Home Depot vs. Lowe's: Which Big Box Home Improvement Stock Is a Better Buy in 2026?

The Motley Fool compares Home Depot and Lowe's as investment options in 2026. Home Depot maintains dominance in the professional contractor market with strategic acquisitions and a strong distribution network, while Lowe's is aggressively expanding into larger professional markets with innovative tools and faster fulfillment. Despite Home Depot's larger scale and higher profitability, Lowe's is recommended as the better buy due to its lower valuation metrics, higher projected growth rates (8% sales growth vs. 4% for Home Depot), and better value proposition.