Erste Group Bank Boosts Earnings Estimates for Home Depot

The Home Depot, Inc. (NYSE:HD) – Research analysts at Erste Group Bank increased their FY2028 earnings per share estimates for Home Depot in a report issued on Thursday, April 2nd. Erste Group Bank analyst S. Lingnau now anticipates that the home improvement retailer will post earnings per share of $16.32 for the year, up from their previous forecast of $16.30. The consensus estimate for Home Depot’s current full-year earnings is $15.13 per share.

Home Depot (NYSE:HD) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, February 24th. The home improvement retailer reported $2.72 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.52 by $0.20. Home Depot had a return on equity of 134.32% and a net margin of 8.60%.The business had revenue of $38.20 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $38.01 billion. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $3.13 earnings per share. The company’s quarterly revenue was down 3.8% on a year-over-year basis. Home Depot has set its FY 2026 guidance at 14.230-14.799 EPS.

Several other research analysts have also recently weighed in on HD. Telsey Advisory Group reaffirmed an “outperform” rating and set a $435.00 target price on shares of Home Depot in a research note on Wednesday, March 25th. BNP Paribas Exane decreased their price target on Home Depot from $391.00 to $348.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, March 24th. Zacks Research upgraded Home Depot from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Monday, February 9th. Jefferies Financial Group increased their price target on Home Depot from $424.00 to $454.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Tuesday, February 24th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company increased their price target on Home Depot from $395.00 to $420.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Wednesday, February 25th. Twenty research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, twelve have given a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $414.17.

Home Depot Trading Up 5.4%

Shares of HD stock opened at $336.06 on Wednesday. The stock has a 50-day simple moving average of $357.82 and a 200 day simple moving average of $365.74. Home Depot has a fifty-two week low of $315.31 and a fifty-two week high of $426.75. The stock has a market capitalization of $334.72 billion, a P/E ratio of 23.62, a P/E/G ratio of 3.51 and a beta of 1.09. The company has a quick ratio of 0.26, a current ratio of 1.06 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 3.62.

Home Depot Increases Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, March 26th. Investors of record on Thursday, March 12th were given a $2.33 dividend. This is a positive change from Home Depot’s previous quarterly dividend of $2.30. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, March 12th. This represents a $9.32 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.8%. Home Depot’s dividend payout ratio is 65.50%.

Insider Buying and Selling at Home Depot

In related news, CFO Richard V. Mcphail sold 2,550 shares of the stock in a transaction on Wednesday, March 4th. The stock was sold at an average price of $368.89, for a total value of $940,669.50. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief financial officer owned 44,566 shares in the company, valued at $16,439,951.74. This trade represents a 5.41% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. 0.10% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Home Depot

Several hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of HD. Brighton Jones LLC lifted its stake in Home Depot by 36.5% in the 4th quarter. Brighton Jones LLC now owns 26,918 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock worth $10,471,000 after acquiring an additional 7,203 shares in the last quarter. Sivia Capital Partners LLC lifted its stake in Home Depot by 7.1% in the 2nd quarter. Sivia Capital Partners LLC now owns 2,598 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock worth $952,000 after acquiring an additional 173 shares in the last quarter. Schnieders Capital Management LLC. lifted its stake in Home Depot by 14.1% in the 2nd quarter. Schnieders Capital Management LLC. now owns 11,587 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock worth $4,248,000 after acquiring an additional 1,433 shares in the last quarter. Federated Hermes Inc. lifted its stake in Home Depot by 43.2% in the 2nd quarter. Federated Hermes Inc. now owns 127,885 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock worth $46,888,000 after acquiring an additional 38,599 shares in the last quarter. Finally, WINTON GROUP Ltd purchased a new stake in Home Depot in the 2nd quarter worth about $2,842,000. 70.86% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Trending Headlines about Home Depot

Here are the key news stories impacting Home Depot this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Macro/market tailwind: A sharp drop in crude oil and headlines around a temporary Iran ceasefire reduced geopolitical risk and lifted consumer/retail names, providing immediate upward momentum for HD. Home Depot Shares Gain As Oil Crash Lifts Consumer Stocks
• Positive Sentiment: Valuation/contrarian view: Several pieces are framing HD as oversold or attractively discounted after recent weakness, which can prompt buying from value and income-oriented investors given HD’s dividend and long-term positioning. Oversold Home Depot stock not likely to fall much further
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst tweak: Erste Group nudged up its FY2028 EPS forecast for Home Depot (very modest), which supports the narrative that long-term earnings power remains intact despite near-term headwinds. MarketBeat – Erste Group estimate note
• Neutral Sentiment: Market-structure context: Coverage notes that HD is being watched as the Dow tests technical thresholds; that attention can intensify short-term volatility but doesn’t change fundamentals immediately. The Dow Tests a Key Technical Threshold. Watching Apple, Home Depot Stocks.
• Neutral Sentiment: Investor attention: Multiple news outlets and stock screener lists flag HD as a high-interest name (search traffic and “discounted stocks” lists), which can boost trading volume independent of fresh fundamental changes. 3 Discounted Stocks With Strong Rebound Potential
• Negative Sentiment: Business headwinds: Coverage highlights HD at a 52-week low and calls out weakening big-ticket demand, margin pressure from investments, and softer sales vs. year-ago levels — these are the core fundamental reasons for the sell-off that remains a risk to the stock. Home Depot Hits 52-Week Low: Time to Buy Now or Stay Cautious?
• Negative Sentiment: Investor skepticism: High-profile criticism (e.g., Jim Cramer highlighting it as a problematic position) and year-to-date declines amplify negative sentiment and can deter momentum investors. Jim Cramer Turns on Home Depot Stock

Home Depot Company Profile

The Home Depot, Inc (NYSE: HD) is a leading home improvement retailer that operates large-format stores and an integrated online platform offering a broad range of products and services for do-it-yourself consumers, professional contractors and businesses. The company was founded in 1978 by Bernard Marcus and Arthur Blank and is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. Since opening its first stores at the end of the 1970s, Home Depot has grown into a multinational retailer known for its orange-branded stores and wide assortment of home improvement merchandise.

Home Depot’s core business includes the sale of building materials, lumber, tools, hardware, appliances, paint, plumbing and electrical supplies, lawn and garden products, and home décor.