Home Depot

ATLANTA -- Home Depot is going the way of retailers like Crate & Barrel and Macy's by offering an online gift registry, but will brides and grooms be eager to snap up miter saws or pressure washers? Industry observers see it as a way for the Atlanta-based company to enhance its relationship with customers, even if it isn't a boon for the bottom line. The initiative will be formally launched today. The home improvement chain says it is banking on its research showing that more people are getting married later in life, perhaps for a second time, and already have small appliances, fine...

Home Depot said Tuesday that its first-quarter net income climbed nearly 28 percent as unseasonably warm winter and increased business from contractors and other professional customers boosted results at the world's biggest home-improvement company. The company raised its 2012 net income guidance on the better-than-expected profit. But its revenue fell short of Wall Street expectations, sending its stock down 2.4 percent in trading. Home Depot's results illustrate what's going on in the U.S. economy.

Home Depot Inc. has acquired home service connection service company Redbeacon for an undisclosed sum, the home repair retailer announced Friday. The home renovation company didn't disclose the price or terms of the deal. Redbeacon, based in San Mateo, Calif., is an online service that connects consumers with home maintenance, repair and renovation professionals. The company will keep its current leadership and remain in California. Shares of Home Depot, based in Atlanta, fell 90 cents to close at $44.51.

The Home Depot and Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia have extended their agreement to offer Martha Stewart Living-branded products at Home Depot stores through 2016. The Home Depot offers a wide variety of paint, outdoor furniture, kitchen and bath cabinetry and carpeting under the Martha Stewart brand currently. It plans to expand its product lineup with a new craft furniture line and more holiday merchandise. Home Depot's Martha Stewart line launched in January 2010. Homemaking guru Martha Stewart works with several retailers.

The largest US home improvement retailer raised its full-year profit forecast. Net income advanced 14 percent to $1.36 billion, or 86 cents a share, in the quarter ended July 31, the Atlanta-based company said. Analysts projected 82 cents, on average. Home Depot boosted the number of transactions by 1.1 percent to 373 million, the sixth increase in the past seven quarters. "Home Depot has gotten their mojo back," said Joe Feldman, an analyst at Telsey Advisory Group. Revenue from stores open at least 12 months climbed 4.3 percent.

NEW YORK - Home Depot Inc. will start selling Martha Stewart-branded paint and cleaning products next year in addition to the home decor and closet organization lines announced in September. Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia Inc.’s deal with Kmart ends in January. Home Depot will start selling Martha Stewart cleaning products in January, with home decor and closet organization lines to follow. The paint line, which will replace Home Depot’s line of Ralph Lauren paint, appears in March.

ATLANTA -- The Home Depot Inc. said yesterday an internal investigation of stock option practices has concluded that errors caused it to have roughly $200 million in unrecorded option expenses over a 26-year period. Despite the errors, the review, conducted with the help of outside counsel, determined that there was no intentional wrongdoing by any current member of the company's management team or its board of directors. Home Depot, the nation's largest home improvement store chain, did not make an assertion about the integrity of actions of prior management.

The Home Depot and Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia have extended their agreement to offer Martha Stewart Living-branded products at Home Depot stores through 2016. The Home Depot offers a wide variety of paint, outdoor furniture, kitchen and bath cabinetry and carpeting under the Martha Stewart brand currently. It plans to expand its product lineup with a new craft furniture line and more holiday merchandise. Home Depot's Martha Stewart line launched in January 2010. Homemaking guru Martha Stewart works with several retailers.

ATLANTA -- The Home Depot Inc. is recruiting the spouses of military personnel in the latest hiring initiative between the nation's largest home improvement chain and the government. Home Depot, which averages a new store opening every 48 hours, said its effort with the Defense Department also will involve hiring more veterans, active duty service members about to be discharged, National Guard members, and reservists. If a service member is relocated by the military, Home Depot will try to transfer the person's spouse to a store near the new community, if a job is...

Indexes rose amid optimism European nations will take action to prevent a Greek default. Growth companies Caterpillar, Exxon Mobil, and Alcoa also rose. Home Depot gave a lift to the market after the largest US home improvement retailer said it is targeting about $3.5 billion in share buybacks for 2011. ‘There’s relief around Greece,’ said one investment chief.

Whirlpool Corp shares jumped on Monday, as Lowe's reported better-than-expected results and fears generally eased somewhat about the housing sector. Whirlpool, which makes large appliances like washing machines and refrigerators, has been hard hit as consumers pulled back spending on large-ticket items for their homes. The Benton Harbor, Mich., company has cut jobs and costs to shore up results. But it is facing high costs for materials such as steel and copper as well as tough competition.

Home Depot Inc. said Tuesday that its fiscal fourth-quarter net income rose 32 percent as homeowners spent more on renovation projects in part due to the mild weather in the U.S. Coping with prolonged weakness in the housing market, home-goods sellers like Home Depot have adjusted to the fact that fewer consumers are making large-scale home renovations by cutting costs and improving services such as online shopping. But the sales increase at the largest U.S. home-improvement retailer shows there may be pent-up demand for home improvement, even during the winter, and it offers a...

Home Depot Inc. has acquired home service connection service company Redbeacon for an undisclosed sum, the home repair retailer announced Friday. The home renovation company didn't disclose the price or terms of the deal. Redbeacon, based in San Mateo, Calif., is an online service that connects consumers with home maintenance, repair and renovation professionals. The company will keep its current leadership and remain in California. Shares of Home Depot, based in Atlanta, fell 90 cents to close at $44.51.

The world's second-largest home improvement chain bought ATG Stores to accelerate online sales of lighting, tools, and furnishings. ATG will operate as a Lowe's unit and will remain based in Kirkland, Wash. Financial terms were not disclosed. Lowe's is doubling the number of lowes.com items to 260,000 and equipping employees with iPhones after trailing larger Home Depot in same-store sales.

Home Depot Inc.'s third-quarter net income rose 12 percent as consumers spent a bit more on home-improvement projects and repaired their homes after Hurricane Irene The No. 1 U.S. home-improvement retailer's results announced Tuesday beat expectations and the company raised its 2011 earnings outlook and its dividend. Home-goods sellers are facing cautious consumer spending and a prolonged weak housing market. They've had to adjust to fewer consumers making large-scale home renovations by cutting costs and improving services such as online shopping and customer service.

The largest US home improvement retailer raised its full-year profit forecast. Net income advanced 14 percent to $1.36 billion, or 86 cents a share, in the quarter ended July 31, the Atlanta-based company said. Analysts projected 82 cents, on average. Home Depot boosted the number of transactions by 1.1 percent to 373 million, the sixth increase in the past seven quarters. "Home Depot has gotten their mojo back," said Joe Feldman, an analyst at Telsey Advisory Group. Revenue from stores open at least 12 months climbed 4.3 percent.

WALTHAM - Tom Sachs is the ultimate do-it-yourself artist. Most artists do it themselves, but Sachs's work, on view in "Logjam," a bracing and funny exhibit at the Rose Art Museum at Brandeis University, embraces the Home Depot -fueled DIY phenomenon with such passion it deliciously skirts parody. Sachs was something of a phenom when he appeared on the scene with his roughly glued together but amazingly detailed works in the 1990s; his life-size toilets and gun cabinets flew in the face of the glossy art and slick consumerism spawned by that decade's powerhouse economy.

ATLANTA -- Talks over restructuring a $10.3 billion deal to sell The Home Depot Inc.'s wholesale distribution business went down to the wire yesterday, the expected closing date for the agreement. The Atlanta-based retailer has hinted the deal could fall through. Or Home Depot may have to lower the price. A spokeswoman declined to comment on whether the deal will be completed. Investors were edgy, sending Home Depot shares down 75 cents to $34.02. Talks continued late yesterday between Home Depot, the buyers, and the...

Stocks that moved substantially or traded heavily Tuesday on the New York Stock Exchange and Nasdaq Stock Market: NYSE Wal-Mart Stores Inc., up $1.94 at $51.92 The world's biggest retailer said quarterly profit rose thanks to sales growth overseas and cost cutting, but U.S. sales suffered. Home Depot Inc., up $1.66 at $33.12 The retailer's quarterly net income grew on customers' need to make storm-related repairs. It raised its profit forecast for the year. Sprint Nextel Corp., up 11 cents at $3.59 A Collins Stewart analyst upgraded the wireless...