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DKS vs HD
Which Stock Would AI Choose? Dick's Sporting Goods (DKS) vs. Home Depot (HD) Stock Comparison
Key Takeaways
- Dick's Sporting Goods (DKS) has delivered a year-to-date return of approximately 11%, driven by strong comparable sales growth and the successful integration of its Foot Locker acquisition, while Home Depot (HD) has remained roughly flat over the same period amid persistent housing market headwinds.
- DKS is a mid-cap growth story with a market capitalization near $19.5 billion, whereas HD is a mega-cap dividend stalwart valued at roughly $338 billion — representing fundamentally different risk and return profiles.
- Core comparable sales at DICK'S banner rose approximately 5.5% in the most recent quarter, while Home Depot's comparable sales increased just 0.3% for fiscal 2025, reflecting divergent consumer demand trends in their respective end markets.
- Home Depot offers a far larger and more established dividend — $2.33 per share quarterly, with 156 consecutive quarters of payments — compared to DKS's $1.25 quarterly dividend, though DKS's payout ratio remains conservative at around 48%.
- Institutional ownership of DKS stands at nearly 90%, with several major funds materially increasing their positions in recent quarters, signaling strong professional conviction.
- Wall Street analysts rate DKS as a consensus "Moderate Buy" with an average price target of approximately $255, implying meaningful upside, while HD faces a more cautious outlook tied to interest-rate-sensitive housing demand.
Introduction
Retail is not a monolith. Two of America's most recognizable retail brands — DKS (Dick's Sporting Goods) and HD (The Home Depot) — operate at opposite ends of the consumer spending spectrum, yet both sit at the intersection of discretionary demand and macroeconomic sensitivity. This comparison is relevant for investors weighing growth against stability, mid-cap agility against mega-cap durability. Dick's Sporting Goods has recently emerged as a standout in specialty retail, riding robust athletic and lifestyle demand trends, while Home Depot navigates a subdued housing backdrop that has tempered its top-line momentum. Understanding how these two retailers diverge on business model, momentum, and risk can help traders and long-term investors make more informed allocation decisions.
DKS Overview and Recent Performance
DKS (Dick's Sporting Goods) is a leading omni-channel sporting goods retailer operating over 3,200 stores across 20 countries through its flagship DICK'S banner, Golf Galaxy, Public Lands, and — following its September 2025 acquisition — the Foot Locker family of brands including Champs Sports, WSS, and atmos. The company has significantly expanded its total addressable market through this acquisition, which added substantial footwear and international exposure. In recent market activity, DKS has demonstrated notable resilience: the core DICK'S banner posted comparable sales growth of approximately 5.5% in its most recent quarterly report, building on top of a 4.5% increase the prior year. Consolidated net sales reached $5.16 billion in the most recent quarter, a 62.7% year-over-year surge driven primarily by the Foot Locker consolidation. Management raised the lower end of full-year comparable sales guidance for both the DICK'S and Foot Locker segments, and the company continues to expand its House of Sport and Field House store concepts. Sentiment has been further supported by recognized institutional investors — including Viking Global Investors and Norges Bank — initiating or increasing sizable positions. With a beta of 1.19 and year-to-date price appreciation of approximately 11%, DKS has rewarded risk-tolerant investors, though its mid-cap profile means elevated volatility relative to larger peers.
HD Overview and Recent Performance
HD (The Home Depot) is the world's largest home improvement retailer, operating 2,359 retail stores and over 1,250 SRS (Specialty Roofing Supply) locations across North America and employing more than 470,000 associates. The company generated $164.7 billion in total sales during fiscal 2025, a 3.2% increase from the prior year, though comparable sales growth remained subdued at 0.3% globally and 0.5% in the U.S. Recent market activity has reflected cautious investor sentiment: the stock has traded roughly flat year-to-date in 2026, pressured by ongoing consumer uncertainty and persistent housing market headwinds, including elevated mortgage rates that have dampened home turnover and large-scale renovation activity. In its fourth quarter of fiscal 2025, net earnings declined 14.2% year-over-year to $2.6 billion, partly reflecting a one fewer week in the fiscal calendar. Home Depot's management acknowledged that "underlying demand was relatively stable throughout the year" when adjusting for storm-related volatility, and the company guided for total sales growth of 2.5% to 4.5% in fiscal 2026 with comparable sales ranging from flat to +2.0%. Despite the muted near-term picture, Home Depot's balance sheet remains formidable, its dividend (recently raised to $2.33 per share quarterly) marks the 156th consecutive quarter of payouts, and the stock's inclusion in the Dow Jones Industrial Average underscores its blue-chip credentials.
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Head-to-Head Comparison
The contrast between DKS and HD begins with scale and extends into virtually every dimension of their respective investment cases. Home Depot generated $164.7 billion in fiscal 2025 sales — nearly ten times Dick's Sporting Goods' $17.2 billion — and commands a market capitalization of approximately $338 billion versus DKS's $19.5 billion. This size differential translates into fundamentally different growth profiles: DKS is expanding its store footprint, integrating a transformative acquisition, and posting mid-single-digit comparable sales gains, while HD is a mature operator delivering low-single-digit comps in a saturated market.
On the risk side, DKS carries a higher beta (1.19), making it more sensitive to broader market swings, yet its recent momentum has been decidedly positive. Home Depot's lower volatility comes with its own headwinds: the stock's fortunes are closely tethered to the U.S. housing market, which remains constrained by elevated interest rates and affordability challenges. DKS, by contrast, benefits from secular trends in health, fitness, and athleisure — demand drivers less directly correlated with mortgage rates.
Income-oriented investors will note the dividend disparity: HD's $9.32 annualized payout per share dwarfs DKS's $5.00, and Home Depot's 156-quarter dividend streak is among the most reliable in corporate America. However, DKS's lower payout ratio (roughly 48%) suggests room for future dividend growth, whereas HD's earnings have been under modest pressure. From a sentiment perspective, DKS enjoys a noticeably more bullish analyst consensus — a "Moderate Buy" with an average target implying double-digit upside — while HD faces a more guarded outlook tied to the uncertain trajectory of housing demand and consumer confidence.
Tickeron AI Verdict
Based on observable trend characteristics, relative momentum, and catalyst visibility, Tickeron's AI analytical framework would likely favor DKS over HD in the current market environment. DKS exhibits stronger and more consistent upward price momentum, supported by robust comparable sales growth, a transformative acquisition that is already contributing to top-line expansion, and a clear path for store-count and concept-driven growth. The company's higher beta introduces greater volatility, but the trend direction and institutional conviction — reflected in significant new positions from major funds — tilt the probability-weighted outlook in its favor. Home Depot, by contrast, presents a more mixed technical picture: steady but unspectacular comparable sales, earnings facing mild compression, and a macro backdrop that lacks a clear near-term catalyst. While HD's defensive characteristics and dividend reliability remain attractive for capital preservation strategies, the AI-driven assessment would likely conclude that DKS currently offers a more compelling combination of trend consistency and catalyst-driven upside potential. This assessment is probabilistic in nature and reflects current observable conditions rather than a permanent judgment on either company's long-term prospects.
Disclaimer
The information on this webpage is provided for general informational and educational purposes only and is not intended as investment advice, a recommendation to purchase or sell any security, or an offer or solicitation related to investments. It does not consider your personal financial situation, goals, or risk profile, and all investing carries inherent risks, including the possibility of losing your entire investment. For more details, please review our full disclaimer.
To compare these two companies we present long-term analysis, their fundamental ratings and make comparative short-term technical analysis which are presented below. The conclusion is DKS is a Buy and HD is a StrongBuy.
Long-Term Analysis
It is best to consider a long-term outlook for a ticker by using Fundamental Analysis (FA) ratings. The rating of 1 to 100, where 1 is best and 100 is worst, is divided into thirds. The first third (a green rating of 1-33) indicates that the ticker is undervalued; the second third (a grey number between 34 and 66) means that the ticker is valued fairly; and the last third (red number of 67 to 100) reflects that the ticker is undervalued. We use an FA Score to show how many ratings show the ticker to be undervalued (green) or overvalued (red).
DKS’s FA Score shows that 1 FA rating(s) are green whileHD’s FA Score has 1 green FA rating(s).
- DKS’s FA Score: 1 green, 4 red.
- HD’s FA Score: 1 green, 4 red.
Short-Term Analysis
It is best to consider a short-term outlook for a ticker by using Technical Analysis (TA) indicators. We use Odds of Success as the percentage of outcomes which confirm successful trade signals in the past.
If the Odds of Success (the likelihood of the continuation of a trend) for each indicator are greater than 50%, then the generated signal is confirmed. A green percentage from 90% to 51% indicates that the ticker is in a bullish trend. A red percentage from 90% - 51% indicates that the ticker is in a bearish trend. All grey percentages are below 50% and are considered not to confirm the trend signal.
DKS’s TA Score shows that 3 TA indicator(s) are bullish while HD’s TA Score has 5 bullish TA indicator(s).
- DKS’s TA Score: 3 bullish, 6 bearish.
- HD’s TA Score: 5 bullish, 4 bearish.
Price Growth
DKS (@Specialty Stores) experienced а -4.92% price change this week, while HD (@Home Improvement Chains) price change was -0.31% for the same time period.
The average weekly price growth across all stocks in the @Specialty Stores industry was +0.78%. For the same industry, the average monthly price growth was -3.98%, and the average quarterly price growth was -7.49%.
The average weekly price growth across all stocks in the @Home Improvement Chains industry was +1.54%. For the same industry, the average monthly price growth was -3.32%, and the average quarterly price growth was -19.30%.
Reported Earning Dates
DKS is expected to report earnings on Aug 25, 2026.
HD is expected to report earnings on Aug 18, 2026.
Industries' Descriptions
@Specialty Stores (+0.78% weekly)The specialty stores sector includes companies dedicated to the sale of retail products focused on a single product category, such as clothing, carpet, books, or office supplies. A specialty store could face intense competition from big-box departmental chains, and therefore offering an adequate collection of the product type it specializes in is key in maintaining/growing its market.
@Home Improvement Chains (+1.54% weekly)The home improvement chains industry sells home improvement merchandise and do-it-yourself repair and building goods. Customers include individual contractors or construction managers on one hand; on the other hand, there are retail consumers who’d either buy raw materials/items from the store to do a project on their own, or pay extra for installation services. Products sold include fencing supplies, lumber materials, hardware, lighting fixtures, plumbing supplies, home decor items, bathroom remodel items, roofing materials, tools and wallboard to name a few. The Home Depot Inc., Lowe’s Companies, Inc. and Floor & Decor Holdings, Inc. are some of the biggest home improvement retailing companies in the U.S. Allowing all types of customers the flexibility to choose or buy products both offline and online and then having the products shipped to the respective sites/homes are some of the potential drivers of a home improvement chain’s popularity. Many big-box home improvement chains are looking to expand their overseas presence. Supply-chain efficiency and distribution management are some of the key ingredients to grow/make profit in this industry.
| DKS | HD | DKS / HD | |
| Capitalization | 17.5B | 331B | 5% |
| EBITDA | 1.86B | 25.1B | 7% |
| Gain YTD | 0.166 | -2.155 | -8% |
| P/E Ratio | 19.08 | 23.58 | 81% |
| Revenue | 19.2B | 167B | 11% |
| Total Cash | 998M | 1.6B | 62% |
| Total Debt | 7.79B | 63.2B | 12% |
DKS | HD | ||
|---|---|---|---|
OUTLOOK RATING 1..100 | 59 | 56 | |
VALUATION overvalued / fair valued / undervalued 1..100 | 39 Fair valued | 71 Overvalued | |
PROFIT vs RISK RATING 1..100 | 36 | 76 | |
SMR RATING 1..100 | 45 | 11 | |
PRICE GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 71 | 59 | |
P/E GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 27 | 57 | |
SEASONALITY SCORE 1..100 | 50 | 50 |
Tickeron ratings are formulated such that a rating of 1 designates the most successful stocks in a given industry, while a rating of 100 points to the least successful stocks for that industry.
DKS's Valuation (39) in the Specialty Stores industry is in the same range as HD (71) in the Home Improvement Chains industry. This means that DKS’s stock grew similarly to HD’s over the last 12 months.
DKS's Profit vs Risk Rating (36) in the Specialty Stores industry is somewhat better than the same rating for HD (76) in the Home Improvement Chains industry. This means that DKS’s stock grew somewhat faster than HD’s over the last 12 months.
HD's SMR Rating (11) in the Home Improvement Chains industry is somewhat better than the same rating for DKS (45) in the Specialty Stores industry. This means that HD’s stock grew somewhat faster than DKS’s over the last 12 months.
HD's Price Growth Rating (59) in the Home Improvement Chains industry is in the same range as DKS (71) in the Specialty Stores industry. This means that HD’s stock grew similarly to DKS’s over the last 12 months.
DKS's P/E Growth Rating (27) in the Specialty Stores industry is in the same range as HD (57) in the Home Improvement Chains industry. This means that DKS’s stock grew similarly to HD’s over the last 12 months.
| DKS | HD | |
|---|---|---|
| RSI ODDS (%) | N/A | 4 days ago 55% |
| Stochastic ODDS (%) | 4 days ago 67% | 4 days ago 62% |
| Momentum ODDS (%) | 4 days ago 70% | 4 days ago 59% |
| MACD ODDS (%) | 4 days ago 82% | 4 days ago 45% |
| TrendWeek ODDS (%) | 4 days ago 67% | 4 days ago 54% |
| TrendMonth ODDS (%) | 4 days ago 70% | 4 days ago 58% |
| Advances ODDS (%) | 18 days ago 71% | 7 days ago 65% |
| Declines ODDS (%) | 4 days ago 65% | 4 days ago 58% |
| BollingerBands ODDS (%) | 4 days ago 88% | 4 days ago 72% |
| Aroon ODDS (%) | 4 days ago 71% | 4 days ago 51% |
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DKS and
Correlation & Price change
A.I.dvisor indicates that over the last year, DKS has been loosely correlated with FND. These tickers have moved in lockstep 56% of the time. This A.I.-generated data suggests there is some statistical probability that if DKS jumps, then FND could also see price increases.
HD and
Correlation & Price change
A.I.dvisor indicates that over the last year, HD has been closely correlated with LOW. These tickers have moved in lockstep 88% of the time. This A.I.-generated data suggests there is a high statistical probability that if HD jumps, then LOW could also see price increases.