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Side-by-side financial comparison of Lowe's (LOW) and Marathon Petroleum (MPC). Click either name above to swap in a different company.
Marathon Petroleum is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($32.6B vs $20.8B, roughly 1.6× Lowe's). Lowe's runs the higher net margin — 7.8% vs 4.7%, a 3.1% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, Lowe's posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (3.2% vs -1.7%). Marathon Petroleum produced more free cash flow last quarter ($1.9B vs $90.0M). Over the past eight quarters, Marathon Petroleum's revenue compounded faster (-0.2% CAGR vs -8.7%).
Lowe's Companies, Inc. is an American retail company specializing in home improvement. Headquartered in Mooresville, North Carolina, the company operates a chain of retail stores in the United States. As of October 28, 2022, Lowe's and its related businesses operated 2,181 home improvement and hardware stores in North America.
Marathon Petroleum Corporation is an American petroleum refining, marketing, and transportation company headquartered in Findlay, Ohio. The company was a wholly owned subsidiary of Marathon Oil until a corporate spin-off in 2011.
LOW vs MPC — Head-to-Head
Income Statement — Q3 FY2026 vs Q4 FY2025
| Metric | | |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue | $20.8B | $32.6B |
| Net Profit | $1.6B | $1.5B |
| Gross Margin | 34.2% | 11.4% |
| Operating Margin | 11.9% | 8.3% |
| Net Margin | 7.8% | 4.7% |
| Revenue YoY | 3.2% | -1.7% |
| Net Profit YoY | -4.7% | 313.7% |
| EPS (diluted) | $2.88 | $4.99 |
Green = leading value per metric. Periods may differ when fiscal calendars don't align.
8-Quarter Revenue & Profit Trend
Side-by-side quarterly history. Quarters aligned by calendar period so offset fiscal years line up.
| Q4 25 | $20.8B | $32.6B | ||
| Q3 25 | — | $34.8B | ||
| Q2 25 | $20.9B | $33.8B | ||
| Q1 25 | — | $31.5B | ||
| Q4 24 | $20.2B | $33.1B | ||
| Q3 24 | $23.6B | $35.1B | ||
| Q2 24 | $21.4B | $37.9B | ||
| Q1 24 | $18.6B | $32.7B |
| Q4 25 | $1.6B | $1.5B | ||
| Q3 25 | — | $1.4B | ||
| Q2 25 | $1.6B | $1.2B | ||
| Q1 25 | — | $-74.0M | ||
| Q4 24 | $1.7B | $371.0M | ||
| Q3 24 | $2.4B | $622.0M | ||
| Q2 24 | $1.8B | $1.5B | ||
| Q1 24 | $1.0B | $937.0M |
| Q4 25 | 34.2% | 11.4% | ||
| Q3 25 | — | 10.4% | ||
| Q2 25 | 33.4% | 11.2% | ||
| Q1 25 | — | 6.8% | ||
| Q4 24 | 33.7% | 7.8% | ||
| Q3 24 | 33.5% | 8.4% | ||
| Q2 24 | 33.2% | 10.5% | ||
| Q1 24 | 32.4% | 9.5% |
| Q4 25 | 11.9% | 8.3% | ||
| Q3 25 | — | 7.8% | ||
| Q2 25 | 11.9% | 6.5% | ||
| Q1 25 | — | 2.2% | ||
| Q4 24 | 12.6% | 3.4% | ||
| Q3 24 | 14.6% | 3.8% | ||
| Q2 24 | 12.4% | 6.7% | ||
| Q1 24 | 9.1% | 5.5% |
| Q4 25 | 7.8% | 4.7% | ||
| Q3 25 | — | 3.9% | ||
| Q2 25 | 7.8% | 3.6% | ||
| Q1 25 | — | -0.2% | ||
| Q4 24 | 8.4% | 1.1% | ||
| Q3 24 | 10.1% | 1.8% | ||
| Q2 24 | 8.2% | 4.0% | ||
| Q1 24 | 5.5% | 2.9% |
| Q4 25 | $2.88 | $4.99 | ||
| Q3 25 | — | $4.51 | ||
| Q2 25 | $2.92 | $3.96 | ||
| Q1 25 | — | $-0.24 | ||
| Q4 24 | $2.99 | $1.30 | ||
| Q3 24 | $4.17 | $1.87 | ||
| Q2 24 | $3.06 | $4.33 | ||
| Q1 24 | $1.81 | $2.58 |
Balance Sheet & Financial Strength
Snapshot of each company's liquidity, leverage and book value from the latest quarter.
| Metric | | |
|---|---|---|
| Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand | $1.0B | $3.7B |
| Total DebtLower is stronger | $37.5B | $30.5B |
| Stockholders' EquityBook value | $-10.4B | $17.3B |
| Total Assets | $53.5B | $84.0B |
| Debt / EquityLower = less leverage | — | 1.76× |
8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.
| Q4 25 | $1.0B | $3.7B | ||
| Q3 25 | — | $2.7B | ||
| Q2 25 | $3.4B | $1.7B | ||
| Q1 25 | — | $3.8B | ||
| Q4 24 | $3.6B | $3.2B | ||
| Q3 24 | $4.7B | $5.1B | ||
| Q2 24 | $3.5B | $8.5B | ||
| Q1 24 | $1.2B | $7.6B |
| Q4 25 | $37.5B | $30.5B | ||
| Q3 25 | — | $31.2B | ||
| Q2 25 | $30.5B | $26.8B | ||
| Q1 25 | — | $26.8B | ||
| Q4 24 | $32.9B | $24.4B | ||
| Q3 24 | $34.7B | $24.1B | ||
| Q2 24 | $34.6B | $24.0B | ||
| Q1 24 | $35.4B | $24.8B |
| Q4 25 | $-10.4B | $17.3B | ||
| Q3 25 | — | $17.1B | ||
| Q2 25 | $-13.3B | $16.6B | ||
| Q1 25 | — | $16.4B | ||
| Q4 24 | $-13.4B | $17.7B | ||
| Q3 24 | $-13.8B | $18.9B | ||
| Q2 24 | $-14.6B | $21.3B | ||
| Q1 24 | $-15.1B | $22.9B |
| Q4 25 | $53.5B | $84.0B | ||
| Q3 25 | — | $83.2B | ||
| Q2 25 | $45.4B | $78.5B | ||
| Q1 25 | — | $81.6B | ||
| Q4 24 | $44.7B | $78.9B | ||
| Q3 24 | $44.9B | $79.8B | ||
| Q2 24 | $45.4B | $85.2B | ||
| Q1 24 | $41.8B | $85.5B |
| Q4 25 | — | 1.76× | ||
| Q3 25 | — | 1.83× | ||
| Q2 25 | — | 1.61× | ||
| Q1 25 | — | 1.64× | ||
| Q4 24 | — | 1.38× | ||
| Q3 24 | — | 1.27× | ||
| Q2 24 | — | 1.13× | ||
| Q1 24 | — | 1.08× |
Cash Flow & Capital Efficiency
How much cash each business actually produces after reinvestment. Cash flow is harder to manipulate than net income.
| Metric | | |
|---|---|---|
| Operating Cash FlowLast quarter | $687.0M | $3.1B |
| Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex | $90.0M | $1.9B |
| FCF MarginFCF / Revenue | 0.4% | 5.8% |
| Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue | 2.9% | 3.6% |
| Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit | 0.43× | 2.00× |
| TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters | $6.4B | $4.8B |
8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.
| Q4 25 | $687.0M | $3.1B | ||
| Q3 25 | — | $2.6B | ||
| Q2 25 | $3.4B | $2.6B | ||
| Q1 25 | — | $-64.0M | ||
| Q4 24 | $1.3B | $2.2B | ||
| Q3 24 | $3.2B | $1.7B | ||
| Q2 24 | $4.3B | $3.2B | ||
| Q1 24 | $1.1B | $1.5B |
| Q4 25 | $90.0M | $1.9B | ||
| Q3 25 | — | $1.7B | ||
| Q2 25 | $2.9B | $1.9B | ||
| Q1 25 | — | $-727.0M | ||
| Q4 24 | $728.0M | $1.4B | ||
| Q3 24 | $2.7B | $1.0B | ||
| Q2 24 | $3.9B | $2.8B | ||
| Q1 24 | $488.0M | $947.0M |
| Q4 25 | 0.4% | 5.8% | ||
| Q3 25 | — | 4.8% | ||
| Q2 25 | 13.7% | 5.8% | ||
| Q1 25 | — | -2.3% | ||
| Q4 24 | 3.6% | 4.2% | ||
| Q3 24 | 11.6% | 2.9% | ||
| Q2 24 | 18.2% | 7.3% | ||
| Q1 24 | 2.6% | 2.9% |
| Q4 25 | 2.9% | 3.6% | ||
| Q3 25 | — | 2.7% | ||
| Q2 25 | 2.5% | 2.1% | ||
| Q1 25 | — | 2.1% | ||
| Q4 24 | 2.8% | 2.4% | ||
| Q3 24 | 1.8% | 1.9% | ||
| Q2 24 | 1.8% | 1.3% | ||
| Q1 24 | 3.3% | 1.8% |
| Q4 25 | 0.43× | 2.00× | ||
| Q3 25 | — | 1.90× | ||
| Q2 25 | 2.06× | 2.17× | ||
| Q1 25 | — | — | ||
| Q4 24 | 0.77× | 5.95× | ||
| Q3 24 | 1.32× | 2.71× | ||
| Q2 24 | 2.43× | 2.14× | ||
| Q1 24 | 1.09× | 1.64× |
Financial Flow Comparison
Revenue → gross profit → operating profit → net profit for each company.
Revenue Breakdown by Segment
LOW
| Home Decor | $7.8B | 37% |
| Building Products | $6.9B | 33% |
| Hardlines | $5.1B | 25% |
| Services | $753.0M | 4% |
| Other | $384.0M | 2% |
MPC
| Refined Products | $28.6B | 88% |
| Midstream | $1.4B | 4% |
| Crude Oil | $1.2B | 4% |
| Renewable Diesel | $851.0M | 3% |
| Related Party | $536.0M | 2% |
| Services & Other | $466.0M | 1% |
