SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

                              WASHINGTON, DC 20549


                                -----------------



                                    FORM 8-K

                                 CURRENT REPORT
                     PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 or 15(d) OF THE
                         SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT of 1934



                                  March 2, 1999
                Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported)


                             LOWE'S COMPANIES, INC.
               (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)


       North Carolina                    1-7898                   56-0578072
(State or Other Jurisdiction          (Commission               (IRS Employer
      of Incorporation)               File Number)           Identification No.)
   

                                Highway 268 East
                     North Wilkesboro, North Carolina 28656
                    (Address of Principal Executive Offices)


                                 (336) 658-4000
              (Registrant's telephone number, including area code)


                                       N/A
          (Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)








Item 5.  Other Events.

         Lowe's Companies, Inc. (the "Company") is filing this Current Report on
Form 8-K so as to file with the Securities and Exchange Commission certain items
that are to be incorporated by reference into its Registration Statement on Form
S-3  (Registration  No. 333-72905) in connection with the completion on March 2,
1999, of the public offering of 6,206,895  shares of the Company's common stock,
par value $.50 per share.


Item 7.  Financial Statements, Pro Forma Financial Information and Exhibits.

         a) Financial Statements.
                  None.

         b) Pro Forma Financial Information.
                  None.

         c) Exhibits.

                  1.1      U.S.  Purchase  Agreement,  dated  February 24, 1999,
                           among the Company and  Merrill  Lynch & Co.,  Merrill
                           Lynch,  Pierce,  Fenner & Smith Incorporated,  as the
                           U.S Representative of the U.S. Underwriters.

                  1.2      International Purchase Agreement,  dated February 24,
                           1999,   among   the   Company   and   Merrill   Lynch
                           International,   as   the   Lead   Manager   of   the
                           International Managers.

         Pursuant to the  requirements  of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934,
the  Registrant  has duly  caused  this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned thereunto duly authorized.


                                       LOWE'S COMPANIES, INC.
                                           (Registrant)



Date:    March 4, 1999                 By:  /s/ Kenneth W. Black, Jr.
                                            -------------------------
                                            Kenneth W. Black, Jr.
                                            Vice President and Corporate 
                                            Controller







                                  EXHIBIT INDEX

Exhibit Number and Description.

1.1      U.S. Purchase Agreement, dated February 24, 1999, among the Company and
         Merrill  Lynch  &  Co.,   Merrill   Lynch,   Pierce,   Fenner  &  Smith
         Incorporated, as the U.S. Representative of the U.S. Underwriters.

1.2      International  Purchase  Agreement,  dated February 24, 1999, among the
         Company  and  Merrill  Lynch  International,  as  Lead  Manager  of the
         International Managers.