LOW vs. MSFT
LOW (Lowe's Companies, Inc.) and MSFT (Microsoft Corporation) are both stocks. LOW operates in Home Improvement Retail (Consumer Cyclical), while MSFT operates in Software - Infrastructure (Technology). Over the past 10 years, LOW returned 13.33%/yr vs 24.39%/yr for MSFT. At a 0.31 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.
Performance
LOW vs. MSFT - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, LOW achieves a -7.60% return, which is significantly higher than MSFT's -18.85% return. Over the past 10 years, LOW has underperformed MSFT with an annualized return of 13.33%, while MSFT has yielded a comparatively higher 24.39% annualized return.
LOW
- 1D
- -0.12%
- 1M
- 0.15%
- YTD
- -7.60%
- 6M
- -9.89%
- 1Y
- 0.73%
- 3Y*
- 2.50%
- 5Y*
- 4.93%
- 10Y*
- 13.33%
MSFT
- 1D
- 0.10%
- 1M
- -3.36%
- YTD
- -18.85%
- 6M
- -17.98%
- 1Y
- -17.75%
- 3Y*
- 6.16%
- 5Y*
- 9.56%
- 10Y*
- 24.39%
LOW vs. MSFT - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
LOW Lowe's Companies, Inc. | -7.60% | -0.33% | 13.01% | 14.03% | -21.49% | 63.34% | 36.40% | 32.23% | 1.22% | 33.29% |
MSFT Microsoft Corporation | -18.85% | 15.58% | 12.93% | 58.19% | -28.02% | 52.48% | 42.53% | 57.56% | 20.80% | 40.73% |
Correlation
The correlation between LOW and MSFT is -0.06, meaning there is essentially no relationship between their price movements. Each responds to its own set of market drivers, making them strong candidates for combining in a diversified portfolio.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | -0.06 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.13 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.30 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.35 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Mar 13, 1986 | 0.31 |
The correlation between LOW and MSFT shifts across timeframes, from -0.06 (1 year) to 0.35 (10 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
Fundamentals
LOW:
$123.64B
MSFT:
$2.91T
LOW:
$11.86
MSFT:
$16.79
LOW:
18.62
MSFT:
23.27
LOW:
20.34
MSFT:
1.63
LOW:
1.40
MSFT:
9.16
LOW:
$88.43B
MSFT:
$318.27B
LOW:
$29.89B
MSFT:
$217.41B
LOW:
$11.50B
MSFT:
$200.96B
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Return for Risk
LOW vs. MSFT — Risk / Return Rank
LOW
MSFT
LOW vs. MSFT - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Lowe's Companies, Inc. (LOW) and Microsoft Corporation (MSFT). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.
Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.
| LOW | MSFT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +0.73 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +1.08 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.03 | 0.89 | +0.14 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 0.03 | -0.53 | +0.55 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 0.06 | -1.08 | +1.14 |
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Drawdowns
LOW vs. MSFT - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum LOW drawdown since its inception was -62.52%, smaller than the maximum MSFT drawdown of -69.38%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for LOW and MSFT.
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Drawdown Indicators
| LOW | MSFT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -62.52% | -69.38% | +6.86% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -27.75% | -33.91% | +6.16% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -27.75% | -33.91% | +6.16% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -33.86% | -37.15% | +3.29% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -48.63% | -37.15% | -11.48% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -22.81% | -27.46% | +4.65% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -16.60% | -21.78% | +5.18% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 12.31% | 16.48% | -4.17% |
Volatility
LOW vs. MSFT - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for Lowe's Companies, Inc. (LOW) is 8.08%, while Microsoft Corporation (MSFT) has a volatility of 10.52%. This indicates that LOW experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than MSFT based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| LOW | MSFT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 8.08% | 10.52% | -2.44% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 20.39% | 22.31% | -1.92% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 26.16% | 25.42% | +0.74% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 26.23% | 26.66% | -0.43% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 29.17% | 27.06% | +2.11% |
Dividends
LOW vs. MSFT - Dividend Comparison
LOW's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.17%, more than MSFT's 0.91% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
LOW Lowe's Companies, Inc. | 2.17% | 1.95% | 1.82% | 1.93% | 1.86% | 1.08% | 1.40% | 1.72% | 1.93% | 1.64% | 1.77% | 1.34% |
MSFT Microsoft Corporation | 0.91% | 0.70% | 0.73% | 0.74% | 1.06% | 0.68% | 0.94% | 1.20% | 1.69% | 1.86% | 2.37% | 2.33% |
Financials
LOW vs. MSFT - Financials Comparison
This section allows you to compare key financial metrics between Lowe's Companies, Inc. and Microsoft Corporation. You can select fields from income statements, balance sheets, and cash flow statements to easily visualize and compare the financial health of both companies.
Total Revenue: Total amount of money received from sales and other business activities
LOW vs. MSFT - Profitability Comparison
LOW - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Lowe's Companies, Inc. reported a gross profit of 7.54B and revenue of 23.08B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 32.7%.
MSFT - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Microsoft Corporation reported a gross profit of 56.06B and revenue of 82.89B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 67.6%.
LOW - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Lowe's Companies, Inc. reported an operating income of 2.55B and revenue of 23.08B, resulting in an operating margin of 11.1%.
MSFT - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Microsoft Corporation reported an operating income of 38.40B and revenue of 82.89B, resulting in an operating margin of 46.3%.
LOW - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Lowe's Companies, Inc. reported a net income of 1.63B and revenue of 23.08B, resulting in a net margin of 7.1%.
MSFT - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Microsoft Corporation reported a net income of 31.78B and revenue of 82.89B, resulting in a net margin of 38.3%.
Frequently Asked Questions
LOW and MSFT have a correlation of -0.06, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
MSFT has higher volatility (10.52%) compared to LOW (8.08%). In terms of maximum drawdown, LOW dropped -62.52% vs MSFT's -69.38%.
LOW currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (0.03 vs -0.70), meaning it's delivered slightly more return per unit of risk over the trailing 12 months. However, this ranking shifts over time - use the Risk/Return Score above for a more comprehensive view that combines Sharpe, Sortino, and other measures used by quantitative funds.
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