Latest news with #Lowes
Forbes
3 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Katie Lowes Talks About The Once-In-A-Career Role In ‘The Hunting Wives'
Katie Lowes talks about the incredible experience she had starring in 'The Hunting Wives.' Viewers cannot stop talking about The Hunting Wives. Love it, or not, it's a twisted thriller with a lot of steamy sex scenes and a fun binge-watch. But it's not just the sheer amount of nudity that has gotten viewers hot and bothered; as high ratings for this show and a slew of like-minded reality series prove, watching beautiful, wealthy people misbehaving makes for good TV. Perhaps, it's voyeurism intertwined with a dose of Schadenfreude when karma comes knocking, that serves as a sort of justice. Katie Lowes, well known for her roles in soapy dramas, said she's never experienced anything quite like her character Jill, a preacher's wife and obsessively doting mother with a dark side that's hidden beneath meticulously coiffed hair and a plastered-on smile. 'Jill is the type of juicy character that every actor dreams of playing. This was a once-in-a-career opportunity. ' The sex-driven drama, originally set to premiere on Starz, is now streaming its first season exclusively on Netflix in the U.S. for one year. Fans are hopefully optimistic that there will be a second season, but there has been no official word yet. However, the show reached No. 3 on Netflix's global English TV Top 10 list with 5.2 million views and No. 3 on the U.S. only English TV Top 10 list. Making the cut suggests that we might hear good news soon. Despite Jill's obvious issues, Lowes defends her character, who, like many in the show, faces an unfortunate demise. When asked if Jill got what she deserved, Lowes immediately replied with, 'Absolutely not! She did nothing wrong!' Well, as fans of the show know all too well, none of these characters are exactly innocent, but as Lowes points out, Jill killing Chrissy Metz's Starr was self-defense and justified. 'I stand by my character.' Though the viewer does see Starr approach Jill's house, shotgun in hand and ready to rumble, we do not see exactly what happened when Jill opened the door. We just know it wasn't good. The viewer, like Malin Akerman's Margo and Jaime Ray Newman's Callie, see the result of whatever that exchange was, which was Starr's bloody corpse splayed out on Jill's pristine kitchen floor. This fan is hoping Lowes and Metz can return in flashbacks in a second season to fill in the blanks on this. Of course, we also need to know what happens between Margo and Brittany Snow's character, Sophie. Lowes acknowledges her character's imperfections and has empathy for her lonely existence. 'She has a weird Oedipal obsession with her son. She's a helicopter parent, but this is a heightened version of that. She needs a lot of therapy. And her marriage is horrible; I think she's had sex with her husband a handful of times, if that. She has nothing other than her son and the church, but he comes first. I don't think she's been loved by anyone or anything in her life. She got married very young and had a baby, and didn't have many intimate experiences in her life. And so I think a lot of her wiring has gotten crossed.' As for her character's dramatic death at the end of what could be a first season, Lowes knew this was the deal when she first signed on to the Rebecca Cutter-helmed drama. Cutter, who served as showrunner, writer, and executive producer, adapted May Cobb's bestselling novel of the same name for television, and if you're a fan of The Hunting Wives, her drama Hightown is also streaming on Netflix. 'To say, 'You c**ts' and then die is something that will only happen once in my career, and I'm so grateful to Rebecca. Jill deserved the best death scene because I had the best time portraying her. I've never received this many texts and calls about a show! I'm just gobsmacked,' she exclaimed, referencing the number of messages she's received about the numerous steamy sex scenes and frontal nudity woven throughout the eight episodes. 'I'm getting texts from people of all ages, but there's a difference in what they're saying. My older friends are commenting on the amount of nudity, including full frontal, and the numerous sex scenes. Younger friends are obsessed with the show's twists and turns and the plotlines, and they're not even mentioning the sex at all.' Currently, Lowes can be seen in three series on Netflix: Shonda Rhimes' Scandal and Inventing Anna, and now The Hunting Wives. Though she's well known for sudsy dramas, Lowes is also fantastic in lighter fare, including the adorably charming Merry Kiss Cam, directed by Lisa France. The rom-com, currently streaming on Hulu, has had a surge in viewing following the Coldplay incident. Katie Lowes in 'The Hunting Wives' on Netflix. As Jill, who might just be the only person in the East Texas town of Maple Brook who isn't fornicating with friends and neighbors behind her husband's back, Lowes missed out on the steamy sex scenes. 'My clothes stayed on,' she laughed, somewhat relieved about one thing. 'I have yet to make that phone call to my dad to prepare him.' As for whether she'd be open to filming sex scenes like several of her co-stars, Lowes replied, 'I'm totally game if the storyline calls for it.' She also explained that she feels differently now about these types of scenes than she did when she was a younger actress, and she praised the show for its brave take on female empowerment around sexuality, admitting it's had her thinking. 'Once I turned 40, I had this new feeling about sex scenes. I'm just sort of like, 'F**k it.' I used to be really careful about things like that. I used to be conscious about being naked. I've been naked on stage before, but that was before the invention of the iPhone,' she said, referring to her time at NYU's Tisch School of the Arts, where such on-stage nudity was considered artsy. 'Nudity was part of a lot of the plays I did, but I haven't done anything like that since. I've always been conscientious, and I don't know, I've sort of been like, 'Oh, my gosh, I had two kids. I'm in my mid-40s. I'm coming up on menopause.' I don't know what that would be like now, but I feel like I could stand to spice it up a little bit.' She reflected on the behind-the-scenes fun the cast and crew had during the five months of filming in Charlotte, North Carolina. 'This was the first time many of us had ever left our children for a job,' adding that they each traveled back and forth, and their families also came to visit. 'I had always taken my kids on every job. And now we're at that crossroads where they're in school, and I couldn't pull them out. I had a lot of anxiety about leaving them.' Katie Lowes and Jaime Ray Newman in 'The Hunting Wives' on Netflix. The experience wasn't short on fun, she added, saying they had almost as much fun as their respective characters. 'We all lived in the same apartment building, like Melrose Place with a pool in the middle. After filming, we'd go honky-tonkin' at Coyote Joe's.' Lowes is filled with gratitude for the entire experience. 'I'm a New Yorker, a Long Island girl. What a dream to play a Southern belle…a clutch-your-pearls, the higher-the-hair, closer-to-God, larger-than-life woman. I had so much fun and am so grateful to Rebecca for trusting me with her.' She hypothesized about a few additional questions, including whether she believes that Jill knew that Margo and Brad were having an affair, and that Margo got pregnant and had an abortion. 'I don't think so because she might have killed her at that point!' Back to the question about Jill's death with the possibility of a season two hanging in the air, Lowes said, 'I'd follow Rebecca to the ends of the earth and do whatever she wanted. Hopefully, Jill's ghost will get some revenge.'
Yahoo
22-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Memphis Tigers left empty-handed after bold Big 12 proposal falls flat
The Memphis Tigers made a full-court press to join the Big 12, and they got nothing but rejection in return. Memphis tries everything, still shut out of Big 12 dreams Reports surfaced this week revealing the extent of Memphis' push to join the power conference. Their offer was aggressive: give up media rights revenue for five years, secure $200 million in sponsorships from companies like FedEx and Lowe's, and even include an exit clause allowing the Big 12 to remove them if they didn't deliver. None of it worked. The Big 12 wasn't swayed. The door remains closed, and Memphis is staying put in the American Conference. Public response gets weird After the news broke, the school's official social media account posted a photo with the American Conference's updated branding and the message: 'Proud member of the American Conference.' Proud member of the American Conference Ⓜ️#GoTigersGo | @American_Conf — Memphis Tigers (@TigersAthletics) July 21, 2025 That didn't sit well with fans. The timing came off as ironic, if not tone-deaf, given Memphis has been very publicly trying to leave the league. The post was quickly mocked and flooded with sarcastic replies. MORE: Klatt sounds the alarm; Michigan could steamroll the Big Ten in 2025 The American, for what it's worth, has tried to rebrand itself in recent months. The conference updated its name and logo and introduced a mascot named Soar the Eagle. That didn't help Memphis' optics either. Desperate? maybe, but not unprecedented While it may seem like Memphis was begging for a lifeline, similar strategies have worked before. SMU used a zero-revenue approach to gain entry into the ACC just last year. Memphis has been impressive on the field, going 21-5 across the last two seasons. But without an invite, performance isn't enough. The Tigers are still on the outside looking in. For now, they'll keep playing in the American, whether they're proud of it or not. More College Sports: Michigan State favorable schedule aid Spartans' Big Ten preseason rankings SEC drops big news on Texas QB ahead of Week 1 Syracuse Orange football will rely on 8th year senior SEC Media Days: Arch Manning ready for role as college football's top celebrity QB in 2025 Dan Orlovsky drops exact number of Big Ten football teams to make College Football Playoff
Yahoo
21-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
2 Large-Cap Stocks to Consider Right Now and 1 That Underwhelm
Large-cap stocks are known for their staying power and ability to weather market storms better than smaller competitors. However, their sheer size makes it more challenging to maintain high growth rates as they've already captured significant portions of their markets. This dynamic can trouble even the most skilled investors, but luckily for you, we started StockStory to help you navigate these trade-offs and uncover exceptional companies that break the mold. That said, here are two large-cap stocks whose competitive advantages create flywheel effects and one that could be stalling. One Large-Cap Stock to Sell: Lowe's (LOW) Market Cap: $122.8 billion Founded in North Carolina as Lowe's North Wilkesboro Hardware, the company is a home improvement retailer that sells everything from paint to tools to building materials. Why Do We Think Twice About LOW? Store closures and poor same-store sales reveal weak demand and a push toward operational efficiency Disappointing same-store sales over the past two years show customers aren't responding well to its product selection and store experience Commoditized inventory, bad unit economics, and high competition are reflected in its low gross margin of 33.3% Lowe's stock price of $219.14 implies a valuation ratio of 17.5x forward P/E. If you're considering LOW for your portfolio, see our FREE research report to learn more. Two Large-Cap Stocks to Watch: Colgate-Palmolive (CL) Market Cap: $70.38 billion Formed after the 1928 combination between toothpaste maker Colgate and soap maker Palmolive-Peet, Colgate-Palmolive (NYSE:CL) is a consumer products company that focuses on personal, household, and pet products. Why Does CL Stand Out? Economies of scale give it negotiating power with retailers and suppliers as well as fixed cost leverage when sales grow Impressive free cash flow profitability enables the company to fund new investments or reward investors with share buybacks/dividends, and its improved cash conversion implies it's becoming a less capital-intensive business Stellar returns on capital showcase management's ability to surface highly profitable business ventures, and its returns are growing as it capitalizes on even better market opportunities At $87.21 per share, Colgate-Palmolive trades at 23.1x forward P/E. Is now a good time to buy? Find out in our full research report, it's free. Gilead Sciences (GILD) Market Cap: $134.6 billion From its groundbreaking work in developing the first single-tablet regimens for HIV treatment, Gilead Sciences (NASDAQ:GILD) develops and markets innovative medicines for life-threatening diseases including HIV, viral hepatitis, COVID-19, and cancer. Why Are We Fans of GILD? $28.74 billion in revenue gives its scale, which leads to bargaining power with customers because there are few trusted alternatives Adjusted operating margin improvement of 17.8 percentage points over the last five years demonstrates its ability to scale efficiently Strong free cash flow margin of 33.2% enables it to reinvest or return capital consistently Gilead Sciences is trading at $108.22 per share, or 13.2x forward P/E. Is now the time to initiate a position? See for yourself in our comprehensive research report, it's free. High-Quality Stocks for All Market Conditions Trump's April 2024 tariff bombshell triggered a massive market selloff, but stocks have since staged an impressive recovery, leaving those who panic sold on the sidelines. Take advantage of the rebound by checking out our Top 5 Strong Momentum Stocks for this week. This is a curated list of our High Quality stocks that have generated a market-beating return of 183% over the last five years (as of March 31st 2025). Stocks that made our list in 2020 include now familiar names such as Nvidia (+1,545% between March 2020 and March 2025) as well as under-the-radar businesses like the once-micro-cap company Kadant (+351% five-year return). Find your next big winner with StockStory today for free. Find your next big winner with StockStory today. Find your next big winner with StockStory today StockStory is growing and hiring equity analyst and marketing roles. Are you a 0 to 1 builder passionate about the markets and AI? See the open roles here. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
16-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Lowe's (LOW) Registers a Bigger Fall Than the Market: Important Facts to Note
Lowe's (LOW) closed at $215.01 in the latest trading session, marking a -3.32% move from the prior day. The stock trailed the S&P 500, which registered a daily loss of 0.4%. Meanwhile, the Dow lost 0.98%, and the Nasdaq, a tech-heavy index, added 0.18%. The home improvement retailer's shares have seen an increase of 2.92% over the last month, not keeping up with the Retail-Wholesale sector's gain of 4.14% and the S&P 500's gain of 4.97%. Market participants will be closely following the financial results of Lowe's in its upcoming release. On that day, Lowe's is projected to report earnings of $4.25 per share, which would represent year-over-year growth of 3.66%. Meanwhile, the latest consensus estimate predicts the revenue to be $23.96 billion, indicating a 1.61% increase compared to the same quarter of the previous year. For the entire fiscal year, the Zacks Consensus Estimates are projecting earnings of $12.3 per share and a revenue of $84.29 billion, representing changes of +2.5% and +0.74%, respectively, from the prior year. Any recent changes to analyst estimates for Lowe's should also be noted by investors. These latest adjustments often mirror the shifting dynamics of short-term business patterns. Hence, positive alterations in estimates signify analyst optimism regarding the business and profitability. Empirical research indicates that these revisions in estimates have a direct correlation with impending stock price performance. To take advantage of this, we've established the Zacks Rank, an exclusive model that considers these estimated changes and delivers an operational rating system. The Zacks Rank system, spanning from #1 (Strong Buy) to #5 (Strong Sell), boasts an impressive track record of outperformance, audited externally, with #1 ranked stocks yielding an average annual return of +25% since 1988. Over the last 30 days, the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate has witnessed a 0.1% increase. Currently, Lowe's is carrying a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold). In terms of valuation, Lowe's is currently trading at a Forward P/E ratio of 18.08. This indicates a discount in contrast to its industry's Forward P/E of 19.98. It is also worth noting that LOW currently has a PEG ratio of 2.1. The PEG ratio bears resemblance to the frequently used P/E ratio, but this parameter also includes the company's expected earnings growth trajectory. As the market closed yesterday, the Retail - Home Furnishings industry was having an average PEG ratio of 2.33. The Retail - Home Furnishings industry is part of the Retail-Wholesale sector. With its current Zacks Industry Rank of 94, this industry ranks in the top 39% of all industries, numbering over 250. The Zacks Industry Rank is ordered from best to worst in terms of the average Zacks Rank of the individual companies within each of these sectors. Our research shows that the top 50% rated industries outperform the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1. Be sure to use to monitor all these stock-influencing metrics, and more, throughout the forthcoming trading sessions. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Lowe's Companies, Inc. (LOW) : Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research ( Zacks Investment Research Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
13-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Synchrony's 11% Shareholder Yield Is Too Good for the Market to Ignore
Synchrony Financial isn't the kind of stock that trends on Reddit or commands CNBC airtime. It's a spinoff bank that underwrites store credit cards for companies like Amazon and Lowe's, hardly the most glamorous corner of the market. But quietly, Synchrony is becoming a capital return powerhouse. With an 11% shareholder yield, expanding margins, and a valuation under 7x forward earnings, its offering is more than the most high-growth names at a fraction of the risk, in a market still obsessed with momentum and narratives, Synchrony is playing a different game: generating cash, returning it, and waiting for the market to notice. And when it does, the rerating could be substantial. Unlike traditional banks that depend on consumer deposits and broad lending portfolios, Synchrony operates in a tightly focused lane: private-label credit and co-branded cards. It partners with retailers like Amazon, Lowe's, Sam's Club, and CareCredit for healthcare financing, embedding itself directly at the point of sale. This embedded finance model is more defensible than it looks. Synchrony doesn't just lend; it owns the relationship with both the merchant and the customer. Its partners get tailored credit programs, and Synchrony earns high-yield, interest-bearing balances with direct underwriting control. Unlike buy-now-pay-later startups chasing volume with razor-thin margins, Synchrony operates a durable, interest-driven model backed by decades of data. Its return on equity regularly exceeds 18%, thanks in part to that risk-adjusted, merchant-integrated underwriting engine. It's not sexy, but it's sticky, and increasingly rare in a financial sector overrun by commoditized loan books. Synchrony Financial isn't just profitable, it's aggressive in how it shares that profitability with investors. Over the past eight years, the company has delivered a rare combination of consistent dividends and opportunistic buybacks, creating a total shareholder yield that regularly exceeds 10%, and spiked as high as 27% in 2022. While the dividend has grown steadily from $0.26 per share in 2016 to $1.05 currently, the real power comes from the buyback engine. In 2018 and 2022, Synchrony repurchased the equivalent of 13.63% and 24.32% of its market cap, respectively, during periods of market dislocation. This isn't financial engineering, it's tactical capital deployment. The company has reduced its share count by over 30% since 2016, all while maintaining a conservative payout ratio that rarely exceeds 20%. That leaves room for continued returns without straining regulatory capital levels. In a market where many banks are dialing back repurchases to preserve liquidity, Synchrony is taking the opposite approach, leaning into its strength and rewarding shareholders when it matters most. At first glance, Synchrony Financial trades like a distressed lender. Its forward price-to-earnings ratio sits below 7x, and its price-to-tangible book value is just ~1.25x. For a company generating 24% return on equity and returning more than 10% of its market cap annually, this valuation simply doesn't reflect the underlying fundamentals. The chart below compares Synchrony to three peers in consumer lending, Discover Financial (DFS), Capital One (COF), and Citizens Financial Group (CFG): Metric SYF DFS COF CFG Forward P/E ~6.7x ~8.2x ~7.9x ~9.3x Price/Tangible Book ~1.25x ~1.45x ~1.20x ~1.05x Return on Equity (ROE) ~24% ~23% ~12% ~10% Shareholder Yield (TTM) ~11% ~5% ~4% ~3.5% Despite being the most shareholder-friendly of the group, Synchrony still trades at a discount to peers on a price-to-tangible book basis and remains well below sector averages on earnings multiples. Importantly, it achieves this with better capital efficiency ROE of 24% compared to 1023% for peers. The market seems to be overpricing risk tied to Synchrony's consumer credit exposure. Yet its net charge-off rates remain within historical norms, and the net interest margin is steady around 15.5%, showing little stress. Synchrony's embedded finance model, diversified across retail, healthcare, and home improvement, helps mitigate category-specific cyclicality. If Synchrony simply trades in line with peers on P/E or tangible book, the stock could rerate by 3040%, even without earnings growth. Synchrony Financial isn't popular with fast-money traders, but it's quietly attracting some of the sharpest long-term value investors in the market. Par Capital Management, known for taking concentrated positions in undervalued compounders, remains the company's largest institutional backer. With over 7.5 million shares and an average cost basis of around $28, Par has earned over 140% on its position. Rather than trimming, the firm added more shares in recent filings, signaling a belief that Synchrony's revaluation story isn't close to finished, but Par isn't alone. Francis Chou (Trades, Portfolio), a deeply contrarian value investor with a history of finding unloved financials, also holds a stake in Synchrony. His fund's investment approach emphasizes margin of safety, free cash flow, and capital discipline, traits Synchrony delivers through its high ROE and aggressive buybacks. Even Jeremy Grantham (Trades, Portfolio)'s GMO, known for its macro rigor and value discipline, has owned shares of Synchrony through its diversified funds. While not a top holding, its presence signals broader institutional recognition of the stock's undervaluation relative to its returns. What these investors have in common is patience and a preference for durable economics over short-term narrative. Synchrony fits that mold: high returns, low valuation, disciplined capital allocation, and steady execution in a misunderstood sector. The market may not have rerated the stock yet, but the smart money is already positioned for when it does. As a lender tied to consumer credit, particularly discretionary retail, Synchrony Financial is exposed to the usual cycle risks: changing interest rates, borrower delinquencies, and broader economic slowdowns. But what's often missed is that these risks are already embedded in the price. Synchrony trades at under 7x forward earnings and just 1.25x tangible book, despite generating a 24% return on equity, a valuation that implies severe stress ahead. Yet the company's net charge-off rate remains within historical norms, and its delinquency levels have stayed manageable, even through rising rate environments. When it comes to funding risk, Synchrony stands on solid footing. Its debt maturity profile is laddered conservatively, with an average duration of nearly 5 years. Compared to Citizens Financial (CFG) and Capital One (COF), which rely more heavily on shorter-term wholesale funding, Synchrony locks in longer-term debt at fixed rates, reducing rollover risk during market stress. Synchrony also maintains a CET1 ratio above 13%, giving it an ample capital buffer relative to regulatory requirements. That compares favorably to peers like Discover and Citizens, which operate closer to minimum thresholds. Regulatory scrutiny is another concern, particularly for private-label credit and transparency in consumer finance. But Synchrony has been proactive in adapting to enhanced disclosure requirements and continues to secure large partnerships with high-trust brands like Amazon and Lowe's, signaling operational compliance and partner confidence. In short, Synchrony is priced like a company in crisis. But the fundamentals show the opposite: steady margins, risk-aware funding, and real capital strength. That disconnect is where long-term value emerges. In a market obsessed with fast narratives and headline volatility, Synchrony Financial is doing something rarer: quietly compounding value. With disciplined capital returns, a fortress balance sheet, and embedded financing relationships across retail and healthcare, it's delivering shareholder yield that most growth stocks can't match, even at three times the valuation. Trading at a discount to every relevant peer on both earnings and tangible book, Synchrony still manages to lead on ROE and shareholder payout. It's priced as if a crisis is imminent, yet the fundamentals tell a different story: charge-offs under control, margins intact, long-term debt locked in, and ample capital reserves. Importantly, the company isn't going unnoticed by those who matter. Par Capital, Francis Chou (Trades, Portfolio), and Jeremy Grantham (Trades, Portfolio)'s GMO have all taken positions, some with extraordinary gains already, because they understand what the broader market hasn't: this isn't a turnaround or a trade. It's a rare case of mispriced stability. For investors seeking resilient cash flows, long-term buyback leverage, and underappreciated consistency in a volatile market, Synchrony Financial may be the most compelling under-the-radar compounder available today. This article first appeared on GuruFocus. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
