Stocks in the news: Staples, Lowe's, and Goldman Sachs

The following is a round-up of some of the companies making major headlines today:

Office products retailer Staples (SPLS) announced that second quarter earnings were $0.16 cents per share, excluding a one-time charge. That number was in-line with analyst estimates. Revenues of $5.5 billion were slightly below expectations.

Lowe's (LOW) is bringing its home improvement concept to Australia, teaming with Woolworths in a joint venture that expects to open its first stores in 2011. The Australian housing market is healthy, unlike its U.S. counterpart, and home improvement spending is still growing.