Home Depot (NYSE:HD) Same-store Sales Improving

Home Depot (NYSE:HD) their analyst day, and one of the more important bits of news coming away from it so far is the improvement of their same-store sales, something that surprised FBR Capital.

They said, "HD is hosting its analyst day in Boston. In conjunction with this, the company raised its 2010E outlook slightly (a touch of sales and a touch of EBIT margin upside . . . more EBIT margin). In addition, HD set 2011E sales and EPS guidance for the first time, as we outline below. The current same-store sales trend (1.5% implied comp for 4Q10E) is better than we had expected and reflects an acceleration in two- and three-year stacked trends. This keeps us constructive with the group, as the stocks have been in the process of benefiting from an apparent window-dressing here in year-end Guidance for 2011E brackets the Street consensus of $2.22, and we raise estimates to reflect this mean. Our price target stays the same for HD at $35. We rate HD Market Perform and Lowe's (NYSE:LOW) Outperform."

FBR Capital maintains a "Market Perform" on Home Depot, which was trading at $33.99, up $0.44, or 1.31 percent, as of 12:37 PM EST. FBR has a price target of $35 on them.

Home Depot (NYSE:HD), Home Improvement Stabilizing as Controversy Swirls Around the Company

Even though home improvement seems to have stabilized, Home Depot (NYSE:HD) could be harmed significantly from the growing groundswell of opposition to their unreasonable support of gay lifestyles and marriage, at a time when the vast majority of Americans oppose it.

Barclays said concerning the business side of it, "HD's third quarter results support the view that the home improvement market has entered a period of stability as much of the excess demand from the housing bubble has been worked off. Now, most of the demand is driven by a combination of maintenance and repairs items, along with smaller ticket expenditures that are aimed at refreshing the aesthetic appeal of homes...HD's relative comp outperformance of Lowe's (NYSE:LOW) this quarter also suggests that HD is benefitting from a combination of its merchandising initiatives and its superior store locations."

Entering obstinately into the culture wars, especially one as emotionally charges as gay marriage, isn't a very smart move by Home Depot, at a time when they need all the business they can get.

Already thousands have said they won't enter the stores until Home Depot changes its mind, and Home Depot has rejected calls for it to do so.

There is simply no win in this for Home Depot, and they could get slammed if they continue on the train-wreck of a course.

Home Depot closed Wednesday at $30.83, falling $0.88, or 2.78 percent. Barclays has a price target of $36 on them.