Nearly 250 employees will be displaced when Lowe’s Cos. shutters its stores in Irvine and Aliso Viejo in February, but the company plans to transfer as many as possible to other Lowe’s locations nearby.

The two stores are among 51 underperforming locations the company is closing as part of a strategic realignment to strengthen its business. That includes 20 U.S. stores and 31 locations in Canada. Most of the stores will close by Feb. 1, although select locations will shut down immediately, Lowe’s officials said.