Today: 20 May 2026
Home Depot stock climbs after earnings beat and dividend hike, but 2026 outlook keeps traders wary
24 February 2026
2 mins read

Home Depot stock climbs after earnings beat and dividend hike, but 2026 outlook keeps traders wary

New York, February 24, 2026, 15:26 EST — Regular session

  • Home Depot shares climbed in afternoon trading, with quarterly results coming in ahead of forecasts.
  • The retailer bumped up its dividend and set out some cautious growth goals for fiscal 2026.
  • Next up: Investors are eyeing housing turnover numbers and Lowe’s results, set for Feb. 25, for fresh cues.

Home Depot jumped roughly 3% Tuesday, with shares trading near $389 following a quarterly earnings beat and a dividend hike from the retailer.

Home Depot’s earnings are grabbing attention right now, given its tight link to the U.S. housing cycle. If homeowners are under financial pressure or stuck in place, those larger renovation plans usually get delayed—making the company’s “project” segment unpredictable.

The timing of this report coincides with the arrival of spring, a period that usually brings more shoppers into home-improvement stores. Investors are weighing if demand is flattening out or simply shifting toward less expensive, scaled-down projects.

Home Depot posted fourth-quarter sales of $38.2 billion, a 3.8% decline, with net earnings landing at $2.6 billion, or $2.58 a share, for the 13 weeks through Feb. 1. Adjusted earnings reached $2.72 per share. Comparable sales, which track revenue at stores open for at least a year, edged up 0.4%. Last year’s comparable quarter got a boost from an extra week—roughly $2.5 billion in added sales, according to the company. “Underlying demand was relatively stable throughout the year,” CEO Ted Decker said. Home Depot Investor Relations

The company bumped its quarterly dividend to $2.33 a share, up 1.3%. Shareholders of record as of March 12 will see the payout on March 26. Looking ahead to fiscal 2026, it’s guiding for total sales growth in the 2.5% to 4.5% range, and comparable sales anywhere from flat to up 2%. Adjusted EPS is projected to land roughly flat to 4% higher. About 15 new store openings are planned.

Home Depot beat the street, reporting numbers above the $2.53 per share and $38.09 billion revenue that FactSet analysts had penciled in. Shares jumped over 3% in premarket action after the results landed.

According to Axios, Home Depot executives flagged rising customer concerns over housing affordability, job security, and the cost of financing. Quarterly transactions dropped 1.6%, but the average ticket climbed 2.4%, and purchases over $1,000 edged up 1.3%. “Projects undertaken down by 1.5%,” noted Neil Saunders, managing director at GlobalData, highlighting stress in larger-scale work. Axios

The forecast continues to hinge on a housing market that hasn’t gained significant momentum. If borrowing remains difficult and homeowners delay larger renovations, comparable sales might not see much lift, even with prices moving higher.

Home Depot filed its 8-K on Tuesday, including both its latest earnings release and guidance for the fiscal quarter and full year ended Feb. 1. The company’s filing is available on the SEC website.

Lowe’s fourth-quarter numbers drop Wednesday, Feb. 25, before the bell. Analysts are looking for $1.94 a share in profit, with revenue hitting $20.34 billion, according to Seeking Alpha.

Home Depot shareholders are watching to see if customers start greenlighting larger renovations again, or if the shift to minor repairs sticks. Next up: Lowe’s earnings call on Wednesday.

Stock Market Today

  • Insider Buying on May 20: Granite Ridge Resources and CDW Transactions
    May 20, 2026, 3:00 PM EDT. Insiders at Granite Ridge Resources and CDW made significant stock purchases on Monday. Griffin Perry, Director at Granite Ridge, acquired 100,000 shares at $5.49 each, investing $549,000. Despite the stock falling 2.2% on Wednesday, Perry's position is up 5.6% at $5.80 per share. At CDW, Christine A. Leahy bought 4,830 shares at $103.39 each for $499,398. CDW shares rose 1.7% on Wednesday. Such insider buying is often viewed as a positive signal, reflecting insiders' confidence in future stock performance.

Latest articles

AMD Shares Jump as Market Moves on AI Server Demand

AMD Shares Jump as Market Moves on AI Server Demand

20 May 2026
AMD shares jumped 7.3% to $444.24 Wednesday in New York, rebounding with the chip sector ahead of Nvidia’s quarterly results. The rally followed bullish analyst price target hikes and renewed focus on AI server demand. Trading volume reached 23.5 million shares. AMD reported Q1 revenue up 38% to $10.3 billion, with data center sales rising 57% on strong server chip demand.
Rivian Stock Pops as R2 Ramp Gives Traders a New Reason to Look Again

Rivian Stock Pops as R2 Ramp Gives Traders a New Reason to Look Again

20 May 2026
Rivian shares climbed 4.4% Wednesday to $13.465 after a production update on its new R2 SUV from the Illinois plant, where the first R2 rolled out in April. The company expects to build up to 155,000 R2s a year when fully scaled. Rivian reported Q1 revenue of $1.381 billion and a net loss, with negative free cash flow of $1.075 billion. CEO RJ Scaringe said R2 production is ramping up and hiring is underway.
Ambev Stock Draws Attention Ahead of World Cup

Ambev Stock Draws Attention Ahead of World Cup

20 May 2026
Ambev shares rose to R$16.27 in São Paulo and $3.225 in New York Wednesday after a strong first-quarter earnings report. The company named Fernando Maffessoni as logistics vice-president starting August 1, replacing Paulo André Zagman. First-quarter profit reached R$3.89 billion, up 2.1% from last year, with Brazil beer volumes rising 1.2%.
Walmart stock price today: WMT rises as fresh analyst targets land and markets steady
Previous Story

Walmart stock price today: WMT rises as fresh analyst targets land and markets steady

Apple stock price climbs as Houston Mac mini shift and China vote put tariffs in focus
Next Story

Apple stock price climbs as Houston Mac mini shift and China vote put tariffs in focus

Go toTop