U.S. – Lowe’s Companies, Inc. announced the wind-down of certain underperforming store locations as part of its ongoing strategic reassessment. The company will focus on its most profitable stores and improve the overall health of its store portfolio.

In the U.S. Lowe’s will close 20 stores. Most associates at these stores will be extended opportunities to transition to a similar role at a nearby Lowe’s store.

The majority of impacted stores are located within 10 miles of another Lowe’s store.

In Canada another 31 stores and other locations will be closed.

“While decisions that impact our associates are never easy, the store closures are a necessary step in our strategic reassessment as we focus on building a stronger business,” said Marvin R. Ellison, Lowe’s president and CEO. “We believe our people are the foundation of our business and essential to our future growth, and we are making every effort to transition impacted associates to nearby Lowe’s stores.”

Lowe’s expects to close the impacted stores by the end of the company’s 2018 fiscal year (Feb. 1, 2019). To facilitate an orderly wind-down, the company intends to conduct store closing sales for most of the impacted locations with the exception of select stores in the U.S., which will close immediately.