Lowe’s stock edges higher while Home Depot slips; traders eye Feb. 25 earnings call

NEW YORK, Jan 12, 2026, 15:44 EST — Regular session

• Lowe’s shares climbed roughly 1.1% in afternoon trading, edging out gains at Home Depot.
• After a shaky start, markets found their footing as investors dug into rate risks and the latest inflation figures for the week.
• Lowe’s is set to report earnings on Feb. 25; the dividend record date falls on Jan. 21.

Lowe’s Companies, Inc. shares climbed 1.1% to $270.09 in afternoon trading Monday. Meanwhile, rival Home Depot slipped 0.6%. Lowe’s stock fluctuated between $263.83 and $270.98, with roughly 1.9 million shares traded.

Wall Street steadied following an initial dip sparked by fresh concerns over the Federal Reserve’s independence. The Dow slipped 0.12%, while the S&P 500 crept up 0.07% and the Nasdaq gained 0.33%, according to Reuters.

For Lowe’s, this environment hits home since home-improvement spending tracks closely with borrowing costs and how often houses change hands. When rates fluctuate sharply, big projects often get put on hold, causing the stock to move in step with bonds—even if there’s no new company update.

Lowe’s is set to hold its fourth-quarter earnings call on Feb. 25 at 9 a.m. EST. Investors will zero in on comparable sales — which exclude new store openings and closures — looking for clues on whether demand is leveling off as we head into 2026.

Recent buzz has circled around tech and how retailers stop shoppers from straying to third-party search engines. At NRF 2026 on Sunday, Lowe’s omnichannel and ecommerce tech chief Neelima Sharma emphasized that “it was also about trust.” Meanwhile, Abercrombie & Fitch’s Samir Desai told the crowd, “We’re moving away from basic keywords to much more of a conversation.” National Retail Federation

Over the past year, Lowe’s has juggled two priorities: maintaining DIY shoppers focused on small repairs while also chasing the more reliable, higher-value contracts from professional contractors. Home Depot has targeted that same market aggressively.

In its November earnings update, Lowe’s lowered its annual sales and profit forecasts despite beating profit estimates, citing a slowdown in major renovations. CEO Marvin Ellison noted sales gained momentum in November, while CFRA analyst Arun Sundaram highlighted Lowe’s recent acquisitions as offering “crucial exposure to the homebuilder segment.”

Lowe’s announced a quarterly cash dividend of $1.20 per share, payable Feb. 4. Shareholders recorded by Jan. 21 qualify for the payout, the company said. That date has turned into a key checkpoint for income-focused investors watching the stock.

Lowe’s latest financial update dates back to November, as shown on its press-release page, leaving the stock to respond mainly to broader market trends and positioning before the next earnings. That setup tends to fuel sharper swings in either direction.

The risk is clear: with rates holding steady at high levels and household budgets under pressure, large projects may fail to return, pushing retailers to rely more on promotions to clear inventory. A slip in margins or a cautious outlook for spring could easily weigh on a stock that’s been on the rise.

Traders are juggling two key dates: U.S. inflation figures and early bank earnings this week, both crucial for rate expectations. On the company front, Lowe’s Feb. 25 earnings report will be the next major indicator of whether home-improvement spending is actually picking up.