Lowe's management had told analysts that it expected to maintain sales growth of 18% to 19% over the next two years. Lowe's planned to open 123 stores in 2002, with populations greater than 500000 such as New York, Boston, and Los Angles. To date, the company's entry into metropolitan markets appeared to be successful. Lowe's planned to continue improving sales and margins through new merchandising, pricing strategies, and market-share gains, especially in the Northeast and West. Lowe's stock was trading was trading at around $37 a share, implying a total equity capitalization of $29 billion.