text: Lowe's Net Income Up 18 Percent  ATLANTA (Reuters) - Lowe's Cos. &lt;A HREF="http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=LOW.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote"&gt;LOW.N&lt;/A&gt;, the world's second  largest home improvement retailer, on Monday reported an 18  percent increase in second-quarter net income and said earnings  for the rest of the year would top analysts' estimates.