Builders FirstSource, Inc. BLDR

Let’s dig into the relative performance of Builders FirstSource (NYSE:BLDR) and its peers as we unravel the now-completed Q2 home construction materials earnings season.

Lowe's Companies (LOW) generates free cash flow equal to 6.6% of its market value, against 4.5% for the median S&P 500 company. Counting its debt as part of the price, the yield is 5.0%. A yield that high usually means either a business on sale or one the market expects to shrink. Will its $7 billion of yearly cash keep coming, and its debt stay covered, while do-it-yourself shoppers hold back.

Many small-cap stocks have limited Wall Street coverage, giving savvy investors the chance to act before everyone else catches on. But the flip side is that these businesses have increased downside risk because they lack the scale and staying power of their larger competitors.