Stock Sectors

Home Improvement Stores

Stock Charts – Click sector to view stock chart

HOME DEPOT INC (HD)

The Home Depot, Inc. operates as a home improvement retailer in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The company provides its products and services through home depot and EXPO design center stores. Its home depot stores sell a range of building materials, home improvement products, and lawn and garden products, as well as provide various installation services. The EXPO design center stores offer various interior design products and installation services for kitchens, baths, appliances, and flooring, as well as products for lighting, decorating, and storage and organization projects. These stores also provide project management and installation services. As of July 31, 2005, the company operated 1,955 stores. It offers its products and services to homeowners, professional remodelers, general contractors, repairmen, and tradesmen. In addition, the company distributes plumbing; heating, ventilation, and air conditioning appliances; and other related products primarily to trade and mechanical contractors. The Home Depot, Inc. was founded in 1978 and is based in Atlanta, Georgia.

LOWES COMPANIES INC (LOW)

Lowe's Companies, Inc. operates as a home improvement retailer in the United States. It offers products and services for home improvement, home decor, home maintenance, home repair, and remodeling and maintenance of commercial buildings. The company serves retail customers, including DIY homeowners, and others buying for personal and family use; and commercial business customers, including repair and remodeling contractors, electricians, landscapers, painters, plumbers, and commercial and residential building maintenance professionals. Lowe's Companies markets its products through television, radio, newspaper, magazine, direct mail, event sponsorships, Internet, community relations, and in-store programs. It owns and operates approximately 10 flatbed distribution centers to distribute merchandise that requires special handling due to size or type of packaging, such as lumber, boards, panel products, irrigation pipe, vinyl sidings, ladders and building materials. The company also operates a facility to handle special order plumbing products. As of October 28, 2005, Lowe's Companies operated 1,170 stores in 49 states. The company was incorporated in 1952 and is based in based in Mooresville, North Carolina.

BUILDERS FIRSTSOURCE INC (BLDR)

Builders FirstSource, Inc. engages in the supply and manufacture of structural and related building products to professional homebuilders and contractors in the United States. The company offers its building products and services in five categories: Prefabricated Components, Windows and Doors, Lumber and Lumber Sheet Goods, Millwork, and Other Building Products and Services. The Prefabricated Components category consists of factory-built floor and roof trusses, wall panels, and stairs, as well as engineered wood. The Windows and Doors category comprises the manufacture, assembly, and distribution of windows; and the assembly and distribution of interior and exterior door units. The Lumber and Lumber Sheet Goods category consists of dimensional lumber, plywood, and oriented strand board products used in onsite house framing. The Millwork category includes interior and exterior trim, columns, and posts, as well as custom exterior features that the company manufactures under the Synboard brand name. The Other Building Products and Services category comprises products, including cabinets, gypsum, roofing, and insulation; and services, such as turn-key framing and shell construction, design assistance, and the installation of products. As of July 28, 2005, the company operated in 11 states, principally in the southern and eastern United States, and had 62 distribution centers. The company was formed as BSL Holdings, Inc. in 1998 and changed its name to Builders FirstSource, Inc. in 1999. Builders FirstSource is headquartered in Dallas, Texas.