
<PAGE>

                      SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

                            WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549



                                   FORM 8-K

                                CURRENT REPORT


                   PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE

                       SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934


     Date Of Report (Date Of Earliest Event Reported):  December 31, 1998


                       EAGLE HARDWARE & GARDEN, INC.
           (Exact Name Of Registrant As Specified In Its Charter)


         WASHINGTON                   0-19830             91-1465348
    (State Of Incorporation)        (Commission          (IRS Employer
                                    File Number)       Identification No.)


                              981 Powell Avenue
                           Renton, Washington 98055
                               (425) 227-5740
  (Address And Telephone Number Of Registrant's Principal Executive Offices)


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ITEM 5.  OTHER EVENTS.

         On December 31, 1998, Lowe's Companies, Inc. ("Lowe's") and Eagle
Hardware & Garden, Inc. ("Eagle") announced that the anticipated completion
date for the merger of Eagle with Lowe's is expected to occur late in the first
quarter of 1999.

         The proxy solicitation materials and prospectus that will be 
incorporated into the registration statement covering shares of Lowe's common 
stock to be issued to Eagle shareholders was filed by Eagle with the 
Securities and Exchange Commission on December 11, 1998.  As expected, Eagle 
has been notified by the SEC staff that the proxy materials will be given 
"full review," with staff comments expected in early to mid January 1999.  
Because of the time period required between mailing of the proxy statement to 
Eagle shareholders and the Eagle shareholders meeting (approximately 30 days), 
the earliest the Eagle shareholders meeting can now be held is late February 
1999.

         Lowe's and Eagle also announced that the two companies are in the 
process of providing, on a voluntary basis, certain additional information to 
the Federal Trade Commission staff in connection with its antitrust review of 
the proposed transaction.  In order to provide the FTC staff additional time 
to consider the information being supplied by the companies, Lowe's has 
elected to withdraw and refile its Hart-Scott-Rodino filing.  It is now 
expected that the 30-day time period available for FTC action on the refiled 
pre-merger notification report will expire in late January 1999.

ITEM 7.  FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, PRO FORMA FINANCIAL INFORMATION AND EXHIBITS.

(c)      Exhibits.

         99.1  Press release dated December 31, 1998 updating merger timetable.


                                  SIGNATURES

         Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

                                     EAGLE HARDWARE & GARDEN, INC.

Date:  January 4, 1999

                                     By:  /S/ RICHARD T. TAKATA  
                                          ------------------------------
                                          Richard T. Takata
                                          President and Chief Executive Officer


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                                EXHIBIT INDEX

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<CAPTION>

Exhibit No.     Description
- -----------     -----------
<S>             <C>
   99.1         Press release dated December 31, 1998 updating merger timetable.
</TABLE>



