Lowe`s Companies Inc vs Marathon Petroleum Corp — how do they compare? Lowe`s Companies Inc trades at $205 (market cap $114.78B), while Marathon Petroleum Corp trades at $315.87 (market cap $92.05B). The key difference: Lowe`s Companies Inc is the larger of the two by market cap, and Lowe`s Companies Inc pays the higher dividend (2.44%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| LOW | MPC | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $114.78B | $92.05B |
Sector | Consumer Cyclical | Energy |
52-Week High | $287.39 | $315.31 |
52-Week Low | $204.76 | $158.59 |
Enterprise Value | $156.54B | $124.23B |
Dividend Yield | 2.44% | 1.24% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Lowe's (LOW) trades at $204.08, down 2.23% on the day, amid a bearish technical signal. The stock has consistently beaten earnings expectations in recent quarters, with Q1 2026 EPS of $3.03 exceeding the $2.97 estimate. Revenue for 2025 was $83.67 billion, with a net income margin of 7.51%. The company maintains a strong dividend history, recently declaring a $1.25 per share dividend payable in August 2026.
The outlook is mixed. Strong analyst consensus, with a $260.88 price target and 60.79% buy ratings, suggests upside potential. However, high debt levels, with a debt-to-asset ratio of 82.33% for 2025, and a projected net cash flow deficit of $2.3 billion for 2026 present significant financial risks. Competitive pressures in the home improvement sector remain a key challenge.
Marathon Petroleum (MPC) trades at $317.00, up 1.41% today, reflecting strong momentum amid bullish technical signals and positive analyst sentiment. The stock shows robust fundamentals with a P/E of 20.58, P/S of 0.7, and ROE of 27.92%, supported by recent earnings beats in Q4 2025 and Q1 2026. Cash flow trends indicate operational strength with $8.25B from operations in 2025, while refining margins drive profitability, as highlighted in recent Zacks reports (July 2026).
Outlook remains positive with 76% analyst buy ratings and a consensus price target of $292.70, though risks include volatile energy markets and rising debt-to-asset ratios. The stock's proximity to resistance at $317 suggests potential consolidation, but sustained refining advantages and institutional support offer upside potential for investors focused on energy sector growth.
Trailing returns across standard periods
Latest headlines on both assets
Lowe's is the second-largest home improvement retailer in the world, operating 1,969 stores and servicing around 230 dealer-owned stores throughout the United States and Canada. The firm's stores offer products and services for home decorating, maintenance, repair, and remodeling, with maintenance and repair accounting for two thirds of products sold. Lowe's targets retail do-it-yourself (around 75% of sales) and do-it-for-me customers as well as commercial and professional business clients (around 25% of sales). We estimate Lowe's captures a low-double-digit share of the domestic home improvement market, based on U.S. Census data and management's estimates for market size.
Read more on LOW →Marathon Petroleum is an independent refiner with 13 refineries in the midcontinent, West Coast, and Gulf Coast of the United States with total throughput capacity of 2.9 million barrels per day. Its Dickinson, ND, facility produces 184 million gallons a year of renewable diesel. Its Martinez, CA, facility will have the ability to produce 730 million gallons a year of renewable diesel once converted. The firm also owns and operates midstream assets primarily through its listed MLP, MPLX.
Read more on MPC →