New York, Jan 12, 2026, 18:21 EST — After-hours
- Home Depot shares were little changed after hours at $374.94.
- Home Depot and Google Cloud outlined new “agentic AI” tools tied to Magic Apron, pro ordering and delivery.
- Traders turn to Tuesday’s U.S. inflation data and Home Depot’s next earnings date for the next clear catalyst.
Home Depot shares were little changed in after-hours trade on Monday at $374.94, after the retailer and Google Cloud laid out a new push into “agentic AI” tools at the NRF 2026 retail conference. The stock closed at $374.72.
Agentic AI — software that can take steps on a shopper’s behalf, not just answer questions — is quickly becoming the new battleground for retailers and cloud firms. Google Cloud is pitching the shift as a way to link shopping and customer service into a single workflow.
The timing matters for markets this week. The U.S. consumer price index for December is due on Tuesday, a release that can swing bond yields and rate expectations that feed into housing and renovation demand.
Home Depot said it will deploy Google’s Gemini AI models and Gemini Enterprise for Customer Experience to expand its Magic Apron assistant and build AI-driven tools for “pros” — its term for contractors and other trade customers. Jordan Broggi, the company’s EVP for customer experience and online, said the goal is putting “Orange Apron” expertise “in the pocket of every customer.” The Home Depot
The plan goes past advice. Home Depot said it is testing an in-store Magic Apron experience that ties into local inventory and can guide shoppers to the right bay, while also offering technical help in the aisle. It also flagged an AI-powered materials-list feature for pros that is “scaling nationally this month,” and new route-intelligence tools using Gemini and Google Maps to reduce failed deliveries. PR Newswire
Executives struck a more cautious tone on rollout. At a panel in New York, Home Depot CIO Angie Brown said the company is in “get out and try mode,” watching how shoppers and associates actually use the tools as they creep from search into more complicated tasks. CX Dive
The competitive pressure is not subtle. Walmart is also deepening its work with Google around agentic AI, and the push is moving from product discovery into project planning, purchasing and fulfillment — areas that can hit basket size, delivery costs and returns if they work, or if they don’t.
Home Depot shares ended the regular session up 0.08% on Monday, while rival Lowe’s rose 1.38%. The S&P 500 finished up 0.16% and the Dow added 0.17%, according to MarketWatch data.
But the payoff is still a guess. AI that builds carts or recommends materials can backfire if it pushes the wrong items, raises return rates, or simply fails to win trust with shoppers who still want a human when projects get messy.
The near-term tape is about data. The Census Bureau is scheduled to publish its advance retail trade report for November on Jan. 14, another read on consumer spending as investors try to map out demand for discretionary home-improvement projects.
Home Depot’s next big checkpoint is Feb. 24, when it reports quarterly results. Investors will listen for any early signal that the new AI rollout is moving sales, service costs or delivery efficiency in the right direction.
