New York, February 3, 2026, 13:21 (ET) — Regular session.
- Home Depot shares climbed 1.3%, reaching $382.98 by midday trading
- Software slump weighs on the wider market, while the Dow holds steadier compared to the S&P 500 and Nasdaq
- Upcoming trigger: Home Depot’s earnings report and outlook update on Feb. 24
Home Depot shares climbed 1.3%, hitting $382.98 around midday Tuesday, up from $378.12 at Monday’s close. So far, the stock has fluctuated between $376.29 and $391.75, with roughly 2.7 million shares changing hands.
The home-improvement chain continues to reflect trends in housing and renovation demand, but the timing is tricky. A partial U.S. government shutdown has delayed important labor data releases, pushing investors to rely more heavily on earnings reports and survey figures to read the economic landscape. “The fundamentals are good and earnings are strong,” noted Tim Ghriskey, senior portfolio strategist at Ingalls & Snyder. Reuters
Home Depot will release its fourth-quarter results on Feb. 24 at 9 a.m. ET, ahead of the market open. Investors are keen to see if there’s any change in the company’s 2026 outlook or in comparable sales—those from stores open at least a year—after an extended period of weak demand for major projects.
Late morning trading showed a mixed picture. The Dow Jones Industrial Average inched up 0.08%, while the S&P 500 dropped 0.45% and the Nasdaq Composite fell 1.02%, weighed down by a selloff in software and cloud names ahead of Alphabet and Amazon’s earnings later this week. John Campbell, senior portfolio manager at Allspring Global Investments, noted, “We’ve got an expensive market and expectations are really high.” Meanwhile, investors were still reacting to volatile moves in gold and silver prices after President Trump nominated former Federal Reserve Governor Kevin Warsh—a move some traders interpreted as hawkish. Reuters
Rival Lowe’s climbed roughly 2.5% to $275.70, edging ahead of Home Depot’s gains.
Two former employees secured preliminary approval to move forward with a $1.2 million proposed settlement in a wage lawsuit over unpaid Covid-19 and security screenings, Bloomberg Law reported.
Home Depot provided an initial outlook for fiscal 2026 back in December, forecasting comparable sales to hold steady or rise up to 2%, with adjusted EPS expected to remain flat or climb as much as 4%. CFO Richard McPhail noted the company hasn’t spotted “a catalyst or an inflection in housing activity” yet. Meanwhile, LSEG data reveals analysts are anticipating stronger growth. Reuters
The downside still hinges on rates and housing activity. If mortgage rates hold firm and home sales lag, spending on major renovations could slip. Home Depot’s higher-margin segments usually take the hit first in such scenarios.
Investors are closely monitoring potential rescheduling of the postponed U.S. economic data along with key cues from upcoming consumer earnings. For Home Depot, the spotlight turns to Feb. 24, when management will update guidance and field questions.
