Home Depot Stands Out Amid Frozen Housing Market

Home Depot reaffirmed its full-year guidance after posting 1.7% comp growth in Q2, while Lowe's cut its outlook to the low end following just 0.2% comps.

Lowe's has a significant DIY customer mix of over 60%, which could be a liability in the current market but gives it potential for outsized gains once mortgage rates fall and housing turnover unfreezes.

Housing starts fell 12% in July to 1.24 million, with Home Depot management describing the market as 'frozen' for four straight years.