Founded in 1946, Lowes Companies Inc. is one of the leading hardware retailers in the United States. Located in Jacksonville, N.C., the retailer offers a number of products in various categories, including appliances, building supplies, doors, flooring, hardware, heating/cooling, home decor, paint, garden, plumbing, tools and windows. It carries a selection of branded products, such as Kichler lighting, Hitachi tools, John Deere lawn tractors, Samsung/Whirlpool appliances and Valspar paints. The company operates more than 1,700 home improvement stores in the United States, Canada and Mexico. Lowes Companies Inc. is Better Business Bureau (BBB) accredited.