Lowes Companies, Inc.

Lowes, headquartered in the United States, was a major home improvement retailer and currently undergoing an expansion into the Canadian market. You have just received the companys annual reports with the last three years financial results. You want to assess the retailers past financial performance, including the risk and opportunities associated with the industry, and the retailers corporate strategy. Based on your analysis, you would decide whether to invest in Lowes. Please answer all the questions in the case (if any) and the following questions:

Assess the home renovation retail industry. What risks and opportunities exist?

Analyze Lowes current strategy.

Interpret Lowes statement of cash flows for fiscal 2010-2011 and 2009-2010.

Calculate Lowes financial ratios for 2009 through 2011. Compare these ratios with the industry ratios. What implications can be drawn?

Would you invest in Lowes?

http://www.annualreports.com/HostedData/AnnualReportArchive/l/NYSE_LOW_2009.pdf

http://www.annualreports.com/HostedData/AnnualReportArchive/l/NYSE_LOW_2010.pdf