Don't Buy Home Depot Stock Until You Know This 1 Key Metric

Home Depot's stock has fallen 28% from its peak, but investors should be cautious. The key metric to watch is same-store sales, which grew only 0.6% in Q1 fiscal 2026, following weak growth of 0.3% in the prior year and a 1.8% decline the year before. The slowdown reflects consumer hesitancy due to higher mortgage rates and inflation, though the 3% dividend yield may appeal to income investors.