Home improvement retailer Lowe announced on Aug. 19 that its second-quarter sales increased 8.3% year-over-year to $26 billion, driven by strong performance in Pro and home services sales, as well as a 15.7% increase in online sales.

While the home improvement retailer didn’t disclose a specific Pro comp percentage, it pointed to Pro as one of the primary drivers of its fifth consecutive quarter of positive comparable sales. Increasing its penetration into the Pro segment is one of five top priorities for the company. 

Positive comps were reported across several Pro-heavy categories: rough plumbing, millwork, electrical and lumber, with strength in areas including HVAC, water heaters, treated lumber, siding, composite decking and electrical cable.

Small and Midsized Pros Drive Growth

Lowe’s said its Pro growth during the quarter was driven by small and midsized contractors — a customer group that overlaps with many wholesale distributors’ core customer bases.

During its 2Q earnings call, Executive Vice President of Stores Joe McFarland said Lowe’s has focused its Pro investments around what contractors value most: time, product availability and value. The retailer has continued to expand its assortment, maintain inventory availability and invest in fulfillment and digital capabilities designed specifically for professional customers.

“In our recent survey, our core Pro customers shared that their backlogs are steady,” McFarland said. “However, they are seeing a homeowner that is more cautious about their spending. This is leading to consistently smaller projects focused on repair and maintenance needs rather than larger remodeling jobs.”

Integrating Foundation Building Materials

Lowe’s has positioned its $8.8 billion acquisition of Foundation Building Materials, which it completed in October 2025, as a way to expand its assortment, fulfillment and trade-credit capabilities while reaching larger Pro customers that historically have been served by specialty distributors.

During the earnings call, Lowe’s Chairman and CEO Marvin Ellison said the company is pleased with the integration of FBM and Artisan Design Group, which Lowe’s also acquired in 2025.

“We believe these acquisitions position us to grow share with our larger Pro customers long term while capturing more planned Pro spend,” Ellison said.

FBM is facing the same residential construction headwinds affecting much of the building materials distribution market.

Lowe’s CFO Brandon Sink said about 45% of FBM’s business is exposed to residential construction, where weak single-family and multifamily activity is pressuring demand. The other 55% of FBM’s business serves the commercial market, and Lowe’s said it remains pleased with the performance of that portion of the company.