Home Depot's Trading Volume Drops to 51st Despite Antitrust Approval and Analyst Price Hikes

On August 21, 2025, The (HD) closed with a 1.01% decline, trading at a volume of $1.17 billion, a 30.82% drop from the previous day. The stock ranked 51st in trading volume among listed equities. The move follows a broader earnings season where S&P 500 companies reported mixed results amid economic uncertainties linked to Trump-era tariffs and valuation concerns.

Home Depot announced regulatory clearance from the U.S. Department of Justice for its $110-per-share cash tender offer to acquire GMS Inc., marking a key milestone in the $401 billion retailer’s expansion strategy. While the transaction still requires Canadian regulatory approval and a majority share tender, the antitrust green light reduces short-term execution risks. The company operates over 2,350 stores and 325 distribution centers across North America, with a workforce exceeding 470,000.

Analysts have revised price targets following Home Depot’s second-quarter performance, which saw a 1.4% rise in U.S. comparable sales—the strongest in two years. RBC Capital raised its target to $401, while UBS and Goldman Sachs maintained Buy ratings with higher price points of $475 and $444, respectively. Despite a slight earnings miss, KeyBanc acknowledged improving trends in consumer engagement and market share gains, outperforming the retail sector by 251 basis points.

The strategy of buying the top 500 stocks by daily trading volume and holding for one day from 2022 to 2025 delivered a total return of 31.52% over 365 days. The approach saw a best monthly return of 7.02% in June 2023 and a worst of -4.20% in September 2022, reflecting its exposure to market volatility while capturing short-term momentum.