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If growth exceeds expectations, all else being equal, the expected stock return should exceed the above-stated hypothetical 10 percent to 13 percent returns—perhaps by a very large margin. For example, on August 19, 2002, The Lowe’s Companies, a home improvement retail chain, reported a 42-percent gain in second quarter earnings. The results surprised analysts who expected a 29-percent gain. That day, the shares of Lowe’s rose $4.21 to close at $41 (an 11 percent gain) while the general stock market, as measured by the S&P 500, increased by approximately 2.36 percent.