Lowe's Companies, Inc. , doing business as Lowe's, and stylized as LOWE'S, is a Fortune 500 American company that operates a chain of retail home improvement and appliance stores in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Founded in 1946 in North Wilkesboro, North Carolina, as of January 2018, Lowe’s and its related businesses operate more than 2,370 home improvement and hardware stores and employ over 290,000 people. Lowe's is the second-largest hardware chain in the United States behind The Home Depot and ahead of Menards. Globally, Lowe's is also the second-largest hardware chain, again behind The Home Depot but ahead of the European stores B&Q and OBI.