The Home Depot, Inc. (HD) Is Back With A Bang: Lumber Liquidators Holdings Inc (LL), Lowe’s Companies, Inc. (LOW)

As I have mentioned earlier, The Home Depot, Inc. (NYSE:HD) is not the only company that is posting strong quarterly results.  Companies across all segments are enjoying the recent developments in the housing sector. The Home Depot, Inc. (NYSE:HD)’s rival Lowe’s Companies, Inc. (NYSE:LOW) recently reported their fourth quarter earnings, beating analysts’ expectations. The company reported a net income of $288 million, or $0.26 per share, which fell 11% from last year’s quarter, but still beat analysts’ expectations of $0.23 per share. The company also reported revenue of $11.63 billion, which is higher than the analysts’ expectation of $10.85 billion. With the development in the housing sector, Lowe’s, which operates 1,754 stores in the US, Canada and Mexico, expects that their fiscal 2013 net income will rise to $2.05 per share, and as a result of their strong future outlook the company also experienced a surge in their share price.  Also, Lumber Liquidators Holdings Inc (NYSE:LL), the largest specialty retailer of hardwood flooring in North America, reported strong fourth quarter earnings. Its top line jumped 20.8% to $210.7 million as the comparable store net sales increased 13.2%, backed by a 9.1% increase in the number of customers invoiced and a 3.9% increase in the average sale.

Foolish bottom line:

I think investors in The Home Depot, Inc. (NYSE:HD) should be having a party after the company posted such strong earnings. The company raised its quarterly dividend by 34%, to $0.39 per share, and approved a $17 billion stock repurchase. The company also forecasts $3.37 of 2013 EPS, which is well above analyst expectations. The company has managed to beat its rival Lowe’s Companies, Inc. (NYSE:LOW) in sales for the 15^th straight quarter and with the improving housing sector. I think this stock is one to watch out for.

The article Home Depot Is Back With A Bang originally appeared on Fool.com and is written by Satarupa Bose.

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