ROC % measures how well a company generates cash flow relative to the capital it has invested in its business. It is also called ROIC %. Lowe's's annualized return on capital (ROC %) for the quarter that ended in Apr. 2026 was 18.42%.
As of today (2026-06-27), Lowe's's WACC % is 8.54%. Lowe's's ROC % is 19.74% (calculated using TTM income statement data).
Lowe's generates higher returns on investment than it costs the company to raise the capital needed for that investment. It is earning excess returns. A firm that expects to continue generating positive excess returns on new investments in the future will see its value increase as growth increases.
Lowe's (MIL:1LOW) ROC % Explanation
ROC % measures how well a company generates cash flow relative to the capital it has invested in its business. It is also called ROIC %. The reason book values of debt and equity are used is because the book values are the capital the company received when issuing the debt or receiving the equity investments.
There are four key components to this definition. The first is the use of operating income or EBIT rather than net income in the numerator. The second is the tax adjustment to this operating income or EBIT, computed as a hypothetical tax based on an effective or marginal tax rate. The third is the use of book values for invested capital, rather than market values. The final is the timing difference; the capital invested is from the end of the prior year whereas the operating income or EBIT is the current year's number.
Why is ROC % important?
Because it costs money to raise capital. A firm that generates higher returns on investment than it costs the company to raise the capital needed for that investment is earning excess returns. A firm that expects to continue generating positive excess returns on new investments in the future will see its value increase as growth increases, whereas a firm that earns returns that do not match up to its cost of capital will destroy value as it grows.
As of today, Lowe's's WACC % is 8.54%. Lowe's's ROC % is 19.74% (calculated using TTM income statement data).
Lowe's generates higher returns on investment than it costs the company to raise the capital needed for that investment. It is earning excess returns. A firm that expects to continue generating positive excess returns on new investments in the future will see its value increase as growth increases.
Be Aware
Like ROE % and ROA %, ROC % is calculated with only 12 months of data. Fluctuations in the company's earnings or business cycles can affect the ratio drastically. It is important to look at the ratio from a long term perspective.
Lowe's ROC % Related Terms
Lowe's ROC % Historical Data
* Premium members only.
The historical data trend for Lowe's's ROC % can be seen below:
* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD. * For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.
Note:
The Operating Income data used here is four times the quarterly (Apr. 2026) data.
The tax rate is limited to between 0% and 100%.
* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD. * For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.
Lowe's (MIL:1LOW) has a ROC % of 18.42% as of Apr. 2026. Return on capital is the ratio of current-period net income to average two-period capital. View historical data on Lowe's and its competitors.
Is Lowe's' ROC % too high?
Lowe's' current ROC % is 18.42%. The Retail - Cyclical industry median ROC % is 4.37. Lowe's' value of 18.42% is 321.5% above this industry median. Overall, Lowe's has a GF Score™ of 57/100 and is considered Modestly Undervalued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Lowe's' ROC % compare to FND and HVT?
Lowe's' ROC % of 18.42% can be compared against companies in the Retail - Cyclical industry. The industry median ROC % is 4.37. Lowe's' value of 18.42% is 321.5% above this benchmark. See the competitive comparison table and distribution chart on this page for a detailed peer-by-peer breakdown.
What is a good ROC % for a Retail - Cyclical company?
The median ROC % among Retail - Cyclical companies is 4.37, based on 1,113 companies in the industry. Companies in the top quartile (top 25%) have a ROC % significantly above this median, while those in the bottom quartile fall well below. However, ROC % should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. Lowe's's current ROC % of 18.42% is 321.5% above the industry median. Use the industry distribution chart on this page to see where any company falls relative to its peers.
What does a high ROC % mean?
A high ROC % can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. Return on capital is the ratio of current-period net income to average two-period capital. View historical data on Lowe's and its competitors. For the Retail - Cyclical industry, the median ROC % is 4.37 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. Lowe's's current ROC % is 18.42%. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is Lowe's stock overvalued right now?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Lowe's (MIL:1LOW) is currently considered Modestly Undervalued. The stock's GF Value™ is €211.14, compared to a current price of €188.30 — trading 10.8% below its estimated fair value. The current ROC % is 18.42% and 321.5% above the Retail - Cyclical industry median of 4.37. Lowe's' overall GF Score™ is 57/100 with 2 warning signs to review. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is ROC % calculated?
ROC % is calculated from a company's financial statements. For Lowe's (MIL:1LOW), the current ROC % is 18.42% as of Apr. 2026. GuruFocus calculates this using data sourced from SEC filings and annual reports. See the calculation section and 30-year financial data on this page for the full breakdown.
Is Lowe's (MIL:1LOW) Overvalued in 2026?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Lowe's stock appears to be undervalued.
The current stock price of €188.30 is trading 10.8% below its estimated GF Value™ of €211.14.
GuruFocus considers Lowe's to be Modestly Undervalued.
Key valuation signals for MIL:1LOW:
ROC %: 18.42%
GF Value™: €211.14 vs. price of €188.30 (10.8% below fair value)
Industry Position: 321.5% above the Retail - Cyclical median
No single metric tells the full story. See the MIL:1LOW stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.
Lowe's is the second-largest home improvement retailer globally, with 1,759 stores in the US, after the 2023 divestiture of its Canadian locations. The firm's stores offer products and services for home decorating, maintenance, repair, and remodeling, with maintenance and repair accounting for two-thirds of products sold. Lowe's primarily targets retail do-it-yourself (around 70% of sales) and do-it-for-me customers, but has expanded its professional business clients to 30% from less than 20% in the past seven years (set to expand further with the acquisition of FBM). We estimate Lowe's captures a high-single-digit share of the domestic home improvement market, based on US Census data and management's market size estimates.
57GF Score
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