Group 1 - The Home Depot, Inc. is positively impacted by the recent Fed rate cut, which is expected to spur home building, home buying, and home improvement activities [1] - Management has indicated that the company will perform better with lower interest rates, aligning with the recent rate cut [1] - Despite challenges, including stock performance issues and external factors like immigration enforcement, the company remains a trusted investment for long-term growth [1] Group 2 - The Home Depot operates as a home improvement retailer, offering tools, building materials, decor, installation, and equipment rental services [2]

Core Insights - Home Depot experienced a significant security lapse when an employee inadvertently published a private access token online, exposing internal systems for approximately one year [1][2] - The exposed token provided access to numerous private source code repositories and critical cloud infrastructure, including order fulfillment and inventory management systems [2][3] - Despite attempts by a security researcher to notify Home Depot about the exposure, the company did not respond until contacted by TechCrunch, after which the issue was promptly addressed [4][5] Security Exposure Details - The access token was discovered by security researcher Ben Zimmermann in early November 2024, allowing him to access and modify hundreds of private repositories on GitHub [2] - Home Depot has utilized GitHub for hosting its developer and engineering infrastructure since 2015, which raises concerns about the security of its systems [3] - The researcher reported that Home Depot lacks a formal process for reporting security vulnerabilities, such as a bug bounty program, which contributed to the delay in addressing the issue [5] Company Response - After TechCrunch's intervention, Home Depot acknowledged the issue, and the exposed token was revoked shortly thereafter [5] - Home Depot's chief information security officer did not respond to the researcher's outreach via LinkedIn, highlighting a lack of communication regarding security concerns [4] - There was no follow-up from Home Depot regarding whether any unauthorized access occurred during the period the token was exposed [6]

Market Overview - The stock market has shown mixed performance, with the Dow rising by 646 points while the NASDAQ, which is heavily tech-focused, declined [1] - Major tech stocks like Apple, Meta, and Tesla have increased approximately 10% year-to-date, indicating a strong performance despite recent market fluctuations [2] Impact of Federal Reserve Rate Cuts - Following the Federal Reserve's decision to cut rates, money managers shifted their investments towards stocks that would benefit from these cuts, leading to a sell-off in tech stocks [2] - Lower interest rates are expected to boost consumer spending, which positively impacts consumer discretionary stocks, including cruise lines [3][4] Home Improvement Sector - The home improvement sector, particularly Home Depot, is anticipated to benefit from lower rates, which encourage home building, buying, and improvement financed through home equity loans [4][5] - Despite recent underperformance, Home Depot's management has indicated that the company will improve with the rate cuts, suggesting a potential recovery in stock performance [5][6]

About this content About Angela Harmantas Angela Harmantas is an Editor at Proactive. She has over 15 years of experience covering the equity markets in North America, with a particular focus on junior resource stocks. Angela has reported from numerous countries around the world, including Canada, the US, Australia, Brazil, Ghana, and South Africa for leading trade publications. Previously, she worked in investor relations and led the foreign direct investment program in Canada for the Swedish government ...

Housing stocks caught a boost from Wednesday's FOMC meeting. That's helping the Dow Jones Industrial Average skate toward a record high as the S&P and Nasdaq dip. The index was getting a boost from Home Depot. The stock was up 3.02%, on pace for its highest close since Nov. 14, as the 10-year Treasury yield fell. The Dow was up 1.02% in late morning trading and was on pace for its first record close since Nov. 12, according to Dow Jones Market Data. If the increase holds, it will be the index's 18th record ...

Core Insights - Home Depot is facing a softer demand environment, particularly in discretionary and large-scale projects, despite easing interest and mortgage rates [1] - The recent stock price decline has led investors to question whether the current valuation is an attractive entry point or if holding the stock is a safer option [1] Stock Performance - Home Depot's shares closed at $351.13, reflecting a 16.9% decline over the past three months, compared to a 21.9% drop in the industry [2] - The stock is currently 17.7% below its 52-week high of $426.75 reached in September [2] - Home Depot has been trading below its 50-day simple moving average since October 1, indicating a loss of momentum [2] Competitor Analysis - Competitors like Lowe's and Floor & Decor have seen declines of 9.5% and 30.2%, respectively, while FGI Industries has surged by 117.2% during the same period [3] Valuation Insights - Home Depot's forward 12-month price-to-sales (P/S) multiple is 2.04, which is a premium compared to the industry average of 1.38 [4] - The stock is trading slightly below its 12-month median P/S of 2.24, suggesting it has not corrected sufficiently for a meaningful valuation cushion [4] Sales Performance - Home Depot's Q3 U.S. comparable sales rose only 0.1%, with October comps down 1.7%, indicating a lack of demand recovery [6] - The company anticipates slightly positive comparable sales growth for fiscal 2025, down from a previous forecast of 1% growth [9] Margin and Financial Performance - Operating margin decreased to 12.9% in Q3 from 13.5% a year earlier, with adjusted operating margin declining to 13.3% from 13.8% [11] - The Return on Invested Capital (ROIC) dropped to 26.3% from 31.5% over the trailing 12 months [12] - Total merchandise inventories increased to $26.2 billion, up by $2.3 billion from the previous year, leading to less efficient inventory turnover [12] Future Outlook - Home Depot's management has lowered growth expectations for its recently acquired SRS business due to a lack of storm activity, revising the outlook from mid-single-digit to low single-digit performance [10] - The company is enhancing its focus on professional contractors through AI-powered tools to improve project planning and execution [16][17] - Despite long-term growth strategies, the near-term outlook is challenged by softer demand and pressured margins, making the current risk-reward profile less compelling [18]

Core Insights - The traditional consumer journey in home projects is inefficient and cash-intensive, prompting retailers and construction managers to adopt AI for a more streamlined decision-making process [1] Group 1: Lowe's AI Initiatives - Lowe's has implemented the Mylow Companion across over 1,700 stores, providing in-store associates with real-time access to product specifications and inventory status [3] - The Mylow Companion tool enables associates to assist customers with material comparisons and installation steps, bridging the experience gap between new and seasoned employees [4] - Lowe's also launched a customer-facing version of the technology, Mylow, which offers AI-generated recommendations for home projects through its website and mobile app [5] Group 2: Home Depot AI Tools - Home Depot introduced Magic Apron, a conversational AI tool that aids customers in researching home improvement projects and planning [6] - The company also released Blueprint Takeoffs, which analyzes architectural drawings to generate material lists and cost estimates for contractors [7] - Home Depot's project-planning platform allows contractors to create materials lists, track orders, and set delivery preferences, enhancing their role in early project planning [9] Group 3: Procore's AI Features - Procore has integrated new AI capabilities through Procore Helix, which analyzes construction drawings to identify challenges and potential cost savings [11] - The platform can summarize lengthy specification manuals and draft standard documents, improving efficiency for project managers [12] - Procore's AI tools also analyze job-site photos to provide relevant information for safety and progress reporting, reducing administrative workloads [12]

LOS ANGELES, Dec. 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Schall Law Firm, a national shareholder rights litigation firm, announces that it is investigating claims on behalf of investors of The Home Depot, Inc. (“Home Depot” or “the Company”) (NYSE: HD) for violations of the securities laws. The investigation focuses on whether the Company issued false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose information pertinent to investors. Home Depot announced its Q3 2025 financial results on November 18, 2025. ...

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The Home Depot has released a restrained preliminary outlook for its 2026 financial year, indicating that it does not expect a near-term rebound in the housing market. For fiscal 2026, the Atlanta-headquartered company forecasts comparable sales to range from flat to an increase of up to 2%. Total sales are projected to rise by between 2.5% and 4.5%. The retailer is targeting an operating margin of 12.4% to 12.6%, with adjusted operating margin estimated at 12.8% to 13%. Diluted earnings per share are ...