...Lowe’s Company Lowe's Company is a publicly traded company and is listed on the New York Stock Exchange. Lowe's is the world's second largest home improvement retailer operating stores in the United States, Mexico and Canada (second to Home Depot). Lowe's operates more than 1,700 stores. The Company offers approximately 40,000 products in a line of home decorating, maintenance, repair, remodeling and property maintenance products and services. Lowe's has been helping our customers improve the places they call home for more than 60 years. Founded in 1946, Lowe’s has grown from a small hardware store to the second-largest home improvement retailer worldwide. Lowe's ranked 54 on the FORTUNE 500 list, two-time winner of the ENERGY STAR Sustained Excellence Award in Retail, contributed more than $32 million to schools and community organizations and Best Employers for Healthy Lifestyles Award, Platinum Winner. In 2010, Lowe's and Lowe's Charitable and Educational Foundation supported more than 3,100 community and education projects in the United States, Canada and Mexico through grants totaling more than $30 million. Lowe’s take a collaborative approach to improving the communities they serve. Lowe’s believe they can make the most progress through partnerships. They partnered with 15 major nonprofit organizations in 2010. With Lowe's recent expansion to Mexico and from eastern to western Canada, they continue to build new relationships that will help serve the...
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...Porter’s Five Forces A competitive strategy must meet the opportunities and threats inherent in the external environment; it should be based on an understanding of industry and economic change. Porter identifies five forces that shape every industry and which determine the intensity and direction of competition and therefore the profitability of an industry. The objective of strategic planning is to modify these competitive forces such that the organization’s position is improved. Management can then decide, based on the information given by the Five Forces model, how to influence or to exploit industry characteristics. Bargaining Power of Suppliers The term “suppliers” comprises all sources for inputs necessary to provide products. And “supplier power” refers to their relative bargaining power, which, when high, allows significant influence on the industry and expropriation of profits. Home Depot’s expense controls and cost initiatives – its core competencies – derive in part from efficient supply chain management. The company also plans to centralize purchasing operations and to decrease merchandise inventories, both of which will further reduce the power of its suppliers. That the primary source of both planned and actual efficiencies in this area, however, derive largely from cost initiatives and financial policy, points to the firm’s emphasis on cost leadership. But Lowe’s has already established centralized logistics systems based not so much on economies...
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...Mingle Li | | Fin 470 Oct 16, 2011 Value Line Publishing There are two leaders for retail building-supply industry: Home Depot and Lowe’s, the two companies captured more than third of the total sale of the industry. Home Depot hold 22.9% market shares of the industry and Lowe’s hold 10.8% market share. Two companies are head to head competitor but focus on different market, Home Depot focused on large metropolitan areas and Lowe’s focused on rural area. Two companies both maintained online stores. Lowe’s has its own Web site: “Accent & Style” and focused on professional customer. Home Depot developed new type of retail stores in urban area and provide products and services in a compact format. Home Depot developed its first international retailer in 1994 and 10% of Home Depot international stores were built in global area at the end of 2001. Home Depot has 1,333 stores and 256,300 employees in 2001 and Lowe’s has 744 stores and 108,317 employees in the same period time. Return on equity shows how well a company uses investment funds to generate earnings growth. Generally a return on equity between 15% and 20% are considered desirable. Home Depot’s five year returns on equity all between 15% and 20% and Lowe’s five year returns on equity mostly less than 15%. The data prove Home Depot got higher net earnings than Lowe’s. Gross margin can use to determine the value of increasing sales. The higher gross margin means the company does a better job on turning...
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...Lucius S. Lowe started Lowe’s in 1921. During the 1950’s Lowe’s opened more hardware stores, primarily in small town in the southeastern United States. Lowe’s went public in 1961 and was successful at merchandising and financial management. In the 1980’s due to competition from Home Depot, Lowe’s joined the bandwagon and joined the big-box type store. Lowe’s has a vast market, which includes, homeowners, renters, and commercial business customers. Lowe’s focuses on, meeting the group of customers needs, Creators, as they feel meeting the Creators discerning needs this will help to exceed the needs of other customers. Lowe’s wants to be the first choice among customers when it comes to home improvement. Realizing customers would like a full solution to home improvement. Lowe’s does this by partnering with the customer through the improvement process by offering inspiration, planning, completion and enjoyment. They have three goals, possibilities, support and value. Lowe’s offers a wide array of merchandise stocking 40,000 or more items, and special order items. Lowe’s installation is offered through independent contractors. Lowe's is an Authorized Service Repair Network allowing a customer to contact Lowe’s with a problem and get a solution. They also have a store credit card, which offers a five percent discount on everyday purchases and if a purchase if over $299, the customer may choose the five percent discount or no interest financing. The commercial credit...
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...Strategic Audit of Lowe’s Companies, Inc. | Explore Page 1 of 70 Home Blog Contact Site Map Explore Learn. Live. Share. http://www.jacobcamp.com/2011/05/29/strategic-audit-of-lowes-companies-inc/ 5/25/2012 Strategic Audit of Lowe’s Companies, Inc. | Explore Page 2 of 70 Strategic Audit of Lowe’s Companies, I May 29, 2011 | Business Development,ERP,General Business Home » Blog » General Business » Business Development » Strategic Audit of Lowe’s Companies, In Click for PDF: Lowe’s U.S. Strategic Audit Spring 2011 Lowe’s Company, Incorporated is a home improvement retailer that has stores throughout the Unit following report is a student strategic audit for Mike Anderson’s strategic management course at th undergraduate student project team was composed of the following people: Keelie Cox, Alicia Kelly Wu, and myself (Jacob Camp) I. Executive Summary This report critically overviews the U.S. Division of Lowe’s Company, Incorporated. The purpose of accurate and current representation of Lowe’s through research using a variety of sources, method statements, recommendations, or opinions offered herein are only perspectives from the respective state that these aforementioned statements will come to fruition. The current operations, performance, and policies of Lowe’s will most certainly lead the company t the fortunate position to avert disaster. A note of exceptionally good news is that Lowe’s was evalu with a probability...
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...Accounting/Financial Analysis Of Lowe's Inc. 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. Fifty eight years ago Lowe’s began as North Wilkesboro Hardware Company, a neighborhood hardware store fittingly named after the small town it was located in. Owned by partners H. Carl Buchan and James Lowe, this concept was more than a living, it was a vision of creating a chain of hardware stores. The concept was easy and straight forward. Lowe’s concentrated on selling only hardware, appliances and hard-to-find building materials while eliminating wholesalers and dealing directly with manufacturers to establish a reputation of offering the lowest prices. The company went public in 1961 and began trading on the New York Stock Exchange in 1979 (NYSE:LOW). In 1982, Lowe’s had its first billion-dollar sales year, earning a record profit of $25 million, establishing them as an industry force. Lowe’s has posted extremely strong numbers in the past few years and the company has grown rapidly, swelling it’s store base from 500 to over 950. Sales have increased an average of 20% per year...
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...industry are Home Depot and Lowe’s. Each has their eye on moving into international markets, each has superstores in all 50 states and each has evolved along different paths to reach their current positions. According to Fortune 500 Home Depot, Inc. is ranked at #25 and the second largest retailer in the US after Wal-Mart. Home Depot Inc. has its corporate headquarters in Atlanta Georgia. What began in 1979 as two 60,000-foot stores that resembled warehouses has grown to about 2,200 stores across North America, Puerto Rico, and China. Home Depot Inc. is publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange as NYSE:HD. At the end of 2008 Home Depot Inc. employed 331,000 people. Home Depot sales recorded and posted in 2009 are $71,288.0 mil. Home Depot Inc. is the number one home improvement retailer with Lowe’s coming in second place with sales posted in 2009 at $48, 230.0 mil.. Founded in 1946 Lowe’s went from a small hardware store to the ninth largest retailer in the US. Lowe’s went public in 1961 and began trading on the New York Stock Exchange as NYSE:LOW in 1979. According to Fortune 500 Lowe’s Companies, Inc. is ranked at #47. Lowe’s Companies, Inc. are headquartered in Mooresville North Carolina. Lowe’s competes with Home Depot, Inc. (home improvement) and Sears (appliances) they are second to both. Lowe’s currently has 1640 superstores in the U.S. and another dozen stores in Canada. Lowe’s also plans to open stores in Mexico in 2009. Lowe’s has not moved as aggressively...
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...Lowe’s Home Improvement Stores Sheila Thomas Webster University Abstract Lowe’s exists to help customers improve and maintain their biggest asset- their home. We do this by meeting the changing needs of our customers by providing inspiration and support whenever and wherever they shop. Whether our customers shop in store, online, by phone, or if we’re meeting them at their home or place of business, Lowe’s is ready to help. In our more than 1,830 stores, we have implemented multiple systems to improve the customer experience, including an upgraded store information technology infrastructure that allows customers and employees to access richer product information, enjoy an endless aisle of product choices and manage their projects from inspiration to enjoyment (Lowe’s.com). Online, we are rapidly expanding our assortments to offer customers a broader range of products that can be researched and purchased online, in store or via our mobile app. MyLowe’s makes it easy for our customers to automatically track and store all purchases on their online customer profile. We’ve vowed to “Never Stop Improving” so we can satisfy the ever-changing needs of our customers (Lowe’s.com). Lowe’s operates more than 1,830 stores in the United States, Canada and Mexico. We serve approximately 15 million customers each week and employ more than 260,000 people (Lowe’s.com). Our stores stock 12 product categories ranging from appliances and tools, to paint, lumber and nursery...
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...Business Competitiveness: A Little Competition brings in Big Bucks Sharee Steed Professor Parren Shannon, JD BUS 508 July 22, 2013 Question # 1-Detemine how each corporate culture differs from the other. When starting a business you as the owner should always have a strategy that sets you apart from competing vendors. What makes your company differ from the others and what would you like consumers to know that set you apart. In today’s market competition is always a factor but it does not necessarily have to be a bad thing; there are advantages to having a competitor. Developing strategies for your competitor is key, “The underlying goal of strategy development is competitive differentiation,” (Kurtz, 2012, p. 230). The companies presented below demonstrate the perfect example of business competition. The home improvement industry has been experiencing rapid growth since the late 70’s. Due to the capital effect, consumers would spend high amounts of cash and credit on improving their most prized and expensive possession, their homes. As a result, the home improvement industry experienced quick development and progress. This is what led to the opening of two mega home improvement stores known as The Home Depot and Lowes Companies, INC. The Home Depot which was founded, “1978 in Atlanta, Georgia and has since become the world's largest home improvement retailer, operating more than 1,500 stores”, (Brumley, 2012). Although not as international as its competitor Home Depot...
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...improvement retailer that was founded over thirty years ago in Atlanta Georgia by Bernie Marcus and Arthur Blank (The Home Depot, 2011). Through the lifespan, The Home Depot expanded from a two store operation into the fourth largest grossing retail store as reported by the Fortune 500 listings (CNN Money, 2012). Strategies like price matching, environmentally friendly supplies, introducing Home Depot brands and services, and offering clinics to patrons assisted in Home Depot dominating the do-it-yourself home improvement market. Throughout the lifecycle of Home Depot there have been numerous changes; markets, consumers, direction, and leadership to name a few. Home Depot made adjustments along the way and endured the constant waves of change and in the process developed the orange blooded culture enjoyed by employee and customer. Things change and the Home Depot understand this simple value, but constant is the orange apron and everything it stands for. To date the Home Depot remains a sound corporation even through the recession and unfavorable markets and is in a prime position to generate stronger ROA, ROIC, and ROE measures relative to their closest competitor Lowe’s (Sozzi, 11/2). The pages that follow will analyze The Home Depot and examine what differences it has from the closest competitors. Taking a brief look into the culture behind the store, how Home Depot markets itself, and the major differences that clearly makes the Home Depot number one in their market...
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...10/13/13 Matthew Lucht mattcat09@email.phoenix.edu CST Organizational Structure of Home Depot The company that I am actually really familiar in organizational structure is Home Depot, since I used to work there. “The Home Depot was founded in 1978 by Bernie Marcus and Arthur Blank. Along with investment banker Ken Langone and merchandising guru Pat Farrah, the founders’ vision of one-stop shopping for the do-it-yourselfer came to fruition when they opened the first two Home Depot stores on June 22, 1979, in Atlanta, Georgia.” (The Home Depot, 2012, para. 1). They started in a large open warehouse which carried thousands of products, with nationally known brands along with the Home Depot brand. The Home Depot has given great customer service right from the start and has employed knowledgeable people to help offer assistance and answer any questions customers have with home renovation projects. The Home Depot has seen an incredible growth and today is one of the largest home improvement retailers in North America. On an international scale, Home Depot has expanded to Canada, Mexico, and even in China. The competition consists of Ace Hardware and Lowes, which is the main competitor. There are three structures used within businesses: simple, functional, and multidivisional structures. Simple structure is mainly used within smaller companies, and usually the head of the company makes all of the decisions and the employees follow directions from the head of the company...
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...increased steadily each year, indicating higher profits, as well as their operating margin increasing to a high in 99’ and leveling out around 2001 due to the economic factors erupting after 9/11. Their NOPAT margin is higher than their biggest competitor lowe’s so they were consistently producing more returns, in conjunction with greater sales figures. Home Depot is operating on relatively wide margins compared to its competitors; its substantial growth rate is quite high compared to Lowe’s which is easily explained by their innovative business strategy. The Home Depot at the end of 2000 stands on good financial footing. Their net revenues have grown 208% between FY 1995 and FY 2000. Home Depot continues its market saturation strategy which consistently grows their net revenues. Home Depot’s growth in net earnings over the same period has been 284%. The money that the firm is retaining as profits is larger than the total amount being brought into the company, indicative of a company that is realizing economies of scale in their operations and increased brand awareness. From the ratio analysis in exhibit seven we see that in 1998, Home Depot was leading Lowes in all of the profitability ratios listed except earnings per share. Lowe’s EPS equaled $1.37 to Home Depot’s $0.73. This is in part due to the fact that Lowes is significantly more leveraged with debt than Home Depot. This is displayed in the debt...
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...Introduction As Lowe’s seeks new international markets to expand its highly successful home improvement model, the opportunities in the Asia market provide a unique untapped region. In Korea, recent political changes have opened its economy to foreign investors and businesses. Korea’s strong economic growth provides Lowe’s with the ideal situation of opening up stores before their competitors. Based on research I conducted, this assessment considers the potential of expanding Lowe’s into the Korean market. With any major investment, it is important to consider the monetary and non-monetary aspects including gaining an understanding of the culture, the ideal management approach, past and future trends, along with political roadblocks. In this paper, the following information provides a roadmap to the decision-making process. First, an assessment of the Lowe’s vision, mission, and promise are discussed and compared to the similarities and differences within Korea. Then, an analysis considers Korean trends that support the expansion of Lowe’s. Next, a culture assessment of Lowe’s base country (USA) is compared against Korea including management styles to consider for the local corporate office and stores. Lastly, a communication strategy is discussed based on the cultural assessment and offers best practices for the expansion of Lowe’s into Korea. This paper is intended to assist Lowe’s senior managers begin an assessment of expansion into the Asian market via Korea by...
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...the second-largest home improvement operator in home improvement industry, Lowe’s serves more than 17 million customers a week at around 1800 stores worldwide and has established itself as a successful retailer over the past decades. However, the question for Aunt Mary is not how wealthy the corporation has been, but whether it is the right time to purchase Lowe’s company's share now. The answer is yes. Here are the top five reasons why Lowe’s stock is a buy. Reason 1: A Gradual Recovery in the Housing Market Homebuilding in the U.S. shot up 11.3% in December of 2016, which directly caused comparable sales at home improvement industry increased 5%. Economic predictions for 2017 denote the outlook for the industry remains favorable as the...
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...Lowe’s By You April 21st, 2014 University of Phoenix ECO-365 Introduction In the United States there are two major players in the home improvement industry. The biggest in The Home Depot. The other, while smaller having 502 less stores, is still a giant of the industry (Cramer, 2013). Through the recession Lowe’s stood while well The Home Depot fumbled. Lowe’s faces competition from opponents other than just The Home Depot as it expands beyond America. As Lowe’s seeks to enter the Canadian and Australian markets it will encounter more diversity than it has experiences so far. The complexities of doing business abroad and opening stores afar will become even more apparent as their international tactics change. Despite the challenges Lowe’s should expand further to become an even bigger player both nationally and globally. Global Competition’s Impact on Lowes In 2009, Lowes had 1,710 stores found throughout Canada and United States, 16 of these found outside the United States, with three stores in Mexico that opened in 2010, allowing for their exposure to bring them to a new level of sales internationally. (“Lowes Companies”, 2012) After much research it is found five competitors could impact Lowes, the #2 home improvement dealer in the world (Racine, 2012), but on different levels. The first competition is the main competition of Lowes, Home Depot, #1 in the world since 2005, (“Lowes Companies”, 2012) is expanding its sales by bringing in more Hispanics...
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