Elefante Mark B Raises Stake in The Home Depot, Inc. $HD

Elefante Mark B grew its stake in The Home Depot, Inc. (NYSE:HD) by 15.1% in the third quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 11,576 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock after acquiring an additional 1,520 shares during the quarter. Home Depot comprises approximately 3.0% of Elefante Mark B’s investment portfolio, making the stock its 12th biggest position. Elefante Mark B’s holdings in Home Depot were worth $4,690,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of the company. Norges Bank purchased a new position in Home Depot during the second quarter worth about $4,885,603,000. Laurel Wealth Advisors LLC increased its holdings in shares of Home Depot by 36,207.5% during the 2nd quarter. Laurel Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 10,076,783 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock worth $3,694,552,000 after buying an additional 10,049,029 shares during the last quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. increased its holdings in shares of Home Depot by 1.5% during the 2nd quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 97,978,814 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock worth $35,922,952,000 after buying an additional 1,494,615 shares during the last quarter. Amundi raised its position in shares of Home Depot by 11.1% during the 2nd quarter. Amundi now owns 7,903,550 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock valued at $2,938,935,000 after buying an additional 790,476 shares during the period. Finally, Voya Investment Management LLC lifted its holdings in Home Depot by 112.3% in the third quarter. Voya Investment Management LLC now owns 1,444,128 shares of the home improvement retailer’s stock valued at $585,147,000 after acquiring an additional 763,739 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 70.86% of the company’s stock.

Home Depot News Roundup

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

• Positive Sentiment: Telsey Advisory Group reaffirmed an “outperform” rating with a $410 price target, providing upside support by signaling confidence in HD’s longer‑term growth. Telsey Reaffirmation
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts note Home Depot’s expanding Pro ecosystem, investments in AI project tools and specialty distribution as competitive advantages vs. Lowe’s that could drive market share and higher-margin sales if Pro demand holds. HD vs LOW Upside
• Neutral Sentiment: Brokerage consensus remains cautiously constructive (moderate buy consensus) ahead of Q4; investors are watching same‑store trends, gross margin contributions, and Pro sales to set guidance expectations. Consensus Rating
• Neutral Sentiment: Several pre‑earnings previews and estimate rundowns highlight that sales and EPS are expected to be down year‑over‑year; the quarter is viewable as a binary event — a minor beat (or guidance lift) could reverse negative sentiment. Q4 Preview
• Neutral Sentiment: Wall Street estimate breakdowns and previews emphasize metrics beyond headline revenue/EPS (GMS, Pro penetration), which could amplify stock moves post‑release depending on detail in comp and margin drivers. Wall Street Estimates
• Negative Sentiment: RBC lowered its price target (from $366 to $363) and set a “sector perform” rating, which may pressure the stock by signaling limited near‑term upside from current levels. RBC PT Cut
• Negative Sentiment: Reports that Home Depot has tightened bonus access and adjusted incentive rules (and recent firings) are being read two ways: cost control for margins, but also a sign managers are bracing for softer demand — the news is weighing on sentiment near term. Bonuses Tightened
• Neutral Sentiment: Media mentions (including Jim Cramer coverage) keep HD in the spotlight but are unlikely to move the stock absent fresh fundamentals or guidance changes. Media Coverage

Home Depot Stock Down 1.4%

Shares of NYSE:HD opened at $378.33 on Friday. The firm has a market capitalization of $376.64 billion, a PE ratio of 25.79, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 13.70 and a beta of 1.08. The Home Depot, Inc. has a 1 year low of $326.31 and a 1 year high of $426.75. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 3.82, a current ratio of 1.05 and a quick ratio of 0.29. The firm’s 50-day moving average is $368.81 and its two-hundred day moving average is $380.29.

Home Depot (NYSE:HD) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, November 18th. The home improvement retailer reported $3.74 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $3.83 by ($0.09). Home Depot had a net margin of 8.77% and a return on equity of 160.74%. The business had revenue of $41.35 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $41.06 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $3.78 EPS. The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 2.8% on a year-over-year basis. Analysts predict that The Home Depot, Inc. will post 15.13 EPS for the current year.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, EVP Angie Brown sold 1,946 shares of Home Depot stock in a transaction on Friday, December 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $357.63, for a total value of $695,947.98. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 3,941 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,409,419.83. This trade represents a 33.06% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, EVP Ann Marie Campbell sold 145 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, December 11th. The stock was sold at an average price of $358.26, for a total value of $51,947.70. Following the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 12,320 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $4,413,763.20. The trade was a 1.16% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders sold a total of 4,963 shares of company stock worth $1,748,845 over the last 90 days. Corporate insiders own 0.10% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several research firms have issued reports on HD. Piper Sandler cut their target price on Home Depot from $450.00 to $441.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, December 10th. DZ Bank reiterated a “sell” rating on shares of Home Depot in a report on Tuesday, November 18th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reduced their price objective on shares of Home Depot from $444.00 to $423.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, November 19th. Truist Financial set a $405.00 target price on shares of Home Depot in a research report on Friday, January 16th. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus lowered their target price on shares of Home Depot from $370.00 to $350.00 and set a “hold” rating for the company in a research note on Monday, December 1st. Twenty-one investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have assigned a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, Home Depot currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $408.27.

Home Depot 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.