What Is the Stock Symbol for Home Depot?

"You can do it, we can help." That motto has resonated with do-it-yourself consumers since 1979, when the Home Depot Company started, leading to an extraordinary record of growth. For investors, Home Depot is an alluring firm---a blue chip stock. Here is an overview of the company's history and philosophy, as well as stock information. See links under resources at the end for more

Identification

Home Depot is listed on the New York Stock Exchange with the stock symbol HD. Use the symbol to locate price quotes for the stock on financial websites or go to Home Depot's Investor Relations site for stock prices. The Georgia-based company is part of the Dow Jones Index of 30 Industrials and Standard & Poor's 500 Index.

History

Home Depot began in 1978 as the brainchild of Arthur Blank and Bernie Marcus who, along with partners Ron Brill and Pat Farrah, envisioned a "superstore" of home-improvement supplies sold to do-it-yourselfers. The first two stores opened in Marietta, Ga., in 1979 and proved extremely successful. In 1981, Home Depot went public with its initial public offering, traded on NASDAQ, but moved to the NYSE in 1984. In 1989, the company opened its 100th store. The first non-US store opened in Canada in 1994, followed by locations in Mexico in 2001 and China in 2006. Although Arthur Blank retired in 2000, the company continued its rapid growth. Home Depot continued a strong commitment to give back to the community as part of its corporate philosophy of customer service and building community-based relationships.

Types

Home Depot stores are large and offer virtually any product a consumer might want. The central concept is to combine traditionally separate retail outlets---hardware, building supplies, tools, landscaping and nursery and home appliances---under one roof. Each store offers clinics for consumers to learn how to do a wide range of projects.

Size

In 2007, Home Depot reported total revenues of $77.3 billion, with $4.2 billion in operating income. In that same year, the company opened its 2200th store, including locations in Canada, Mexico and China. The stores average more than 100,000 square feet and average about $35 million in sales per year. As of 2008, Home Depot employed more than 220,000 people.

Features

Home Depot is investor-friendly and provides a wealth of information on their Investor Relations website, including financial and annual reports, periodic news updates and daily stock quotes. As a Dow Jones Index and S&P 500 company, it is considered a "blue chip" stock, and finding independent information in publications such as the Wall Street Journal is easy. For small investors or those wishing to avoid high commission fees, the company offers a Direct Stock Purchase Plan. A sum of $500 is required to open an account, and there is a low minimum for additional investment. Transaction fees are a maximum of $2.50 for each stock purchase, plus an average of 5 cents per share. The fees for selling shares are higher--$10, plus 15 cents per share. An investor can download the plan prospectus and enroll online (see link below).

Resources

• Home Depot Investor Relations
• Home Depot Direct StockPurchase Plan