The stock traded 0.6% higher. Shares of home improvement retailer Lowe's ( LOW ) fell 0.3% after the company topped Wall Street estimates but issued first-quarter guidance that was below expectations. "We believe that the long-term outlook of the home improvement industry is favorable despite near-term weakness given rising home ownership and the aging of the U.S. housing stock," said Citi analyst Deborah Weinswig, who rates Lowe's stock hold/medium risk. "Our hold rating is based on our expectation for weak same-store sales, expense deleverage, and slowing earnings per share growth due to a difficult housing market and slowdown in consumer spending. Additionally, we believe the competitive landscape is changing as Home Depot ( HD ) is becoming a more formidable competitor," said Weinswig, who is nonetheless positive on the company's long-term growth plans.