Adds shares in paragraph 3, details from conference call in paragraph 7 and 11

May 20 (Reuters) - Lowe's LOW.N on Wednesday flagged a challenging U.S. housing market, joining larger rival Home Depot HD.N in reiterating its annual forecasts as cautious households push back big-ticket do-it-yourself projects.

U.S. consumer sentiment slumped to a record lowin early May while a popular mortgage ​rate rose to 6.46% last month, as the Iran war pushed up oil prices and Treasury yields, piling more pressure on the housing market already strained by elevated home prices.

Lowe's shares were down about 2% in early trading. They have declined more than 9% so far this year.

With housing turnover at historic lows, retailers like Lowe's are losing out on a key source of renovation demand, though maintained guidance signals confidence that Pro strength can offset DIY softness, said Zak Stambor, analyst with eMarketer.

A report from the National Association of Realtors earlier this month showed listed houses were staying longer on the market relative to the ‌same period last year.

Like Home Depot, Lowe's also beat first-quarter sales estimates on steady growth in professional (Pro)-driven categories, particularly in rough plumbing and electrical wiring.

Lowe's has been investing in its Pro segment serving small-to-medium contractors, carpenters and builders - who remains busy with repair and maintenance projects - by expanding assortments and offering job-site delivery.

"Strong spring execution and continued momentum in Pro, Appliances, Online, and Home Services supported a solid start to the year ...," CEO Marvin Ellison said in a statement.

The company, which expects the broader market to remain flat in 2026, continues to estimate fiscal 2026 comparable sales of flat to up 2% and adjusted profit to be in the range of $12.25 to $12.75.

Comparable average ticket for the quarter rose 1.5%, while comparable transactions dipped 0.9% on persistent pressure in big-ticket DIY.

The home improvement retailer posted quarterly sales of $23.08 billion, compared with analysts' estimates of $22.97 billion, according to data compiled by LSEG.

Visits to Lowe's stores during the first quarter were up about 2%, according to data firm Placer.ai.

The company posted quarterly adjusted profit of $3.03 per share and recognized $96 million in pre-tax expenses related to the recent acquisitions of Foundation Building Materials and Artisan Design Group.

Analysts had expected an adjusted profit of $2.97 per share.