Is Lowe's managing selling expenses effectively in 2025?

**Lowe's is not currently forming a pattern of effective expense management as measured by selling expenses in 2025.** Here's the analysis to support this conclusion:

1. **Selling Expenses and Net Margin**: The data indicates that in 2025, Lowe's has zero records of managing selling expenses effectively, as reflected by the absence of any sales expenses recorded in that year. This absence suggests a lack of expense management rather than effective control.

2. **Revenue and Profitability**: Despite the lack of selling expense data, Lowe's revenue for 2025 was $18.6 billion, with an adjusted diluted EPS of $1.93, surpassing analysts' estimates. This indicates a strong revenue performance, but it does not necessarily reflect effective expense management.
3. **Strategic Initiatives**: Lowe's has been focusing on omnichannel retailing and has made progress in its strategic imperatives. While this focus on integration of online and in-store experiences is positive, it does not directly address selling expenses.
4. **Financial Performance and Guidance**: The company's financial performance has been mixed, with challenges in comparable sales growth but a healthy gross profit margin of 33.2%. The adjusted operating margin improved by 36 basis points to 9.4% due to disciplined cost management and productivity improvements. However, these improvements are not specifically attributed to selling expenses.
5. **Long-term Outlook**: Despite short-term challenges, Lowe's maintains a long-term target of approximately 14%+ operating margin, signaling confidence in its ability to manage costs, including selling expenses, over time.

In conclusion, while Lowe's has shown strong revenue performance and profitability, the lack of data on selling expenses in 2025 and the absence of specific strategies focused on expense management suggest that effective expense management is not currently forming a pattern in 2025. The company's focus on strategic initiatives and long-term targets indicates potential for improvement in expense management in the future.