Seasonal Hires to Top 80,000 at Home Depot (HD, LOW)

Late last month Lowe’s Companies Inc. (NYSE: LOW) said it would hire 45,000 seasonal employees and another 9,000 permanent, part-time workers to staff up for the home improvement chains’ version of the Christmas holiday season.

Home Depot hired more than 70,000 temporary employees in 2012, about half of whom were retained permanently.

The improving climate for home sales, both new and existing, is expected to spill over into increased demand from the big home improvement chains.

Home Depot’s shares closed at $66.39 last night in a 52-week range of $44.83 to $68.15.