Lowe's vs NIKE: Business Model & Financial Comparison 2026
Lowe's · Consumer Cyclical / Home Improvement Retail·NIKE · Consumer Cyclical / Footwear & Accessories
Financial Comparison
| Metric | LOWLowe's | NKENIKE |
|---|---|---|
| Market Cap | $133.28B | $79.91B |
| Revenue (TTM) | $86.29B | $46.51B |
| Revenue Growth | 10.9% | 0.6% |
| Gross Margin | 33.5% | 41.1% |
| Operating Margin | 8.3% | 8.1% |
| Net Margin | 7.7% | 5.4% |
| Return on Equity | N/A | 18.0% |
| P/E (Trailing) | 20.0x | 31.6x |
| P/E (Forward) | 17.4x | 23.5x |
| Free Cash Flow | $5.40B | $2.58B |
| Cash | $1.35B | $8.34B |
| Total Debt | $44.68B | $11.28B |
Data sourced from Yahoo Finance. Green highlights indicate better performance for that metric. Use the interactive tool for real-time data.
Business Model Comparison
Lowe's
Lowe's stands as the second-largest home improvement retailer in the world, serving contractors and DIY customers. Generating $86.29 billion in annual revenue (growing 10.9% year-over-year) and carrying a market capitalization of $142.88 billion, the company has cemented its position as a foundational player in the global Home Improvement Retail landscape. Under the leadership of Marvin Ellison, Lowe's continues to execute on a multi-year strateg…
Full Lowe's analysis →NIKE
NIKE, Inc. stands as a leading company in Consumer Cyclical. Generating $46.51 billion in annual revenue (growing 0.6% year-over-year) and carrying a market capitalization of $85.89 billion, the company has cemented its position as a foundational player in the global Footwear & Accessories landscape. Under the leadership of its leadership team, NIKE, Inc. continues to execute on a multi-year strategic vision that balances growth investment with s…
Full NIKE analysis →SWOT Analysis Comparison
Strengths
Lowe's
- With a market capitalization of $142.88B, Lowe's is one of the largest companies in its sector, providing the scale advantages of brand recognition, supplier leverage, and capital access that smaller
- Lowe's maintains a gross margin of 33.5% and operating margin of 8.3%, demonstrating consistent operational execution and cost discipline in a competitive market.
- Revenue grew 10.9% year-over-year to $86.29B, indicating strong demand for Lowe's's products and services and outperformance relative to many industry peers.
NIKE
- NIKE, Inc.'s gross margin of 41.1% is well above industry averages, reflecting pricing power, operational efficiency, or a high-value product mix. The operating margin of 8.1% demonstrates disciplined
- A return on equity of 18.0% demonstrates that NIKE, Inc. generates strong returns from shareholder capital, a hallmark of companies with durable competitive advantages.
- NIKE, Inc. generated $2.58B in free cash flow, providing financial flexibility to invest in growth initiatives, return capital to shareholders, or strengthen the balance sheet.
Weaknesses
Lowe's
- With 300,000 employees globally, Lowe's faces inherent challenges in agility, decision-making speed, and maintaining a consistent culture across geographies — advantages that smaller, nimbler competit
- Persistent market share gap vs Home Depot in professional contractor business — HD is the preferred Pro destination
- High housing turnover sensitivity: every 1M fewer home sales represents significant lost revenue
NIKE
- NIKE, Inc.'s debt-to-equity ratio of 80.1 indicates meaningful financial leverage. Total debt stands at $11.28B against $8.34B in cash and equivalents.
- Revenue growth of 0.6% is below what growth investors typically seek, suggesting market saturation in core businesses or increasing competitive pressure.
Opportunities
Lowe's
- Lowe's operates in the Home Improvement Retail segment of the broader Consumer Cyclical sector, which represents a $28 trillion global consumer spending market. Even modest share gains in this environ
- Emerging markets — particularly India (1.4B people, rapidly growing middle class), Southeast Asia (700M people), and Sub-Saharan Africa — represent significant untapped addressable markets for Lowe's'
- With $1.35B in cash and strong free cash flow generation, Lowe's is well-positioned to pursue strategic acquisitions that expand its capabilities, customer base, or geographic reach.
NIKE
- NIKE, Inc. operates in the Footwear & Accessories segment of the broader Consumer Cyclical sector, which represents a $28 trillion global consumer spending market. Even modest share gains in this envi
- Emerging markets — particularly India (1.4B people, rapidly growing middle class), Southeast Asia (700M people), and Sub-Saharan Africa — represent significant untapped addressable markets for NIKE, I
- With $8.34B in cash and strong free cash flow generation, NIKE, Inc. is well-positioned to pursue strategic acquisitions that expand its capabilities, customer base, or geographic reach.
Threats
Lowe's
- Global economic slowdowns, inflation, or rising interest rates can reduce consumer and enterprise spending. Lowe's's revenue is not fully insulated from macroeconomic cycles, and a recession scenario
- Increasing government regulation — particularly data privacy laws (GDPR, CCPA), antitrust enforcement, and trade restrictions — poses compliance costs and potential restrictions on Lowe's's business m
- Competition for skilled technology, engineering, and management talent remains intense. High employee turnover or inability to attract top talent could slow innovation and execution — particularly cri
NIKE
- Global economic slowdowns, inflation, or rising interest rates can reduce consumer and enterprise spending. NIKE, Inc.'s revenue is not fully insulated from macroeconomic cycles, and a recession scena
- Increasing government regulation — particularly data privacy laws (GDPR, CCPA), antitrust enforcement, and trade restrictions — poses compliance costs and potential restrictions on NIKE, Inc.'s busine
- Competition for skilled technology, engineering, and management talent remains intense. High employee turnover or inability to attract top talent could slow innovation and execution — particularly cri
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Open Comparison ToolLowe's vs NIKE: FAQ
- Is Lowe's bigger than NIKE?
- By market capitalization, Lowe's is larger at $133.28B vs NIKE's $79.91B.
- Which has better profit margins — Lowe's or NIKE?
- Lowe's has higher net profit margins (7.7%) compared to NIKE (5.4%). Gross and operating margins are compared in the table above.
- What sectors do Lowe's and NIKE operate in?
- Lowe's operates in the Consumer Cyclical sector (Home Improvement Retail). NIKE operates in the Consumer Cyclical sector (Footwear & Accessories).
- How does Lowe's's revenue compare to NIKE's?
- Lowe's generates $86.29B in annual revenue (TTM) while NIKE generates $46.51B. Lowe's is the larger company by revenue as of 2026.