QXO vs LOW

For growth investors, QXO, Inc.

(QXO) is the stronger pick with 119. 3% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 3. 1% for Lowe's Companies, Inc. (LOW). Lowe's Companies, Inc. (LOW) offers the better valuation at 19. 7x trailing P/E (18. 5x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate QXO, Inc. (QXO) a "Buy" — based on 5 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.

On forward P/E, Lowe's Companies, Inc.

is actually cheaper at 18. 5x.

Over the past 5 years, Lowe's Companies, Inc.

(LOW) delivered a total return of +23. 6%, compared to -88. 6% for QXO, Inc. (QXO). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: LOW returned +249. 6% versus QXO's -48. 8%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.

By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Lowe's Companies, Inc.

(LOW) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 86β versus QXO, Inc. 's 2. 24β — meaning QXO is approximately 159% more volatile than LOW relative to the S&P 500.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), QXO, Inc.

(QXO) is pulling ahead at 119. 3% versus 3. 1% for Lowe's Companies, Inc. (LOW). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Lowe's Companies, Inc. grew EPS -3. 1% year-over-year, compared to -472. 7% for QXO, Inc.. Over a 3-year CAGR, QXO leads at 433. 8% annualised revenue growth. Higher growth typically commands a higher valuation multiple — check whether the premium P/E or P/S is justified by the growth rate using the PEG ratio.

Lowe's Companies, Inc.

(LOW) is the more profitable company, earning 7. 7% net margin versus -4. 1% for QXO, Inc. — 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. 6% for QXO. 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.

On forward earnings alone, Lowe's Companies, Inc.

(LOW) trades at 18. 5x forward P/E versus 54. 2x for QXO, Inc. — 35. 6x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for QXO: 53. 0% to $30. 20.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

QXO, Inc. (QXO) offers the highest yield at 86. 6%, versus 2. 0% for Lowe's Companies, Inc. (LOW).

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. 86), 2. 0% yield, +249. 6% 10Y return). QXO, Inc. (QXO) carries a higher beta of 2. 24 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (LOW: +249. 6%, QXO: -48. 8%), 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.

These companies operate in different sectors (QXO (Industrials) and LOW (Consumer Cyclical)), which means they face different economic cycles, regulatory environments, and macro sensitivities — making direct comparison nuanced.

In terms of investment character: QXO is a small-cap high-growth stock; LOW is a mid-cap quality compounder stock. 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.