Better Buy: Wal-Mart Inc. vs. Lowe's Companies Inc.

Retailing can be a brutal business. Profit margins are low, the competition is intense, and shifting consumer tastes mean a company must work constantly even just to maintain its market share.

Wal-Mart (NYSE: WMT) and Lowe's (NYSE: LOW) have both demonstrated they can succeed in that harsh environment. After all, the companies each boasts a streak of annual dividend raises that stretches out more than 40 years. But which is the better investment at today's prices? Here are a few key statistics to get us started.

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Source: Fool.com