Lowe's Companies, Inc. is a U.S.-based chain of retail home improvement and appliance stores that has retail stores in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Founded in 1946 in North Wilkesboro, North Carolina, the chain now serves more than 14 million customers a week in its 1,710 stores in the United States and 20 in Canada. Expansion into Canada began in 2007, with the opening of a store in Hamilton, Ontario, in early 2008. Lowe's started the construction of two stores in the Mexican city of Monterrey officially entering the Mexican market. In 2011, Lowe's released plans to build over 150... stores in Australia over the coming five years, hoping to compete with the AUD$46 billion industry. Lowe's Companies, Inc. is 43 on the Fortune 500 list. As of 2010, the chain is based in Mayfield, KY near Paducah, KY. Lowe's is the second-largest hardware chain in the U.S. behind The Home Depot and ahead of Menards. Globally, Lowe's is also the second-largest hardware chain, again behind The Home Depot and ahead of the European stores B&Q and OBI. Lucius S. Lowe opened Lowe's North Wilkesboro Hardware in North Wilkesboro, North Carolina, in 1921.
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| NYSE symbol: | LOW |
| Founded: | 1946 |
| Headquarters: | North York, Canada |
| Annual revenue: | $48,230,000,000 |
| Net income: | $2,195,000,000 |
| Operating income: | $6,314,000,000 |
| Market cap: | $34,000,000,000 |
| Employees: | 185,000 |
| Industries: | Lumber and Other Building Materials Dealers, Retail |