home depot

Can Bed Bath & Beyond Bounce Back?

The retailer was trading close to its 52-week low even before Wednesday's disappointing quarterly report when earnings grew by less than 2 percent to $232.8 million, despite seeing net sales climb 15 percent to top $2.7 billion.

How to Pick the Perfect Gift Cards This Christmas

U.S. shoppers will buy $110 billion worth of gift cards this year, and nobody's complaining about it: Gift cards are the most-desired present of the season. But you still have to pick the right gift card for each recipient, so we asked plastic experts for their best advice.

Postal Service Keeps Delivering Mail Through Hurricane Sandy

As Hurricane Sandy began tearing up the East Coast, thousands evacuated their homes, schools closed, and millions of businesses and government offices told their workers to stay home. But a few employers did not: the Supreme Court, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, Home Depot, Lowe's, and the U.S. Postal Service.

Hurricane Sandy to Cost Businesses Billions

Economists say it will take a while to fully estimate the economic impact of the storm. But they believe the impact will be enough to lower the nation's gross domestic product, the broadest reading of the nation's economic activity, in the fourth quarter.

America's Wealthy Step Up to the Plate

This month, 12 more billionaire families committed to donate at least half of their wealth to charity by taking the Giving Pledge. Here are introductions to some of the new signatories and their pet philanthropic projects.

Can 'The All American Store' Reverse Our Walmartization?

Walmart's conquest of of America embodies a decades-long drive toward the lowest common denominator, off-shoring jobs, maximizing profits and reducing quality. But is it a trend we can reverse? Deep in the heart of Ohio, a new store aims to try.

What to Watch This Week: New Tablets, Old Retailers

There's never a dull moment on Wall Street, especially when new tablets and old banks are in the way. Let's go over some of the items that will help shape the week ahead: The Kindle Fire, the Nook Tablet, and earnings reports from Sears, Gap, Hot Topic, Lowes Home Depot and Staples.

Anti-Gay Campaign Finds No Welcome at Home Depot

For more than a year, the American Family Association has pleaded with Home Depot not to publicly back gay rights, and the home improvement retailer has ignored them. In fact, it continues to participate in the city's gay pride parade, as it has done for years. Still, the AFA isn't giving up.

A Better Way To Make Money In Real Estate

It's easy to forget, given all the success stories of people who've gotten rich in real estate, but you have to remember: Your house is not an investment. Money can be made in real estate, but you're better off considering these investment vehicles than buying property directly.

Why We Have a Lack of Corporate Leadership

What makes a truly great leader? Attention to detail, a vision for the future, or maybe a strong personality? How about an education from Harvard or another top business school? Maybe the formula for superior leadership is much simpler; maybe the best way to spot a great leader is simply to look for someone who doesn't focus on profits.

Has the Big-Box Era Been Downsized?

Big-box superstores have become ubiquitous across America, making so many stops along the highway bleed into a blur of generic retail. But that could be about to change: Walmart and Target are experimenting with smaller footprints, while lighter, nimbler outlets challenge the dominance of the behemoths.

Mother Nature Picks Wall Street Winners and Losers

The stock market can be as ruthless as nature itself: Some stocks get pummeled when disaster strikes, while others climb higher. And just as homeowners board up their houses and stock up on water, investors can fortify their portfolios when storm clouds loom. As respectfully as possible, we review what Irene hath wrought, in search of lessons.

After the Storm: Buy Home Depot, Sell Lowe's

Storms are always good for hardware-home improvement superstores, as droves of people stock up on supplies beforehand and work to repair any damage afterwards. If you want to try to profit from the wake of Hurricane Irene, the orange-aproned merchant is the one to turn to.

Despite Reports to the Contrary, the Consumer Lives

Earnings season is almost over, and corporate America has so far provided a steady stream of strong earnings to counter the doom-and-gloom headlines. Last week, the focus was squarely on retailers, and they didn't disappoint: A diverse group of companies beat estimates, showing that U.S. consumers are far from finished.

Reality Check for Home Improvement Stocks

What does the current state, and the likely future, of the American real estate market mean for companies like Home Depot and Lowe's? We break down the numbers to see which (if either) is a good investment.

Market Woes Aside, Earnings Are Looking Up

Given the market's extreme and distressing gyrations over the past week, you'd be forgiven for thinking corporate earnings had been, on the whole, disappointing. But that's not actually the case: A large majority of public companies have performed quite well.

5 Things to Watch Next Week on Wall St.

Next week brings more earnings reports from big-name companies, including several home improvement giants, a couple of "good enough" computer makers, penny-pinching discount masters, and office supplier Staples -- whose results might stand as an indication of the broader economy's health.

Lumber Liquidators Looks Ready to Rebound

After Lumber Liquidators cut its full-year revenue forecast Thursday, investors took the nation's largest hardwood flooring specialist to the woodshed. But while the short-term will be challenging, this highly profitable company still has a strong position and ample room to grow.

Home Depot Lays a Foundation for Online Growth

Over the last few years, Home Depot has expanded its retail stores aggressively, adding more than 200 outlets annually. However, the firm has recently embarked on a $1.1 billion program to improve its Web presence while dramatically reducing the number of new store openings to around 10 in 2011.

Lowe's Incentive Program May Boost Its Market Share

As the competition between home improvement heavyweights Lowe's and Home Depot intensifies, customer service is emerging as one of the key features on which they will need to innovate. Lowe's latest attempt is a new incentive program for customers paying with the store's credit card.