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<title>8-k Press Release</title>
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<font face="Times New Roman" size="5"><b>UNITED STATES </b></font></p>
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<font face="Times New Roman" size="5"><b>SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION </b>
</font></p>
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<font face="Times New Roman" size="3"><b>Washington, D.C. 20549 </b></font></p>
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<font face="Times New Roman" size="5"><b>FORM 8-K </b></font></p>
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<p style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: -6px"><font size="1">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px" align="center">
<font face="Times New Roman" size="3"><b>Current Report </b></font></p>
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<p style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px" align="center">
<font face="Times New Roman" size="3"><b>Pursuant To Section 13 or 15 (d) of the
</b></font></p>
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<font face="Times New Roman" size="3"><b>Securities Exchange Act of 1934 </b>
</font></p>
<p style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><font size="1">&nbsp;</font></p>
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      <p style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"><b><font size="2">Date of Report (Date of
      earliest event reported)</font></b></td>
      <td width="29%" style="border-left-style: none; border-left-width: medium; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: medium; border-top: medium none #111111; border-bottom: medium none #111111">
      <p align="center" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"><b>
      <font face="Times New Roman" size="2">February 17, 2005</font></b></td>
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<img border="0" src="lowesgraphic.gif" width="131" height="62"></p>
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<b>LOWE'S COMPANIES, INC.</b><font face="Times New Roman" size="6"><b> </b></font></p>
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<font face="Times New Roman" size="1"><b>(Exact name of registrant as specified
in its charter) </b></font></p>
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      <p align="center" style="text-align:center; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0"><b>North
      Carolina</b></td>
      <td width="30" valign="top" style="width:22.5pt;padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt">
      <p align="center" style="text-align:center; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0"><b>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</b></td>
      <td width="192" valign="top" style="width:2.0in;padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt">
      <p align="center" style="text-align:center; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0"><b>1-7898</b></td>
      <td width="30" valign="top" style="width:22.5pt;padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt">
      <p align="center" style="text-align:center; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0"><b>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</b></td>
      <td width="181" valign="top" style="width:135.9pt;padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt">
      <p align="center" style="text-align:center; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0"><b>
      56-0578072</b></td>
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      <p align="center" style="text-align:center; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0">
      <font size="2">(State or
      other jurisdiction <br>
      of incorporation)</font></td>
      <td width="30" valign="top" style="width:22.5pt;padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt">
      <p align="center" style="text-align:center; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0">&nbsp;</td>
      <td width="192" valign="top" style="width:2.0in;padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt">
      <p align="center" style="text-align:center; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0">
      <font size="2">(Commission
      File <br>
      Number)</font></td>
      <td width="30" valign="top" style="width:22.5pt;padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt">
      <p align="center" style="text-align:center; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0">&nbsp;</td>
      <td width="181" valign="top" style="width:135.9pt;padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt">
      <p align="center" style="text-align:center; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0">
      <font size="2">(IRS
      Employer<br>
      &nbsp;Identification No.)</font></td>
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      <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"><b>1000
      Lowe's Blvd., Mooresville, NC</b></td>
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      <p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0"><b>
      28117</b></td>
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      <font size="2">(Address of principal executive offices)</font></td>
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      <p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0">
      <font size="2">(Zip Code)</font></td>
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      &nbsp;</td>
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      &nbsp;</td>
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      &nbsp;</td>
      <td valign="top" style="width:101;padding-left:5.4pt; padding-right:5.4pt; padding-top:0in; padding-bottom:0in" align="center">
      &nbsp;</td>
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      <td valign="top" style="width:324;padding-left:5.4pt; padding-right:5.4pt; padding-top:0in; padding-bottom:0in" align="center">
      <font size="2">Registrant's telephone number, including area code</font></td>
      <td valign="top" style="width:101;padding-left:5.4pt; padding-right:5.4pt; padding-top:0in; padding-bottom:0in" align="center">
      <b>(704) 758-1000</b></td>
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<p style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: -6px">&nbsp;</p>
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<p style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: -6px"><font size="1">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px">
<font face="Times New Roman" size="2">Check the appropriate box below if the
Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of
the registrant under any of the following provisions (<i>see </i>General
Instruction A.2. below): </font></p>
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    <font face="Wingdings" size="2">o</font></td>
    <td vAlign="top" align="left"><font face="Times New Roman" size="2">Written
    communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR
    230.425) </font></td>
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    <font face="Wingdings" size="2">o</font></td>
    <td vAlign="top" align="left"><font face="Times New Roman" size="2">
    Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR
    240.14a-12) </font></td>
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    <td vAlign="top" align="left"><font face="Times New Roman" size="2">
    Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange
    Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b)) </font></td>
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    <td vAlign="top" align="left"><font face="Times New Roman" size="2">
    Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange
    Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c)) </font></td>
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    <p style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"><b><font size="2">ITEM </font></b>
    <font size="2"><b>2.02</b></font></td>
    <td vAlign="top" align="left" width="693" height="16">
    <p style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"><b>
    <font face="Times New Roman" size="2">RESULTS OF OPERATIONS AND FINANCIAL
    CONDITION</font></b></td>
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    </td>
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    </td>
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      <p class="MsoNormal"><font size="2">On </font>
      <font face="Times New Roman" size="2">February 23, 2005,</font><font size="2">
      </font><font face="Times New Roman" size="2">Lowe's&nbsp;&nbsp;Companies, Inc. (the
      &quot;Company&quot;) </font><font size="2">&nbsp;issued a press release,
      furnished as Exhibit 99.1 and incorporated herein by reference, announcing
      the Company's financial results for the quarter and year ended January 28,
      2005.</font></p>
      <p class="MsoNormal"><font size="2">The information contained in this Current Report on
      Form 8-K, including the exhibit attached hereto, is being furnished and
      shall not be deemed to be &quot;filed&quot; for the purposes of Section 18 of the
      Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or otherwise subject to
      the liabilities of that Section. Furthermore, the information contained in
      this Current Report on Form 8-K shall not be deemed to be incorporated by
      reference into any registration statement or other document filed pursuant
      to the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. </font> </p>
      </td>
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    </td>
    <td vAlign="top" align="left" width="693" height="16">
    </td>
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    <td vAlign="top" align="left" width="66" height="16">
    <p style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"><b><font size="2">ITEM 4.02</font></b></td>
    <td vAlign="top" align="left" width="693" height="16">
    <p style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"><font size="2"><b>NON-RELIANCE ON
    PREVIOUSLY ISSUED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS OR A RELATED AUDIT REPORT OR
    COMPLETED INTERIM REVIEW</b></font></td>
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    </td>
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    </td>
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    </td>
    <td vAlign="top" align="left" width="693" height="16">
    <font size="2">(a) Following disclosures by a number of public companies
    regarding adjustments to their accounting practices for leases, the Company
    has reviewed its accounting policies for leases. Subsequent to this review,
    the Company, in consultation with its independent registered public
    accounting firm, Deloitte &amp; Touche LLP, and following discussions with the
    audit committee of the board of directors, has concluded to restate the
    Company's prior period financial statements to correct errors resulting from
    its accounting for leases. In the restatement, the Company has accelerated
    its depreciation expense for lease assets to generally align the depreciable
    lives of those assets with the initial lease term. The Company is also
    revising its calculation of rent expense (and the related deferred rent
    liability) for its ground leases by including in its straight line rent
    expense calculations any &quot;rent holiday&quot; period those ground leases allow
    while a Company store is being constructed on the leased property. These
    non-cash charges will not have any impact on the Company's historical or
    future cash flows, sales or comparable store sales. They also will not
    increase the amount of rent expense or depreciation over the term of the
    lease. The Company's Audit Committee discussed the matters disclosed in this
    Current Report on Form 8-K pursuant to this Item 4.02(a) with Deloitte &amp;
    Touche LLP.<br>
    <br>
    These adjustments to certain prior period financial statements are not
    attributable to any material non-compliance by the Company, as a result of
    any misconduct, with any financial reporting requirements under securities
    laws, and the Company believes there will not be any further adjustments as
    a result of its completed review of its lease-related accounting.<br>
    <br>
    As a result of the Company's determination to restate its consolidated
    financial statements as discussed above, the unaudited financial statements
    included in the Company's Forms 10-Q for the first three fiscal quarters of
    fiscal 2004 and the Company's audited financial statements for the three
    fiscal years ended January 30, 2004 included in the Company's Annual Report
    on Form 10-K for fiscal 2003 should no longer be relied upon.</font></td>
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    </td>
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    </td>
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    <b><font face="Times New Roman" size="2">ITEM 9.01</font></b></td>
    <td vAlign="top" align="left" width="693" height="16">
    <b><font face="Times New Roman" size="2">FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS</font></b></td>
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    </td>
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    </td>
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    </td>
    <td vAlign="top" align="left" width="693" height="16">
    <font face="Times New Roman" size="2">(c) EXHIBITS.</font></td>
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    </td>
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    </td>
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    </td>
    <td vAlign="top" align="left" width="693" height="16">
    <font face="Times New Roman" size="2">99.1 Press Release dated February 23,
    2005, announcing the financial results of the Company for its fourth quarter
    and year ended January 28, 2005.</font></td>
  </tr>
  </table>

<hr>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0">&nbsp;</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center">
<font face="CG Times" size="2"><b>SIGNATURE</b></p>
                      </font>
<font face="CG Times" size="3">
    <p align="center">&nbsp;</p>
                      </font>
<font face="CG Times" size="2">
    <p align="justify">Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange
    Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its
    behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized. </p>
                      </font>
<font face="CG Times" size="3">
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        <td align="middle" width="437" height="1"></td>
        <td align="middle" width="512" height="1"></td>
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          <td align="middle" width="265" height="17"></td>
          <td align="middle" width="437" height="17"></td>
          <td align="middle" width="512" height="17">
            <p align="center"><font face="CG Times" size="2"><u>LOWE'S
            COMPANIES, INC.</u></font></td>
          <tr>
            <td align="middle" width="265" height="1"></td>
            <td align="middle" width="437" height="1"></td>
            <td align="middle" width="512" height="1"></td>
            <tr>
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              <td align="middle" width="437" height="1"></td>
              <td align="middle" width="512" height="1"></td>
              <tr>
                <td align="middle" width="265" height="1"></td>
                <td align="middle" width="437" height="1"></td>
                <td align="middle" width="512" height="1"></td>
                <tr>
                  <td align="middle" width="265" height="1"></td>
                  <td align="middle" width="437" height="1"></td>
                  <td align="middle" width="512" height="1"></td>
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                    <td align="middle" width="265" height="1"></td>
                    <td align="middle" width="437" height="1"></td>
                    <td align="middle" width="512" height="1"></td>
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                      <td align="middle" width="437" height="1"></td>
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                        <p style="word-spacing: 0; margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0" align="center">
                        <font size="2">February 23, 2005</font></p>
                        <font face="CG Times" size="3">
                          <hr>
                          </font><font face="CG Times" size="2">
                          <p style="word-spacing: 0; margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0" align="center">Date</p>
                          </font><font face="CG Times" size="3">
                          <p style="word-spacing: 0; margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0" align="center">&nbsp;</p>
                          </font></td>
                        <td align="middle" width="437" height="111"></td>
                        <td align="middle" width="512" height="111">
                        <font size="2">&nbsp; </font>
                          <p style="word-spacing: 0; margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0" align="center">
                          <font face="CG Times" size="2">/s/Kenneth
                          W. Black, Jr.</font></p>
                          <hr>
                          <p style="word-spacing: 0; margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0" align="center">
                          <font face="CG Times" size="2">Kenneth
                          W. Black, Jr.</p>
                          <p align="center" style="word-spacing: 0; margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0">
                          Senior Vice President and
                          <p align="center" style="word-spacing: 0; margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0">
                          Chief Accounting Officer</font></td>
                      </table>
                      </font>
<p class="MsoNormal"><br>
&nbsp;</p>
<hr>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><br>
<font size="2">EXHIBIT INDEX<br>
&nbsp;</font></b></p>
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                              <table border="0" width="76%" style="border-collapse: collapse" bordercolor="#111111" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0">
                                <tr>
                                  <font face="CG Times" size="2">
                                  <td width="15%" align="center" bordercolorlight="#000000" bordercolordark="#000000" style="border-bottom: 1px solid #000000">
                                  <b>Exhibit No.</b></td>
                                  </font>
                                  <font face="CG Times" size="3">
                                  <td width="5%" align="center">&nbsp;</td>
                                  </font>
                                  <font face="CG Times" size="2">
                                  <td width="305%" align="center" bordercolorlight="#000000" bordercolordark="#000000" style="border-bottom: 1px solid #000000">
                                  <p align="left"><b>Description</b></td>
                                  </font>
                                </tr>
                                <tr>
                                  <font face="CG Times" size="2">
                                  <td width="15%" align="center">99.1</td>
                                  </font>
                                  <font face="CG Times" size="3">
                                  <td width="5%">&nbsp;</td>
                                  </font>
                                  <td width="305%">
    <font face="Times New Roman" size="2">Press Release dated February 23,
    2005, announcing the financial results of the Company for its fourth quarter
    and year ended January 28, 2005.</font></td>
                                </tr>
                              </table>
                              </center>
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{"company-data": {"conformed-name": "LOWES COMPANIES INC", "cik": "0000060667", "assigned-sic": "5211", "irs-number": "560578072", "state-of-incorporation": "NC", "fiscal-year-end": "0128"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "8-K", "act": "34", "file-number": "001-07898", "film-number": "05632856"}, "business-address": {"street1": "1000 LOWE'S BLVD.", "city": "MOORESVILLE", "state": "NC", "zip": "28117", "phone": "7047581000"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "P.O. BOX 1000", "city": "MOORESVILLE", "state": "NC", "zip": "28115"}}
8-k Press Release
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 8-K
Current Report
Pursuant To Section 13 or 15 (d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Date of Report (Date of
      earliest event reported)
February 17, 2005
LOWE'S COMPANIES, INC.
(Exact name of registrant as specified
in its charter)
North
      Carolina
1-7898
56-0578072
(State or
      other jurisdiction
of incorporation)
(Commission
      File
Number)
(IRS
      Employer
Identification No.)
1000
      Lowe's Blvd., Mooresville, NC
28117
(Address of principal executive offices)
(Zip Code)
Registrant's telephone number, including area code
(704) 758-1000
Check the appropriate box below if the
Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of
the registrant under any of the following provisions (
see
General
Instruction A.2. below):
o
Written
    communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR
    230.425)
o
Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR
    240.14a-12)
o
Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange
    Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))
o
Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange
    Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))
ITEM
2.02
RESULTS OF OPERATIONS AND FINANCIAL
    CONDITION
On
February 23, 2005,
Lowe's  Companies, Inc. (the
      "Company")
issued a press release,
      furnished as Exhibit 99.1 and incorporated herein by reference, announcing
      the Company's financial results for the quarter and year ended January 28,
      2005.
The information contained in this Current Report on
      Form 8-K, including the exhibit attached hereto, is being furnished and
      shall not be deemed to be "filed" for the purposes of Section 18 of the
      Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or otherwise subject to
      the liabilities of that Section. Furthermore, the information contained in
      this Current Report on Form 8-K shall not be deemed to be incorporated by
      reference into any registration statement or other document filed pursuant
      to the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
ITEM 4.02
NON-RELIANCE ON
    PREVIOUSLY ISSUED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS OR A RELATED AUDIT REPORT OR
    COMPLETED INTERIM REVIEW
(a) Following disclosures by a number of public companies
    regarding adjustments to their accounting practices for leases, the Company
    has reviewed its accounting policies for leases. Subsequent to this review,
    the Company, in consultation with its independent registered public
    accounting firm, Deloitte & Touche LLP, and following discussions with the
    audit committee of the board of directors, has concluded to restate the
    Company's prior period financial statements to correct errors resulting from
    its accounting for leases. In the restatement, the Company has accelerated
    its depreciation expense for lease assets to generally align the depreciable
    lives of those assets with the initial lease term. The Company is also
    revising its calculation of rent expense (and the related deferred rent
    liability) for its ground leases by including in its straight line rent
    expense calculations any "rent holiday" period those ground leases allow
    while a Company store is being constructed on the leased property. These
    non-cash charges will not have any impact on the Company's historical or
    future cash flows, sales or comparable store sales. They also will not
    increase the amount of rent expense or depreciation over the term of the
    lease. The Company's Audit Committee discussed the matters disclosed in this
    Current Report on Form 8-K pursuant to this Item 4.02(a) with Deloitte &
    Touche LLP.
These adjustments to certain prior period financial statements are not
    attributable to any material non-compliance by the Company, as a result of
    any misconduct, with any financial reporting requirements under securities
    laws, and the Company believes there will not be any further adjustments as
    a result of its completed review of its lease-related accounting.
As a result of the Company's determination to restate its consolidated
    financial statements as discussed above, the unaudited financial statements
    included in the Company's Forms 10-Q for the first three fiscal quarters of
    fiscal 2004 and the Company's audited financial statements for the three
    fiscal years ended January 30, 2004 included in the Company's Annual Report
    on Form 10-K for fiscal 2003 should no longer be relied upon.
ITEM 9.01
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS
(c) EXHIBITS.
99.1 Press Release dated February 23,
    2005, announcing the financial results of the Company for its fourth quarter
    and year ended January 28, 2005.
SIGNATURE
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange
    Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its
    behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.
LOWE'S
            COMPANIES, INC.
February 23, 2005
Date
/s/Kenneth
                          W. Black, Jr.
Kenneth
                          W. Black, Jr.
Senior Vice President and
Chief Accounting Officer
EXHIBIT INDEX
Exhibit No.
Description
99.1
Press Release dated February 23,
    2005, announcing the financial results of the Company for its fourth quarter
    and year ended January 28, 2005.