Are Home Depot's Digital Platforms Emerging as Its Next Growth Engine?

Digital platforms are emerging as a key catalyst for The Home Depot, Inc. HD as the company navigates a tough retail landscape. In the third quarter of fiscal 2025, online comparable sales increased approximately 11% year over year, following a 12% jump in the preceding quarter. This performance outpaced the company’s overall comparable sales growth of 0.2%. Management attributes this strength to its continued focus on an integrated retail model that combines digital convenience with efficient in-store operations.

The main driver of this digital momentum is stronger fulfillment capabilities. Faster delivery speeds are proving to be a major draw for customers and are helping to increase satisfaction levels. Home Depot noted that quicker fulfillment, supported by both stores and distribution centers, boosted the customer satisfaction score by more than 400 basis points. Management believes that making the online experience frictionless encourages greater customer engagement and leads to higher sales.

Home Depot, through its digital transformation, is also targeting the high-value Pro segment. New offerings, such as a project planning tool and an artificial intelligence-driven blueprint takeoff application, are designed to transform complex manual processes into efficient digital workflows. These technological advancements allow pros to manage material lists and obtain accurate estimates in record time, further solidifying the digital ecosystem as a one-stop shop. 

By merging physical logistics with robust digital capabilities, Home Depot is positioning its virtual infrastructure as a critical engine for long-term market share gains.

What the Latest Metrics Say About Home Depot

Home Depot, which competes with Floor & Decor Holdings, Inc. FND and Lowe's Companies, Inc. LOW, has seen its shares fall 7.1% in the past year compared with the industry’s decline of 12.2%. While shares of Floor & Decor Holdings have plunged 23.8%, Lowe’s has risen 6.3% in the said period.
 

From a valuation standpoint, Home Depot trades at a forward price-to-earnings ratio of 25.23, higher than the industry’s 23.10. HD carries a Value Score of F. Home Depot is trading at a discount to Floor & Decor Holdings (with a forward 12-month P/E ratio of 35.23) but at a premium to Lowe’s (21.39). 
 

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Home Depot’s current financial-year sales implies year-over-year growth of 3.2%, while the same for earnings per share suggests a decline of 4.8%. For the next fiscal year, the consensus estimate indicates a 4.4% rise in sales and 4% growth in earnings.
 

Home Depot currently carries a Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell).

You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

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This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).

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