HD vs LOW Stock Comparison
HD currently leads LOW in this stock comparison, with AIQ scores of 58 vs 53. The clearest difference is momentum, while LOW has the stronger value profile.
What is the main difference between HD and LOW?
HD leads the current stock comparison as The Home Depot, Inc., with the clearest separation coming from momentum and the broader AIQ evidence mix.
AlgovestIQ AIQ Comparison
The Home Depot, Inc. vs Lowe's Companies, Inc.
HD leads
HD leads by 5 AIQ points, primarily on Momentum and Quality, having only recently taken the lead back from LOW. Wall Street currently favors LOW on target upside.
Fragile: 4 of 6 evidence groups support HD, the lead recently changed hands, and its current signal state is conflicted.
The Home Depot, Inc.
Lowe's Companies, Inc.
The Algovestiq AIQ Score currently favors HD over LOW, 58 versus 53 as of Oct 21, 2026. HD's advantage is driven primarily by stronger momentum and quality, while LOW holds the stronger value profile. HD also shows the stronger technical structure relative to its 50-day moving average, though analyst target upside currently favors LOW. 4 of 6 covered evidence groups favor HD today, and the comparison is rated Fragile on stability: the AIQ gap is narrow at 5 points. HD lead: Reversed — LOW led by 1 AIQ points 30 sessions ago; HD now leads by 5.
Compare The Home Depot, Inc. and Lowe's Companies, Inc. across the Algovestiq AIQ Score, valuation, quality, momentum, risk, technicals and analyst expectations.
Performance over time
Total return with distributions reinvested, from daily closes.
Total return comparison
Growth of $10,000, distributions reinvested
Split-adjusted closes; each distribution is reinvested at the close on its ex-dividend date. Taxes and trading costs are not modeled.
Compare HD and LOW against another ticker
Open a multi-ticker workspace without changing this focused pair page.
AIQ Factor Divergence
Where the two separate, on the four dimensions behind the AIQ Score. Bars read outward from a shared zero: further from the centre is a wider gap.
- Momentum86 vs 65HD +21
- Value37 vs 53LOW +16
- Quality55 vs 45HD +10
- Risk Resilience57 vs 50HD +7
4 of 6 evidence groups favor HD. HD’s edge is concentrated in momentum and quality; LOW keeps a meaningful value edge.
What changed since the last close
Latest scored session 2026-10-20, compared against the prior scored session 2026-10-19.
Largest factor move: Momentum +14
New signals
- BB Upper Band Breach — bearish, volatility, short horizon
- EMA Ribbon Compression — neutral, trend, medium horizon
Largest factor move: Momentum +7
New signals
- Keltner Channel Breakout — bullish, volatility, short horizon
HD's lead widened by 2 AIQ points in the latest session.
Deeper signal detail for each name lives on its own signals page — HD and LOW both carry a full feed there.
The central trade-off
HD (The Home Depot, Inc.): the stronger current systematic profile, led by momentum and quality.
LOW (Lowe's Companies, Inc.): the counter-case, on value, valuation, analyst expectations.
The AIQ Score and Wall Street therefore point in different directions on this pair.
Which one fits your objective
The same two names rank differently depending on what you are optimizing for. All six reads are shown at once — none of them is hidden behind a toggle.
Balanced
HDHD on the overall AIQ Score, which weights Quality and Value most heavily.
Growth
EvenGrowth figures are not covered for both names.
Value
LOWLOW on the peer-relative Value factor, by 16 points.
Momentum
HDHD on the Momentum factor, by 21 points.
Lower downside
HDHD on Risk Resilience, by 7 points.
Analyst upside
LOWLOW on implied upside to the consensus price target.
AIQ vs Wall Street
The model and the Street disagree here: AIQ favors HD, analyst targets favor LOW. That disagreement is the most useful thing on this page.
| Measure | HD | LOW | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Implied upside to target | +18.5% | +25.7% | LOW has more room |
| Target dispersion | +28.2% | +36.4% | Lower is tighter analyst agreement |
| Consensus | Buy | Buy | Context, not a primary driver |
| Analysts covering | 14 | 11 | Higher coverage generally improves confidence |
The two are measuring different things. The AIQ Score reads current fundamentals, valuation, trend and risk; analyst targets price forward expectations. A divergence of this kind is either a contrarian opportunity or a sign the model is missing something already priced in — it is worth resolving before acting on either.
Analyst targets are expectations, not predictions. Dispersion matters as much as the midpoint.
Dividend growth
| Dividend metric | HD | LOW |
|---|---|---|
| 5Y dividend CAGR | 8.92% | 15.87% |
| 2020 regular DPS | $6.000 | $2.250 |
| 2025 regular DPS | $9.200 | $4.700 |
| Years increased | 5 | 5 |
| No cut in window | Yes | Yes |
| Cohort rank | #126 | #29 |
LOW grew its split-adjusted regular dividend faster over 2020–2025 — 15.87% a year against HD's 8.92%. Neither company reduced its regular dividend in any year of the window.
Yield and payout ratio shown elsewhere on this page are current values, not part of the study window.
Split-adjusted regular dividends per share, 2020–2025, excluding special dividends. Research as of Sep 19, 2026.
AIQ Agreement Matrix
4 of 6 covered evidence groups favor HD. A wide gap backed by one group is a weaker case than a narrow gap backed by five.
| Evidence group | Favors | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| AIQ Score | HD | 58 vs 53 |
| Fundamentals | HDon balance | revenue growth 14.6% vs 12.5%; EPS growth 44.7% vs 47.6%; TTM ROE 102.7% vs -71.8%; gross margin 33.2% vs 33.1%; operating margin 12.4% vs 11.4% — HD takes 3 of 4 decided legs, not all of them |
| Valuation | LOW | Value 37 vs 53 |
| Technicals | HD | Price vs 50-day 0.8% vs -1.1%; vs 200-day -6.2% vs -13% |
| Risk Resilience | HD | Risk Resilience 57 vs 50 |
| Analyst expectations | LOW | Target upside 18.5% vs 25.7% |
✓ agrees with the overall verdict · ✕ points the other way. Groups marked “not covered” lack data on one or both of HD and LOW and are excluded from the count.
AIQ Decision Stability
The conclusion is sensitive to small changes. Treat the lead as provisional and watch the flip conditions below.
- The AIQ gap is narrow at 5 points. (argues the conclusion is provisional)
- The lead has already changed hands inside the comparison window. (argues the conclusion is provisional)
- The lead has been steady session to session. (supports the conclusion holding)
- The leader is throwing conflicting signals. (argues the conclusion is provisional)
Stability combines the score gap, how broadly the evidence agrees, how steady the lead has been across daily snapshots, the current signal state on both names, and analyst dispersion on HD.
How the comparison changed
120 daily snapshots · Jun 21 – Oct 20HD lead: Reversed — LOW led by 1 AIQ points 30 sessions ago; HD now leads by 5.
- Today
- HD +5
- 58 vs 53
- 7 sessions ago
- HD +2
- 52 vs 50
- 30 sessions ago
- LOW +1
- 42 vs 43
- 90 sessions ago
- LOW +6
- 44 vs 50
The lead changed hands 6 times in this window, most recently on Aug 12 when LOW moved ahead of HD.
AIQ Signal Divergence
Only the signals that bear on the head-to-head. A conflicted name is carrying bullish and bearish rules at the same time — the technical evidence is not pointing one way.
2 bullish / 3 bearish / 1 neutral, conflicted
Only HD
- BB Upper Band Breach — bearish, volatility, short horizon
- RSI Overbought — bearish, momentum, short horizon
- EMA Ribbon Compression — neutral, trend, medium horizon
2 bullish / 2 bearish, conflicted
Only LOW
- Downtrend Structure Active — bearish, trend, long horizon
Both carry 3 more signals that do not separate them: Death Cross Active, Keltner Channel Breakout, MACD Bullish Crossover.
HD leads the comparison while carrying a conflicted signal state, which is one reason the stability rating is not higher.
Price vs model alignment
Whether the latest session's price move confirms what the model did over the same session, or contradicts it.
Price is down while the AIQ Score moved up 4 points over the same session — price and model disagree (price -0.31%, AIQ +4 points).
Price is down while the AIQ Score moved up 2 points over the same session — price and model disagree (price -0.99%, AIQ +2 points).
What would flip this result
A state, not a forecast. These are the specific, observable changes that would reverse the verdict — not a price prediction.
- 1LOW closes the Momentum gap — currently 21 points behind, the largest single contributor to HD's edge.
- 2LOW's Death Cross Active resolves — a bearish trend rule currently active against it.
- 3HD's conflicting signal state resolves bearish — it currently carries 2 bullish and 3 bearish rules at once.
- 4A regime shift changes factor weighting — Quality and Value carry the heaviest weights in the composite, so a rotation toward either would move the result most.
The full evidence
Every number behind the verdict. The leader is called above each group so you are not left to solve it from the table.
Fundamentals
HD leads on balance| Metric | HD | LOW |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue growth (YoY) | 14.6% | 12.5% |
| EPS growth (YoY) | 44.7% | 47.6% |
| Gross margin | 33.2% | 33.1% |
| Operating margin | 12.4% | 11.4% |
| Return on equity (TTM) | 102.7% | -71.8% |
| Debt to equity | 3.77 | -5.65 |
Performance
HD leads 4 of 6 windows| Metric | HD | LOW |
|---|---|---|
| 1 week (5 sessions) | 7.2% | 5.2% |
| 1 month (20 sessions) | 3.2% | 1.2% |
| 3 months (63 sessions) | -4.9% | -2.8% |
| 6 months (126 sessions) | -8.4% | -21% |
| Year to date | -8.4% | -17.7% |
| 1 year (252 sessions) | -18.7% | -18.3% |
Technicals
HD has the stronger structure| Metric | HD | LOW |
|---|---|---|
| RSI (14) | 80.8 | 68.5 |
| ADX (14) | 26.5 | 23.8 |
| Price vs 50-day | 0.8% | -1.1% |
| Price vs 200-day | -6.2% | -13% |
| Volatility (1M, annualized) | 27.1% | 28.3% |
Risk
HD is the more resilient| Metric | HD | LOW |
|---|---|---|
| Beta | 0.71 | 0.63 |
| Sharpe ratio | -0.85 | -0.76 |
| Sortino ratio | -1.52 | -1.36 |
| Max drawdown | -28.3% | -37.5% |
| Current drawdown | -19.6% | -30.9% |
| Annualized volatility | 26.3% | 27.8% |
| Value at risk (95%) | -2.5% | -2.7% |
Straight answers
Each answer is regenerated from the current snapshot, not written once and left to age.
Which is better, HD or LOW?
On the Algovestiq AIQ Score, HD is the stronger of the two as of Oct 21, 2026, scoring 58 against LOW's 53. The edge comes from momentum and quality. LOW is not without a case — it holds the better value profile, which matters more if that is the objective you are optimizing for. This is a systematic score, not a recommendation: it ranks the two on the same evidence, it does not know your holding period or tax position.
Is HD or LOW the better buy right now?
HD carries the stronger systematic profile as of Oct 21, 2026, and the comparison is rated Fragile — 4 of 6 covered evidence groups agree. A Fragile rating means the conclusion is sensitive: the AIQ gap is narrow at 5 points. Treat the lead as provisional.
Why does the AIQ Score favor HD over LOW?
The composite weights Quality, Value, Momentum and Risk Resilience. HD leads Momentum by 21 points; LOW leads Value by 16 points; HD leads Quality by 10 points. Where the two split, the factor with the larger weight carries the result.
Which has more analyst upside, HD or LOW?
Analyst price targets imply +18.5% upside for HD and +25.7% for LOW, so the Street currently favors LOW. That points the opposite way to the AIQ Score, which favors HD. The two are measuring different things: the model reads current fundamentals, valuation, trend and risk; the Street is pricing forward expectations. A divergence of this kind is either a contrarian opportunity or a sign the model is missing something the analysts have already priced — it is the single most useful row on this page to investigate. Analyst targets are expectations, not predictions, and dispersion matters as much as the midpoint.
Which is better value, HD or LOW?
LOW is the better-valued of the two on the peer-relative Value factor. LOW on the peer-relative Value factor, by 16 points. The Value factor reads valuation relative to sector peers and to the company's own fundamental quality, so it is not the same as simply having the lower multiple.
Which has stronger growth, HD or LOW?
Growth figures are not covered for both names. Growth here is measured on reported revenue and earnings, not on forward estimates — it describes what the businesses have delivered, not what the Street expects next.
Which has stronger momentum, HD or LOW?
HD on the Momentum factor, by 21 points. Momentum is one of the four weighted factors in the AIQ composite. It has documented persistence over three- to twelve-month horizons, which makes it a timing input rather than a reason to hold something indefinitely.
Which is riskier, HD or LOW?
HD is the more resilient of the two, so the other name carries the higher downside risk. HD on Risk Resilience, by 7 points. Risk Resilience is a weighted factor in the composite; position sizing usually responds to it more usefully than the buy/avoid decision does.
Is HD more profitable than LOW?
HD leads on the comparable margin measures — gross margin 33.2% vs 33.1%; operating margin 12.4% vs 11.4%; ttm roe 102.7% vs -71.8%.
Is HD's lead over LOW getting stronger or weaker?
HD lead: Reversed — LOW led by 1 AIQ points 30 sessions ago; HD now leads by 5. This is measured from 120 daily comparison snapshots between 2026-06-21 and 2026-10-20. The lead has changed hands 6 times in that window, most recently on 2026-08-12, when LOW moved ahead of HD.
What would change the HD vs LOW verdict?
The result is a state, not a forecast, so it changes when the underlying evidence changes. Concretely: LOW closes the Momentum gap — currently 21 points behind, the largest single contributor to HD's edge; LOW's Death Cross Active resolves — a bearish trend rule currently active against it; HD's conflicting signal state resolves bearish — it currently carries 2 bullish and 3 bearish rules at once; a regime shift changes factor weighting — Quality and Value carry the heaviest weights in the composite, so a rotation toward either would move the result most.
What do the current signals say about HD and LOW?
HD: 2 bullish / 3 bearish / 1 neutral, conflicted. LOW: 2 bullish / 2 bearish, conflicted. A conflicted state means bullish and bearish rules are active on the same name at once — the technical evidence is not pointing one way, and a decision taken on it carries more timing risk. The most decision-relevant rule on HD is Death Cross Active (bearish, long horizon). On LOW it is Death Cross Active (bearish, long horizon).
Compare HD and LOW with others
Continue your research
This page answers which of the two. These answer the questions on either side of it.
How this comparison is scored
The Algovestiq AIQ Score composites four factors — Quality, Value, Momentum and Risk, each carrying a fixed weight. Sentiment is reported separately as SentimentPulse and is not folded into the composite. Scores refresh every trading day, and this page regenerates from the latest snapshot rather than being written once.
The verdict names a leader, states how broadly six independent evidence groups agree, and rates how durable that conclusion is given the score gap, its recent trajectory and the current signal state on both names.
How to use side-by-side comparison →This comparison is informational and educational, not investment advice. AIQ scores update daily; re-check after earnings, guidance or macro data that materially changes either name’s factor profile.