Lowe's Cos. Inc. reports results for the first quarter on Monday. The following is a summary of key developments and analyst opinion related to the period.

OVERVIEW: Lowe's Cos. Inc. and other home-improvement retailers have been hurt by the housing downturn and recession. But the first quarter, which ended in May 1, is often one of the industry's stronger periods, thanks to homeowners spending time — and money — to get their homes ready for warmer weather.

During the first quarter, executives at the nation's second-largest home improvement chain told investors they hope to grow their fleet of stores more than 50 percent over perhaps a decade.

Lowe's now operates about 1,650 stores in the U.S.

Both Fitch Ratings and Standard & Poors Rating Services affirmed their ratings for the Mooresville, N.C.-based retailer but cautioned it would continue to be affected by the recession.

BY THE NUMBERS: Analysts polled by Thomson Reuters predict a profit of 25 cents per share on revenue of $11.63 billion for the quarter.

ANALYST TAKE: Stifel Nicolaus & Co. analyst David Schick told investors he believes sales were "relatively healthier" during the first quarter, thanks to an increase in smaller do-it-yourself jobs like painting and lawn and garden sales.

Schick, who has a "Buy" rating on Lowe's shares and predicts that the chain's same-store sales dipped 7 percent in the first quarter, said the weak housing industry will continue to drag down the company and competitor The Home Depot Inc.

"However, recent refinance activity and improving confidence in home prices point to nearing stabilization in the housing market," he wrote in a recent research note. "Though the big ticket installation business will be under significant pressure through the balance of FY09, we believe the (home improvement) sector remains largely insulated from the secular pressures facing much of retail."

WHAT'S AHEAD: Analysts will be paying attention to any comments Lowe's executives make about the housing industry and the economy and what affect it will have on the home improvement industry.

STOCK PERFORMANCE: During the quarter, Lowe's shares climbed about 14 percent to end the period at $20.85.