** Shares of home improvement retailer Lowe's LOW.N rise ~3% to $237.71 premarket

** Beats first-quarter comparable sales estimates on steady demand

** Reports 1.7% dip in same-store sales vs analysts' estimates of 2% decline, as per data compiled by LSEG

** Maintains annual comparable sales and profit forecasts

** Up to last close, stock down 6.3% YTD

(Reporting by Anuja Bharat Mistry in Bengaluru)

((AnujaBharat.Mistry@thomsonreuters.com))