Federal Stimulus Money Bolsters Lowe's 1Q Earnings

Lowe's Cos. can thank Uncle Sam for its first quarter. The home-improvement retailer reported better-than-expected earnings and its first same-store sales gain in years. After some very rough quarters in home improvement, assistance came from the government in the form of homebuyer tax credits and rebates for energy-efficient appliances. Lower interest rates and cheaper housing stock didn't hurt either.