1.16, over the past three years.

Lowe’s community involvement is in the spirit of their community mission statement “Being a good neighbor means being committed to improving the places our employees and customers call home. We see that as an investment in our future” (Lowe 's,

Established as the older company of the two, Lowe’s ranks forty-second as a Fortune 500 company. Established in 1946 as a small hardware business, Lowe’s has grown into a 40,000 product, global market enterprise that consist of 1,710 stores nationwide expanding into the countries of Canada, Mexico and Australia (Lowe's Internal, 2010) Home Depot, founded in 1978, is the fastest growing retailer in the United States. Ranked twenty-ninth as a Fortune 500 company, Home Depot continues to remain the number one do-it-yourself retail store in America. These two companies may sell products of the same nature, but comparing their Code of Ethics is their way of setting themselves apart. (Home Depot Internal, 2009)

Lowe’s also offers several development opportunities and resources through the company’s Generous Tuition Reimbursement Program, Certified CPE course offerings, Management Development programs through the Lowe’s Leadership Institute, and skill and competence development courses (“Learning and Developing”, n.d.). The Home Depot continues to give raises, bonuses, and develop and promote employees with good work ethics. Home Depot typically promotes from within the company.

Lowe’s Companies, Inc., is a $26.5 billion company that employs 122,000 people. It is the world’s second largest home improvement retailer and the 14th largest retailer in the United States as well as the 30th worldwide. Lowe’s owns 854 stores in 44 states and serves eight million do-it-yourself and commercial customers weekly. Headquartered in Wilkesboro, N.C., Lowe’s has been in business for 57 years and publicly held for 41 with stock listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol LOW. The company offers products and services in home improvement, home décor, home maintenance, home repair and remodeling and lawn and garden.

Lowe’s is the world’s second largest home improvement retailer and operated 952 stores in forty five states at their fiscal year ending January 30, 2004. The company is currently in the midst of the most aggressive expansion in its history with 130 new stores opened in 2003 and another 140 slated for this year. Lowe’s saw 2003 sales reach approximately $30.8 billion, due largely to their focus on the retail customers and home-improvement projects.

Wheatsfield Co-Op is a locally owned grocery store where you can find not only find the highest quality organic, local, and natural foods, but also natural products that promote a healthy lifestyle. With a friendly, small town atmosphere, the Co-Op is a friendly place to shop and their prices compete with bigger box stores like Whole Foods. Signage along the aisles help to identify which products are sourced locally so you can make a conscious effort to support your local farmers and businesses.

However, in 1999, Lowe’s recorded very high sales growth alongside its expansion in preparation for the new millennium. From 1999 to 2001, Lowe’s began to assert itself as a worthy competitor for Home Depot, embodied in its significantly better margins and turnover ratios despite the recessionary economic environment. This improvement in ratios is indicative of positive change in the management of the

Lowe’s Companies, Inc. is the fourteenth largest retailer in America, and overall the world’s second largest home improvement retailer. They are the 108th ranked corporation on the Fortune 500 top corporations list. With an impressive in store stock of 40,000 home improvement items on hand, ranging from lumber to Home décor items, plus an additional 400,000 home improvement items available through a special order program. Lowe’s provides a onetime stop for all home improvement needs, for both the Do-It-Yourselfer, and the ever-expanding market of the Commercial Business Customer.

Home Depot is one of the few businesses that come to mind when thinking about home improvement and do it yourself projects. But, it is not necessarily the first one that comes to mind considering its competitors like Lowe 's, Ace Hardware, or True Value. In 1978 when Home Depot was founded by Bernie Marcus and Arthur Blank its growth seemed unstoppable. This is most evident by looking at financials of the organization, in 1981 stock options were opened to the public and by 1984 Home Depot was listed on the New York Stock Exchange (The Home Depot: Investor Relations). In 2000, cofounders Marcus and Blank retired and at this time the decision was made to bring in Bob

When The Home Depot was founded in 1978, Bernie Marcus and Arthur Blank had no idea how revolutionary this new ?hardware store? would be for home improvement and the retail industry. The Home Depot sells from building materials to furniture, everting about your home improvement. Today, the Home Depot is the world 's largest home improvement specialty retailer, with 2,274 retail stores in the United States, Puerto Rico, the territories of the U.S. Virgin Islands and Guam, Canada and Mexico. 1,977 stores of them in the U.S. about 385,000 Employees around the world. As of the end of the first quarter of 2016, The Home Depot about 298 international operations represent 13.1 percent of store base. The Company has been already the largest home improvement retailer in Mexico, in addition to the U.S. The Home Depot entered Canada in 1994 and Mexico in 2001 through a combination of acquisitions and organic growth. Both markets are examples of how The Home Depot combines its vast knowledge of the home improvement industry with the needs, shopping trends and customs of each unique geography to best serve customers.

Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. was started by Sam Walton in Newport, Arkansas in 1946 in an effort to “help people save money so they can live better” and was achieved by keeping sales prices lower than his competitors by reducing his profit margin. From this simple concept the company has grown to nearly 3000 stores in 14 countries and is the world’s largest company in terms of revenue bringing in a staggering average of $401 billion annually. In addition to the Wal-Mart supercenters you now have the Wal-Mart neighborhood markets as well as Sam’s clubs that have begun to pop up all over since 1984. The ability to offer value and service to customers has largely determined their

At the event of any change to the company may it be negative or positive, profitable or non-profitable their will be an adverse effect to the stakeholders. Such effects are as follows: increase on overall sales of the company will yield increase on shares and earnings to either shareholders, employees and business owners; which in-turn will create profit that could be use for company expansion and purchasing of additional tools to use for improvement; that will lead in helping increase customers service elevating the aid provided to our customers; and also by increasing sales will also mean profit for Lowe’s vendors and suppliers, and so on…