(Reuters) - Home improvement chain Lowe’s Companies Inc (LOW.N) announced the closure of another 51 underperforming stores in the United States and Canada on Monday as it strives to compete with rival Home Depot Inc (HD.N) in a slowing housing market. 
 
 FILE PHOTO - Gift cards are shown for sale inside a Lowe's retail store in Carlsbad, California, U.S., May 24, 2017. REUTERS/Mike Blake 
 
 Lowe’s gave no detail of job losses in the move, which closes stores in some upmarket areas including Broadway and Chelsea in Manhattan and follows the shutdown of 99 Orchard Supply stores in California. 
 
 Buffeted in recent quarters by the impact of a long winter in North America, Lowe’s has been striving to find ways to catch up with the long-time sector leader Home Depot, each of whose stores on average generate almost twice as much in sales. 
 
 There are also signs that Americans are spending less on housing as prices and demand peak after a seven-year homebuilding spree, although many of the factors underlying the industry’s health remain in place. 
 
 “The decision was informed by the strategic reassessment work we have been doing over the last few months ... We plan to continue to evaluate all businesses and elements of our portfolio annually,” the company told Reuters. 
 
 While Lowe’s is far smaller and less exposed to the arrival of Amazon and other online sellers, the closures follow a wave of similar moves by traditional U.S. retailers in the face of greater online competition. 
 
 New Chief Executive Officer Marvin Ellison began a restructuring after taking over in July and has said he was reviewing its real estate portfolio, promising to remove slow-selling products and end unsuccessful ventures. 
 
 The wind down of the Orchard Supply chain cost the company between $390 million and $475 million in write-downs. Lowe’s said Monday’s announcement would result in charges of $0.28 to $0.34 or $300 million to $365 million in pre-tax expenses. 
 
 The company, which operates about 1,800 U.S. stores and 300 in Canada, said it expects the closures to be completed by February, with the exception of some U.S. stores that are closing immediately. 
 
 The 20 U.S. closures are spread across states including New York, Texas and California, with 31 outlets and two plants in a handful of Canadian provinces also shutting. 
 
 The majority of the impacted U.S. stores are located within 10 miles of another store. 
 
 Shares in the company were unmoved by the announcement. 
 
 “We view this as a positive step towards improving productivity of the chain,” Credit Suisse analyst Seth Sigman said. 
 
 “That said, we continue to look for additional progress in driving higher sales in existing stores, and monitor the investment required to do that.” 

 New York (CNN Business) In another sign of the times for retail, Lowe's is closing 47 North American stores. 
 
 Lowe's said Monday that those locations are underperforming and the decision will help the hardware chain focus on its most profitable stores. 
 
 "The store closures are a necessary step in our strategic reassessment as we focus on building a stronger business," said CEO Marvin Ellison, in a statement. 
 
 Retail stores are struggling to adjust to the rapid rise of online shopping, particularly from Amazon ( AMZN ). Many successful retailers with big stores have adjusted their business strategies to make better use of their physical spaces. Others, including Sears , Kmart and Toys "R" Us, failed. 
 
 Lowe's and its rival Home Depot have proven to be largely Amazon-proof, because Amazon does not sell lumber or other heavy, bulky home improvement products. 
 
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– Lowe's said Monday it is shuttering 51 under-performing stores in the US and Canada, though the company is tempering the news a bit: Most of the stores on the list are within 10 miles of another Lowe's, reports CNN. You can check out the list here. Twenty of the closings are in the US, and California leads the way with four (San Jose, South San Francisco, Irvine, and Aliso Veijo). The stores are expected to close for good by Feb. 1. Reuters notes that Lowe's, which operates more than 2,000 stores in North America, has been lagging behind Home Depot in sales for several years.