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Side-by-side financial comparison of Lowe's (LOW) and United Parcel Service (UPS). Click either name above to swap in a different company.
United Parcel Service is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($21.2B vs $20.8B, roughly 1.0× Lowe's). Lowe's runs the higher net margin — 7.8% vs 4.1%, a 3.7% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, Lowe's posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (3.2% vs -1.6%). United Parcel Service produced more free cash flow last quarter ($1.3B vs $90.0M). Over the past eight quarters, United Parcel Service's revenue compounded faster (-1.4% 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.
United Parcel Service, Inc. (UPS) is an American multinational shipping & receiving and supply chain management company founded in 1907. Originally known as the American Messenger Company specializing in telegraphs, UPS has expanded to become a Fortune 500 company and one of the world's largest shipping couriers. UPS today is primarily known for its ground shipping services as well as the UPS Store, a retail chain which assists UPS shipments and provides tools for small businesses.
LOW vs UPS — Head-to-Head
Income Statement — Q3 FY2026 vs Q1 FY2026
| Metric | | |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue | $20.8B | $21.2B |
| Net Profit | $1.6B | $864.0M |
| Gross Margin | 34.2% | — |
| Operating Margin | 11.9% | — |
| Net Margin | 7.8% | 4.1% |
| Revenue YoY | 3.2% | -1.6% |
| Net Profit YoY | -4.7% | -27.2% |
| EPS (diluted) | $2.88 | $1.02 |
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.
| Q1 26 | — | $21.2B | ||
| Q4 25 | $20.8B | $24.5B | ||
| Q3 25 | — | $21.4B | ||
| Q2 25 | $20.9B | $21.2B | ||
| Q1 25 | — | $21.5B | ||
| Q4 24 | $20.2B | $25.3B | ||
| Q3 24 | $23.6B | $22.2B | ||
| Q2 24 | $21.4B | $21.8B |
| Q1 26 | — | $864.0M | ||
| Q4 25 | $1.6B | $1.8B | ||
| Q3 25 | — | $1.3B | ||
| Q2 25 | $1.6B | $1.3B | ||
| Q1 25 | — | $1.2B | ||
| Q4 24 | $1.7B | $1.7B | ||
| Q3 24 | $2.4B | $1.5B | ||
| Q2 24 | $1.8B | $1.4B |
| Q1 26 | — | — | ||
| Q4 25 | 34.2% | — | ||
| Q3 25 | — | — | ||
| Q2 25 | 33.4% | — | ||
| Q1 25 | — | — | ||
| Q4 24 | 33.7% | — | ||
| Q3 24 | 33.5% | — | ||
| Q2 24 | 33.2% | — |
| Q1 26 | — | — | ||
| Q4 25 | 11.9% | 10.5% | ||
| Q3 25 | — | 8.4% | ||
| Q2 25 | 11.9% | 8.6% | ||
| Q1 25 | — | 7.7% | ||
| Q4 24 | 12.6% | 11.6% | ||
| Q3 24 | 14.6% | 8.9% | ||
| Q2 24 | 12.4% | 8.9% |
| Q1 26 | — | 4.1% | ||
| Q4 25 | 7.8% | 7.3% | ||
| Q3 25 | — | 6.1% | ||
| Q2 25 | 7.8% | 6.0% | ||
| Q1 25 | — | 5.5% | ||
| Q4 24 | 8.4% | 6.8% | ||
| Q3 24 | 10.1% | 6.9% | ||
| Q2 24 | 8.2% | 6.5% |
| Q1 26 | — | $1.02 | ||
| Q4 25 | $2.88 | $2.10 | ||
| Q3 25 | — | $1.55 | ||
| Q2 25 | $2.92 | $1.51 | ||
| Q1 25 | — | $1.40 | ||
| Q4 24 | $2.99 | $2.00 | ||
| Q3 24 | $4.17 | $1.80 | ||
| Q2 24 | $3.06 | $1.65 |
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 | $5.8B |
| Total DebtLower is stronger | $37.5B | $23.7B |
| Stockholders' EquityBook value | $-10.4B | — |
| Total Assets | $53.5B | $71.8B |
| Debt / EquityLower = less leverage | — | — |
8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.
| Q1 26 | — | $5.8B | ||
| Q4 25 | $1.0B | $5.9B | ||
| Q3 25 | — | $6.8B | ||
| Q2 25 | $3.4B | $6.3B | ||
| Q1 25 | — | $5.1B | ||
| Q4 24 | $3.6B | $6.3B | ||
| Q3 24 | $4.7B | $6.1B | ||
| Q2 24 | $3.5B | $6.5B |
| Q1 26 | — | $23.7B | ||
| Q4 25 | $37.5B | $23.5B | ||
| Q3 25 | — | $23.9B | ||
| Q2 25 | $30.5B | $23.8B | ||
| Q1 25 | — | $19.5B | ||
| Q4 24 | $32.9B | $19.4B | ||
| Q3 24 | $34.7B | $20.3B | ||
| Q2 24 | $34.6B | $20.2B |
| Q1 26 | — | — | ||
| Q4 25 | $-10.4B | $16.2B | ||
| Q3 25 | — | $15.8B | ||
| Q2 25 | $-13.3B | $15.8B | ||
| Q1 25 | — | $15.7B | ||
| Q4 24 | $-13.4B | $16.7B | ||
| Q3 24 | $-13.8B | $16.9B | ||
| Q2 24 | $-14.6B | $17.0B |
| Q1 26 | — | $71.8B | ||
| Q4 25 | $53.5B | $73.1B | ||
| Q3 25 | — | $71.4B | ||
| Q2 25 | $45.4B | $70.9B | ||
| Q1 25 | — | $68.5B | ||
| Q4 24 | $44.7B | $70.1B | ||
| Q3 24 | $44.9B | $68.3B | ||
| Q2 24 | $45.4B | $69.4B |
| Q1 26 | — | — | ||
| Q4 25 | — | 1.45× | ||
| Q3 25 | — | 1.51× | ||
| Q2 25 | — | 1.51× | ||
| Q1 25 | — | 1.25× | ||
| Q4 24 | — | 1.16× | ||
| Q3 24 | — | 1.21× | ||
| Q2 24 | — | 1.19× |
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 | — |
| Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex | $90.0M | $1.3B |
| FCF MarginFCF / Revenue | 0.4% | 6.0% |
| Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue | 2.9% | 4.9% |
| Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit | 0.43× | — |
| TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters | $6.4B | $4.6B |
8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.
| Q1 26 | — | — | ||
| Q4 25 | $687.0M | $3.3B | ||
| Q3 25 | — | $2.5B | ||
| Q2 25 | $3.4B | $348.0M | ||
| Q1 25 | — | $2.3B | ||
| Q4 24 | $1.3B | $3.3B | ||
| Q3 24 | $3.2B | $1.5B | ||
| Q2 24 | $4.3B | $2.0B |
| Q1 26 | — | $1.3B | ||
| Q4 25 | $90.0M | $2.6B | ||
| Q3 25 | — | $1.5B | ||
| Q2 25 | $2.9B | $-775.0M | ||
| Q1 25 | — | $1.4B | ||
| Q4 24 | $728.0M | $2.2B | ||
| Q3 24 | $2.7B | $655.0M | ||
| Q2 24 | $3.9B | $1.1B |
| Q1 26 | — | 6.0% | ||
| Q4 25 | 0.4% | 10.6% | ||
| Q3 25 | — | 7.1% | ||
| Q2 25 | 13.7% | -3.7% | ||
| Q1 25 | — | 6.7% | ||
| Q4 24 | 3.6% | 8.8% | ||
| Q3 24 | 11.6% | 2.9% | ||
| Q2 24 | 18.2% | 4.9% |
| Q1 26 | — | 4.9% | ||
| Q4 25 | 2.9% | 2.9% | ||
| Q3 25 | — | 4.5% | ||
| Q2 25 | 2.5% | 5.3% | ||
| Q1 25 | — | 4.1% | ||
| Q4 24 | 2.8% | 4.3% | ||
| Q3 24 | 1.8% | 3.8% | ||
| Q2 24 | 1.8% | 4.3% |
| Q1 26 | — | — | ||
| Q4 25 | 0.43× | 1.84× | ||
| Q3 25 | — | 1.89× | ||
| Q2 25 | 2.06× | 0.27× | ||
| Q1 25 | — | 1.95× | ||
| Q4 24 | 0.77× | 1.93× | ||
| Q3 24 | 1.32× | 0.97× | ||
| Q2 24 | 2.43× | 1.41× |
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% |
UPS
| U.S. Domestic Package | $14.1B | 67% |
| International Package | $4.5B | 21% |
| Supply Chain Solutions | $2.5B | 12% |
