Lowe's exceeds earnings expectations

Lowe's reported earnings of $1.33 per share in the fourth quarter, ahead of the $1.21 consensus, as the home improvement chain posted a 28.1 percent increase in same-store sales. "Strong execution enabled us to meet broad-based demand driven by the continued consumer focus on the home, with growth over 16% in all merchandising departments, over 19% across all U.S. regions and 121% on Lowes.com," said CEO Marvin Ellison.