Lowe’s Q2 Results Signal Growing Pro Push as Online Sales Jump 15.7%

The home improvement giant reported continued strength among professional customers and a 15.7% increase in online sales during the second quarter, underscoring the growing competitive pressure on distributors serving contractors.

Lowe’s latest earnings results offer another sign that major home improvement retailers are pushing harder into the professional contractor market, backed by an increase in online sales activity.

On August 19, Lowe’s Companies reported second-quarter 2026 sales of $26 billion, up from $24 billion during the same period last year. Comparable sales increased just 0.2%, but the company said that growth was driven by strong performance in its Pro and home services businesses, along with a 15.7% increase in online sales. Persistent weakness in discretionary do-it-yourself spending partially offset those gains.

The results are noteworthy for distributors because they come as Lowe’s continues making the professional customer and digital purchasing central pieces of its long-term growth strategy.

“Sustained growth in Pro, Online and Home Services led to our fifth consecutive quarter of positive comp sales, despite pressure in discretionary DIY spending,” Lowe’s Chairman, President and CEO Marvin Ellison said in the company’s August 2026 earnings announcement.

Pro remains a strategic priority

Lowe’s focus on contractors extends beyond its latest quarterly results. The company’s “Total Home” strategy identifies five primary areas for growth: driving Pro penetration, accelerating online sales, expanding home services, creating a loyalty ecosystem and increasing space productivity.

Within the Pro segment specifically, Lowe’s says it is investing in inventories of high-volume professional products, improving jobsite delivery capabilities, expanding its Pro online assortment and strengthening its loyalty program.

The company also has moved further into traditional distribution channels through acquisitions.

Lowe’s acquired Artisan Design Group in June 2025 and Foundation Building Materials in October 2025. Foundation Building Materials distributes products including drywall, metal framing, ceiling systems, insulation, commercial doors and related building products to large residential and commercial professionals. Lowe’s has said the acquisitions are intended to expand its reach with larger Pro customers.

That represents a notable evolution for a retailer whose traditional Pro customer base has primarily consisted of smaller and midsize tradespeople, remodelers and property managers. Lowe’s now says those acquisitions are helping it reach larger residential and commercial professional customers as well.

Digital expectations continue to rise

The 15.7% increase in online sales also deserves attention as Lowe’s has made accelerating online sales one of its five primary strategic objectives and says it is investing in a broader product assortment, improved fulfillment capabilities and a simplified digital buying experience.

Contractors increasingly experience purchasing environments where product availability, ordering, delivery options, account information and other services can be accessed digitally and quickly. For independent distributors, that means competition is increasingly about more than whether the correct product is sitting on a shelf.

The news also follows Home Depot’s August 18 announcement that it is expanding three-hour delivery across U.S. markets for thousands of products, including plumbing, electrical, hardware and other project categories. Together, the developments illustrate how the country’s largest home improvement retailers continue investing in speed, digital convenience and services aimed at professional customers.

Those investments do not eliminate the advantages of deep product expertise, established contractor relationships, technical support and specialized inventory that independent distributors offer, but they do continue to raise customer expectations around the purchasing experience.

By Natalie Forster