Varma Mutual Pension Insurance Co Takes Position in The Home Depot, Inc. $HD

Varma Mutual Pension Insurance Co purchased a new stake in shares of The Home Depot, Inc. (NYSE:HD - Free Report) during the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor purchased 173,295 shares of the home improvement retailer's stock, valued at approximately $61,118,000.

A number of other large investors have also recently bought and sold shares of HD. Gator Capital Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of Home Depot in the 4th quarter valued at about $3,693,000. King Luther Capital Management Corp lifted its position in shares of Home Depot by 0.6% in the fourth quarter. King Luther Capital Management Corp now owns 1,240,478 shares of the home improvement retailer's stock worth $426,848,000 after purchasing an additional 7,180 shares in the last quarter. E Fund Management Co. Ltd. acquired a new stake in shares of Home Depot during the second quarter worth approximately $3,915,000. Thompson Siegel & Walmsley LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Home Depot by 320.4% during the fourth quarter. Thompson Siegel & Walmsley LLC now owns 11,292 shares of the home improvement retailer's stock worth $3,886,000 after purchasing an additional 8,606 shares during the period. Finally, Sarasin & Partners LLP grew its position in Home Depot by 4.0% during the second quarter. Sarasin & Partners LLP now owns 687,219 shares of the home improvement retailer's stock valued at $242,368,000 after purchasing an additional 26,357 shares in the last quarter. 70.86% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several research analysts have weighed in on the stock. Evercore dropped their price objective on shares of Home Depot from $415.00 to $400.00 and set an "outperform" rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, May 20th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. decreased their target price on shares of Home Depot from $423.00 to $396.00 and set an "overweight" rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, May 20th. KeyCorp restated a "sector weight" rating on shares of Home Depot in a report on Wednesday, August 19th. Truist Financial upped their price target on shares of Home Depot from $369.00 to $373.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research note on Wednesday, August 19th. Finally, Mizuho lifted their price objective on Home Depot from $385.00 to $390.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a research report on Wednesday, August 19th. Eighteen equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, thirteen have assigned a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $375.54.

Trending Headlines about Home Depot

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

• Positive Sentiment: Home Depot reported fiscal second-quarter sales of $47.86 billion, up 5.7% year over year and its strongest comparable-sales growth since 2022. Adjusted earnings of $4.92 per share exceeded the $4.73 analyst consensus, reinforcing the view that the retailer’s turnaround is gaining traction. The Home Depot Posts Record Sales Growth Amid CEO Leave
• Positive Sentiment: The company expanded its Magic Apron AI shopping assistant to every U.S. store. The tool provides localized product information, project guidance and store navigation through text, voice, images and multiple languages. Its potential to improve customer service, employee productivity and conversion rates supports the long-term growth narrative. The Home Depot Expands Magic Apron
• Neutral Sentiment: Analysts and recent commentary see significant upside if housing and remodeling demand recover, with Home Depot’s scale and professional-customer base viewed as competitive advantages. However, the stock remains below its 50-day and 200-day moving averages, indicating that investors have not fully embraced the turnaround thesis. Home Depot Turnaround Could Be Bigger Than Investors Expect
• Neutral Sentiment: Although Home Depot beat quarterly estimates, a reported $685 million tariff refund may have boosted results. Investors could discount part of the earnings strength if the benefit is viewed as nonrecurring. Home Depot Beat Q2 Estimates
• Negative Sentiment: CEO Ted Decker is on temporary medical leave, creating uncertainty around leadership even as operating performance improves. Separately, EVP Michael Rowe sold 710 shares valued at approximately $239,100, a relatively small transaction but a modest negative sentiment signal. Home Depot EVP Michael Rowe Sells Shares

Home Depot Trading Up 0.4%

Shares of HD stock opened at $329.80 on Friday. The Home Depot, Inc. has a 12 month low of $289.10 and a 12 month high of $426.75. The company has a market cap of $329.04 billion, a PE ratio of 23.08, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.62 and a beta of 0.95. The company has a quick ratio of 0.31, a current ratio of 1.08 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.64. The business's 50 day moving average is $340.97 and its two-hundred day moving average is $338.75.

Home Depot (NYSE:HD - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, August 18th. The home improvement retailer reported $4.92 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $4.73 by $0.19. The business had revenue of $47.86 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $47.24 billion. Home Depot had a net margin of 8.41% and a return on equity of 106.42%. Home Depot's revenue for the quarter was up 5.7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned $4.68 earnings per share. Home Depot has set its FY 2026 guidance at 14.690-15.278 EPS. Equities analysts predict that The Home Depot, Inc. will post 15 EPS for the current year.

Home Depot Announces Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, September 17th. Investors of record on Thursday, September 3rd will be issued a $2.33 dividend. This represents a $9.32 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.8%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, September 3rd. Home Depot's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 65.22%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other news, CFO Richard V. Mcphail sold 5,989 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, August 19th. The stock was sold at an average price of $348.40, for a total value of $2,086,567.60. Following the sale, the chief financial officer directly owned 48,104 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $16,759,433.60. This trade represents a 11.07% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, EVP Michael F. Rowe sold 710 shares of Home Depot stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, August 26th. The stock was sold at an average price of $336.76, for a total value of $239,099.60. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president owned 6,838 shares in the company, valued at $2,302,764.88. The trade was a 9.41% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. 0.08% of the stock is owned by insiders.

About Home Depot

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.

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