News

Forty-five years ago next week, a tiny four-store hardware chain in Atlanta completed a very unlikely IPO. It was possible only because a well-connected investment banker, Ken Langone, happened to be a nonexecutive co-founder and a member of the company’s board of directors. Langone had such faith in the young company’s prospects that he called in some favors on Wall Street, and Bear Stearns reluctantly agreed to take on the piddly $6 million planned offering.

The market is currently pricing in what would be the shallowest interest rate hike cycle in modern history. Meanwhile, shares of Generac Holdings Inc. (GNRC) soared after the maker of generators signed a long-term contract with Amazon.com Inc. (AMZN) to supply $8 billion worth of generators for its data centers, highlights Amber Kanwar, host of the In the Money with Amber Kanwar podcast.

The company is taking steps to make the shopping experience more fun and convenient.

Asian shares were mixed in cautious trading early Wednesday as investors watched for what might happen on interest rates and the war with Iran pushed oil prices higher. Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 was nearly unchanged at 65,249.95, and South Korea's Kospi gained 1.2% to 7,041.10. The Shanghai Composite gained 0.2% to 3,949.89.

RH's Q2 performance may reflect modest sales growth as housing weakness, sourcing disruptions and international startup costs weigh on results.

Retail earnings reveal a K-shaped consumer split: Home Depot and Lowe's post solid home-improvement sales, while Walmart and Five Below face mixed results amid tariff and margin pressures.

The chain faces an uphill battle since it can’t compete on price.

Williams-Sonoma stock dropped on Wednesday even though the home specialty retailer delivered a beat-and-raise quarter in tough times for housing. The stock is up 25% this year, but down 11% from its all-time closing high of $251.78 on Aug. 7, according to Dow Jones Market Data. While other retailers are logging tariff refunds, Williams-Sonoma is feeling a sting.

Walmart is investing its $2.9 billion return into price cuts, while Target plans for additional reimbursements and Home Depot and Lowe’s offset higher costs.

Walmart is spending billions on a price war, but its latest earnings call revealed the real debate is whether a new profit engine or a one-time windfall is footing the bill.

Smaller projects drive growth as housing affordability pressures big-ticket demand.

Walmart shares fell 9% on decelerating comps despite an earnings beat, while Home Depot rose slightly on higher tickets, highlighting a diverging, K-shaped consumer spending pattern.

Home Depot is navigating a difficult housing market, but BofA sees several reasons the retailer could keep gaining ground.

A one-off tariff refund is expected to be consumed by cost inflation the company had not planned for, which is why a quarter that beat on earnings left the full-year outlook untouched.

Retail earnings this week so far paint a mixed picture—both about how U.S. consumers are fairing and how large retailers are navigating those waters. Target and Walmart, mainstream retailers that sell a range of goods including groceries, both reported higher sales, but flagged that shoppers continue to be cautious, in part because of higher gas prices. Target said comparable sales rose 3.8% in the most recent quarter, its second quarter of solid growth after enduring a yearslong string of weak quarterly sales results.

Walmart set a somber tone for the first week of retailer earnings, but that wasn’t the whole story. The big news was Walmart’s sales woes as the Bentonville, Ark.-based giant reported a same-store sales decline—the first since 2020. Target meanwhile, showed some signs of life, reflecting its turnaround efforts.

As consumers pull back on major renovations, the retailer is focusing on making smaller projects easier to complete.

The Federal Reserve has not touched interest rates in over seven months, yet mortgage rates just climbed to their highest level in years. Understanding why exposes a flaw in how most borrowers think about the connection between the Fed and their monthly payment.

Target (TGT) is buzzing on Wednesday after the retail giant beat second quarter earnings estimates, topped off by a raise on full-year guidance. Yahoo Finance Senior Reporter Brooke DiPalma highlights the biggest takeaways from the company's earnings calls, underlining price discount drivers ahead of the back-to-school shopping season.

The 10-year-old hardware store owner said the shop could not survive a combination of rising rent, insurance, and credit card fees.

Asking for a Trend Host Josh Lipton previews several of the biggest stories to come tomorrow, Wednesday, August 19, including earnings from major retailers TJX (TJX), Lowe's (LOW), and Target (TGT), alongside the minutes from the Federal Reserve's most recent FOMC meeting.

Moby summary of The Home Depot, Inc.'s Q2 2027 earnings call

Home Depot Inc.'s results beat estimates in the latest quarter, a sign that spending on improvement projects is holding up despite high borrowing and housing costs. Bloomberg's Lindsay Dutch joins to discuss.

Home Depot (NYSE:HD) reported second-quarter fiscal 2026 sales growth and comparable-sales gains that exceeded its expectations, as demand broadened across much of the business despite continued pressure on larger discretionary home-improvement projects. Sales rose 5.7% from a year earlier to $47.9

Retailer Home Depot (HD) and buy now, pay later service Klarna (KLAR) both released their second quarter earnings results on Tuesday, helping shed some additional light on the health of the US consumer. Morning Brief Host Julie Hyman is joined by Yahoo Finance Tech Editor Dan Howley and Barron's associate editor Al Root to cover what this all signifies about the ongoing strength of consumers.

Upcoming financial catalysts for Tuesday, August 18th, focusing on earnings results from Home Depot (HD) and Toll Brothers (TOL) along with key housing starts and building permits data.

Retail earnings are set to offer a check of consumer health this week as the second quarter earnings season winds down.

Home Depot (HD) delivered earnings and revenue surprises of +4.46% and +1.33%, respectively, for the quarter ended July 2026. Do the numbers hold clues to what lies ahead for the stock?

Homeowners took on smaller, DIY projects during the recent quarter despite economic uncertainty, driving Home Depot’s sales higher. Still, steep interest rates and continued inflation continue to keep homeowners from taking out debt to tackle larger, months-long renovations, CFO Richard McPhail said in an interview.

Homeowners took on smaller, spring maintenance projects during the recent quarter despite continuing economic uncertainty, driving Home Depot’s sales higher and giving the company confidence to back its full-year outlook.