How Home Depot Earnings Are Pushing the Stock to New Highs

Home Depot Inc. (NYSE: HD) reported first-quarter 2017 results before markets opened Tuesday. The home improvement store posted diluted net earnings per share of $1.67 in the quarter on revenues of $23.89 billion. In the same quarter last year, the company reported EPS of $1.44 and revenues of $22.76 billion. Consensus estimates called for EPS of $1.61 and revenues of $23.72 billion.

First-quarter same-store sales rose 5.5% worldwide and 6.0% in the United States. Those totals are slightly below the company’s fourth-quarter results: 5.8% worldwide and 6.3% in the United States.

The company reaffirmed its sales guidance calling for growth of 4.6% year over year. Same-store sales also continue to be forecast to rise 4.6%. Guidance for diluted earnings per share rose from a prior estimate of $7.13 to a new forecast of $7.15, up 11%, after accounting for share repurchases of approximately $5 billion.

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Gross margin for the quarter increased by 4.7%, even though the cost of sales rose 5.1%. Operating income of $3.35 billion was up 8.8% year over year and net profit rose 11.7% to $2.01 billion.

CEO Craig Menear said:

We were pleased with our results as they reflected broad-based growth across our interconnected platform and all geographies. This was made possible by our hard working store associates, merchants and supply chain teams and our continued dedication to customer service.

Analysts have a consensus forecast for second-quarter EPS of $2.22 on sales of $27.81 billion. For the full year, analysts are looking for EPS of $7.20 and revenues of $99.15 billion.

Home Depot’s stock traded up about 2% in Tuesday’s premarket to $160.35, a new 52-week high if it holds through the opening bell. The stock’s current 52-week range is $119.20 to $158.15, and the consensus price target is $160.29. The stock’s dividend yield was 2.25% at Monday’s closing price.

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