Lowe’s Inc Essay Example
Lowe’s Inc Essay Example

Lowe’s Inc Essay Example

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  • Pages: 4 (952 words)
  • Published: February 16, 2017
  • Type: Case Study
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Organization's like Lowe's Inc. depend on what's known as the "capital budget process" or "strategic planning" (Keown, et al. 2005). This is typically overseen by the Chief Executive Officer, who manages the company's strategic and financial planning, including cash flow (Keown, et al., 2005). A significant part of Lowe's Inc.'s success strategy, especially in the face of economic downturns, is the firm's conviction that concentrating on controllable aspects is the "key to success in challenging financial periods" (Lowe's 2008).

Lowe's Inc. has committed to an ideology of persistently working towards increasing sales and securing a profitable market position regardless of the industry's growth or contraction. They recognize that the economic comeback relies on unpredictable factors, so their business development plans will be prudently crafted. The company's capital budgeting process includes reviewing: (1) Merchandising Strategy, (2) Sele

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ction of Merchandise, (3) Marketing and Advertising strategies, (4) Real Estate Tactics, (5) Expansion with New Stores and (6) Introduction of New Formats.

Appraising their strategy for 2009, Lowe's critically evaluated the in-house elements affecting the company's triumph (Lowe’s, Inc, 2008.) Lowe's was tasked with crafting a beneficial venture (Keown, et al.), in order to spawn new ventures and draw in revenue and fresh business. The firm examined their financial reports and stock inventory. Post analysis of the demand for specific goods amongst Lowe's customers, the management formulated a technique to get rid of those products which weren't selling at par with others.

Lowe's Inc. reported in 2008 that their substantial product markdowns affected the gross margin negatively in the final quarter of that year. However, this strategy enhanced their inventory situation entering the year 2009. The impact was somewhat favorable as ther

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was a minor recovery in gross margin during the first quarter of 2009 as compared to the same period the previous year. Further, as per capital budgeting analysis (Keown, et al., 2005), Lowe's Inc. highlighted that 'payroll' is one of their most significant expenses.

Managing the payroll is crucial in controlling expenditures and expenses, yet the firm also places a significant emphasis on maintaining its excellent customer service image. The success of Lowe's organization lies in its ability to forecast trends and leverage them. Lowe's Incorporated has long understood how critical energy conservation is. Most consumers are concerned about energy management due to environmental and financial aspects. Additionally, Lowe's has dedicated substantial effort into planning for energy-efficient products and materials related to eco-friendly energy.

Through strategic planning and effective implementation, Lowe's has maintained a leading position in the hardware sector. Lowe's offers Energy Star products to promote energy awareness. Customers can usually save 20-30% energy with these products compared to standard appliances. These items can assist households in their endeavors to save money and minimize their environmental impact. As part of these initiatives, Lowe's has partnered with and invested in eco-friendly manufacturers and industry leaders.

Ensuring they keep pace with the trend of energy efficiency, both for their own and their customers' benefit, will have an impact on Lowe's spending. Prior to launching a fresh endeavor, companies need to establish its cost. Lowe's required assurance that this commitment wouldn't alter their costing strategy, or that they could match the expenditure at the very least. Critically, Lowe's needed to ascertain that customers would be attracted to these new energy-efficient goods and that the expense would be offset by revenue.

In the previous year, these energy-efficient products helped consumers save 7 billion dollars across the country.

The large amount of money saved by individuals indicates the significant investment made in the product, suggesting high costs. Lowe's could not bear these costs alone, thus necessitated a partnership with other companies to control expenses. Duke Energy was chosen as Lowe's collaborator. The advantage of this joint venture is that both organizations share the same objective of money-saving for their consumers. As a result, without either company spending a huge chunk of their funds or capital, the collaboration allowed these changes to happen.

In commerce, from the inception phase to restocking your warehouse, a lot of uncertainties will be encountered. Indeed, risk-taking is a critical component of attaining significant success in business. This is a principle that Lowe's Home Improvement Inc has adhered to, enabling them to remain operational since 1952 through meticulous planning and efficient inventory management. For Lowe's Inc. to maintain its position as a primary destination for home improvement needs, staying abreast with their accounting updates is crucial. Going over the budget may result in temporary losses, but if it leads to substantial sales growth, it eventually yields increased profits.

The high volume of sales permits Lowe's to augment their stock levels. However, a surplus of stock coupled with low sales could result in a downturn in business and potential losses. It's crucial for Lowe's home improvement's financial stability to be maintained. Given the daily rate of house purchases, training staff members well is essential. The more well-versed Lowe's staff are, the quicker customers can finish their projects in a store which offers all necessary materials for building

a house. The high level of customer guidance fosters repeat visits.

Poor performing sales representatives could result in customers returning for refunds. In certain regions, Lowe's only permits customers to receive store credit within a 30-day window. Complaints from such returning customers can result in poor ratings. Therefore, it's vital to hire sufficiently experienced staff. Customers serve as the foundation for Lowe's and its rivals, like Home Depot, hence management faces a tough challenge in assessing its budgets carefully so as to keep expenses, like payroll, in check, all while ensuring excellent customer service.

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