Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Lowe's Companies, Inc. (LOW) vs Live Ventures Incorporated (LIVE) Stock
Analyze side-by-side fundamentals, valuation, growth, and profitability to decide which stock is the better buy.
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Quick Verdict
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Growth | LOW | 3.1% revenue growth vs LIVE's -5.9% |
| Value | LIVE | Lower P/E (2.8x vs 21.0x), PEG 0.29 vs 2.36 |
| Quality / Margins | LOW | 7.7% net margin vs LIVE's 5.0% |
| Stability / Safety | LIVE | Beta 0.48 vs LOW's 0.61 |
| Dividends | LOW | 1.8% yield; 16-year raise streak; LIVE pays no meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | LIVE | +73.6% vs LOW's +8.3% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | LOW | 12.3% ROA vs LIVE's 5.7%, ROIC 76.2% vs 3.5% |
Who Each Stock Is For
Income & stability
Growth exposure
Long-term compounding (10Y)
Sleep-well-at-night portfolio
Valuation efficiency (growth/$)
Defensive / Recession hedge
Business Model
What each company does and how it makes money
Lowe's is a major home improvement retailer that sells products for construction, maintenance, repair, remodeling, and decorating through its physical stores and online channels. It generates revenue primarily from retail sales of national brand-name merchandise and private label products — with professional customers representing a growing segment — along with installation services and extended protection plans. The company's competitive advantage lies in its extensive store network, strong brand recognition, and scale advantages in procurement and distribution.
Live Ventures is a diversified holding company operating in flooring manufacturing, steel production, and specialty retail. It generates revenue through three main segments: flooring manufacturing (~40% of sales), steel manufacturing (~35%), and retail operations (~25%) selling entertainment products through its Vintage Stock stores. The company's competitive advantage lies in its operational diversification across recession-resistant industries and its vertically integrated flooring business that controls manufacturing from yarn to finished products.
Revenue Breakdown by Segment
How each company's revenue is distributed across its business units
Financial Metrics Comparison
Side-by-side fundamentals across 2 stocks. BestLagging
Financial Scorecard
LOW leads in 4 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Profitability & Efficiency). LIVE leads in 1 (Valuation Metrics). 1 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
LOW is the larger business by revenue, generating $86.3B annually — 195.2x LIVE's $442M. Profitability is closely matched — net margins range from 7.7% (LOW) to 5.0% (LIVE). On growth, LOW holds the edge at +10.9% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | LOWLowe's Companies,… | LIVELive Ventures Inc… |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $86.3B | $442M |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $12.3B | $29M |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $6.7B | $22M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $7.7B | $22M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +33.5% | +33.0% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +11.8% | +3.9% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +7.7% | +5.0% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +8.9% | +5.0% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +10.9% | -2.7% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -11.0% | -112.5% |
Valuation Metrics
At 2.8x trailing earnings, LIVE trades at a 87% valuation discount to LOW's 22.3x P/E. Adjusting for growth (PEG ratio), LIVE offers better value at 0.29x vs LOW's 2.52x — a lower PEG means you pay less per unit of expected earnings growth.
| Metric | LOWLowe's Companies,… | LIVELive Ventures Inc… |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $148.2B | $43M |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $154.4B | $251M |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 22.33x | 2.83x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 20.96x | — |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | 2.52x | 0.29x |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 12.76x | 7.85x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 1.72x | 0.10x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | — | 0.64x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 19.36x | 2.04x |
Profitability & Efficiency
On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), LIVE scores 7/9 vs LOW's 6/9, reflecting strong financial health.
| Metric | LOWLowe's Companies,… | LIVELive Ventures Inc… |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | — | +23.3% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +12.3% | +5.7% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +76.2% | +3.5% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +33.6% | +5.3% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 6 | 7 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | — | 2.27x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $6.2B | $208M |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $982M | $9M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $7.2B | $216M |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 8.90x | 5.01x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in LOW five years ago would be worth $17,610 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $5,740 for LIVE. Over the past 12 months, LIVE leads with a +73.6% total return vs LOW's +8.3%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors LOW at 10.6% vs LIVE's -24.5% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | LOWLowe's Companies,… | LIVELive Ventures Inc… |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +7.6% | -11.1% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +8.3% | +73.6% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +35.2% | -57.0% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +76.1% | -42.6% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +335.9% | +50.1% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +10.6% | -24.5% |
Risk & Volatility
LIVE is the less volatile stock with a 0.48 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than LOW's 0.61 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. LOW currently trades 90.3% from its 52-week high vs LIVE's 53.9% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | LOWLowe's Companies,… | LIVELive Ventures Inc… |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.61x | 0.48x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $293.06 | $25.88 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $206.39 | $6.25 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +90.3% | +53.9% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 40.9 | 30.6 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 2.2M | 7K |
Analyst Outlook
LOW is the only dividend payer here at 1.78% yield — a key consideration for income-focused portfolios.
| Metric | LOWLowe's Companies,… | LIVELive Ventures Inc… |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | — |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $289.77 | — |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 51 | — |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | +1.8% | — |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 16 | 1 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | $4.71 | — |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | +0.1% | +1.2% |
Historical Charts
Charts are rendered on first load. Hover for details.
Chart 1Total Return — 5 Years (Rebased to 100)
| Stock | Mar 20 | Feb 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lowe's Companies, I… (LOW) | 100 | 242.31 | +142.3% |
| Live Ventures Incor… (LIVE) | 100 | 368.52 | +268.5% |
Lowe's Companies, I… (LOW) returned +76% over 5 years vs Live Ventures Incor… (LIVE)'s -43%. A $10,000 investment in LOW 5 years ago would be worth $17,610 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lowe's Companies, I… (LOW) | $65.0B | $86.3B | +32.7% |
| Live Ventures Incor… (LIVE) | $79M | $445M | +463.5% |
Lowe's Companies, Inc.'s revenue grew from $65.0B (2016) to $86.3B (2025) — a 3.2% CAGR. Live Ventures Incorporated's revenue grew from $79M (2016) to $445M (2025) — a 21.2% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lowe's Companies, I… (LOW) | 4.8% | 7.7% | +62.2% |
| Live Ventures Incor… (LIVE) | 22.6% | 5.1% | -77.4% |
Lowe's Companies, Inc.'s net margin went from 5% (2016) to 8% (2025). Live Ventures Incorporated's net margin went from 23% (2016) to 5% (2025).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 9 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lowe's Companies, I… (LOW) | 22.7 | 20.4 | -10.1% |
| Live Ventures Incor… (LIVE) | 9.9 | 3 | -69.7% |
Lowe's Companies, Inc. has traded in a 17x–32x P/E range over 9 years; current trailing P/E is ~22x. Live Ventures Incorporated has traded in a 3x–10x P/E range over 6 years; current trailing P/E is ~3x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lowe's Companies, I… (LOW) | 3.47 | 11.85 | +241.5% |
| Live Ventures Incor… (LIVE) | 5.4 | 4.93 | -8.7% |
Lowe's Companies, Inc.'s EPS grew from $3.47 (2016) to $11.85 (2025) — a 15% CAGR. Live Ventures Incorporated's EPS grew from $5.40 (2016) to $4.93 (2025) — a -1% CAGR.
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Lowe's Companies, Inc. generated $8B FCF in 2025 (-7% vs 2021). Live Ventures Incorporated generated $21M FCF in 2025 (+18% vs 2021).
LOW vs LIVE: Frequently Asked Questions
8 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is LOW or LIVE a better buy right now?
Live Ventures Incorporated (LIVE) offers the better valuation at 2.8x trailing P/E, making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Lowe's Companies, Inc. (LOW) a "Buy" — based on 51 analyst ratings — the highest consensus in this comparison. The "better buy" depends entirely on your goals: growth investors should weight revenue trajectory, value investors should weight P/E and PEG, and income investors should weight dividend yield and streak.
02Which has the better valuation — LOW or LIVE?
On trailing P/E, Live Ventures Incorporated (LIVE) is the cheapest at 2.8x versus Lowe's Companies, Inc. at 22.3x.
03Which is the better long-term investment — LOW or LIVE?
Over the past 5 years, Lowe's Companies, Inc. (LOW) delivered a total return of +76.1%, compared to -42.6% for Live Ventures Incorporated (LIVE). A $10,000 investment in LOW five years ago would be worth approximately $18K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: LOW returned +335.9% versus LIVE's +50.1%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.
04Which is safer — LOW or LIVE?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Live Ventures Incorporated (LIVE) is the lower-risk stock at 0.48β versus Lowe's Companies, Inc.'s 0.61β — meaning LOW is approximately 27% more volatile than LIVE relative to the S&P 500.
05Which has better profit margins — LOW or LIVE?
Lowe's Companies, Inc. (LOW) is the more profitable company, earning 7.7% net margin versus 5.1% for Live Ventures Incorporated — meaning it keeps 7.7% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: LOW leads at 11.8% versus 3.3% for LIVE. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — LOW leads at 33.5%, reflecting greater pricing power or product mix advantage. Stronger margins indicate durable pricing power, lower cost of revenue, or higher mix of software/services. They are one of the clearest signs of business quality.
06Which pays a better dividend — LOW or LIVE?
In this comparison, LOW (1.8% yield) pays a dividend. LIVE does not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.
07Is LOW or LIVE better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Lowe's Companies, Inc. (LOW) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.61), 1.8% yield, +335.9% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (LOW: +335.9%, LIVE: +50.1%), confirming both are viable long-term holds — but the lower-volatility option typically results in less emotional selling during corrections. Retirement portfolios generally favour predictability over maximum returns. Consult a financial advisor before making allocation decisions.
08What are the main differences between LOW and LIVE?
Both stocks operate in the Consumer Cyclical sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both. In terms of investment character: LOW is a mid-cap quality compounder stock; LIVE is a small-cap deep-value stock. LOW pays a dividend while LIVE does not, making them suitable for different income and tax situations. These fundamental differences mean investors should not choose between them on a single metric — the "better stock" depends entirely on which of these characteristics aligns with your investment strategy.
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