Lowe's Companies Inc

As the seasons change, the urge to refresh one's surroundings intensifies. Spring is all about brightening up and cleaning out -- painting dated kitchen cabinets and adding pops of brighter colors throughout the house. In contrast, this time of year calls for making things cozy and warm for the...

The stock market can be as ruthless as nature itself: Some stocks get pummeled when disaster strikes, while others climb higher. And just as homeowners board up their houses and stock up on water, investors can fortify their portfolios when storm clouds loom. As respectfully as possible, we review what Irene hath wrought, in search of lessons.

Storms are always good for hardware-home improvement superstores, as droves of people stock up on supplies beforehand and work to repair any damage afterwards. If you want to try to profit from the wake of Hurricane Irene, the orange-aproned merchant is the one to turn to.

Lowe's Cos. (LOW), the nation's second-largest home improvement retailer, said Monday that it will buy back up to $5 billion of its common stock. While the repurchase program has no expiration date, the Mooresville, N.C., company said it plans to use the full amount over the next two to three...

After Lumber Liquidators cut its full-year revenue forecast Thursday, investors took the nation's largest hardwood flooring specialist to the woodshed. But while the short-term will be challenging, this highly profitable company still has a strong position and ample room to grow.

As the competition between home improvement heavyweights Lowe's and Home Depot intensifies, customer service is emerging as one of the key features on which they will need to innovate. Lowe's latest attempt is a new incentive program for customers paying with the store's credit card.

Shoppers shrugged off higher gas prices and cool temperatures to give retailers a surprisingly strong March. "There is still a significant amount of pent-up demand,"said Ken Perkins, president of RetailMetrics LLC, a research firm. "I think the job recovery is catching on."