10 Stocks to Consider if You Like Home Depot

There was a time when DIY didn't exist because most people simply did things for themselves without thinking, or bartered with neighbors for what they needed. Those days are long behind us, but the do-it-yourself movement is coming back. Who sees the benefits and reaps the rewards of this self-motivated trend? Great tool and hardware sellers like Home Depot, of course. If you like Home Depot and you're looking to expand your portfolio with similar stocks, there are plenty to choose from. Here are our top ten stocks to consider if you like Home Depot.

10. Snap On Inc: SNA

Professionals who are seeking high-end tools know that Snap On Inc. is the place to go, but investors haven't necessarily caught on yet. In addition to making high quality and highly sought-after tools, one look at the stock history of SNA should tell you all you need to know. Like all companies, SNA has it's highs and lows, but for long term growth potential, and stock to buy and hold, we didn't even think twice about starting our list with Snap On Inc.

9. Hyster-Yale Materials Handling (Yale): HY

Marketed worldwide under the Yale and Hyster brand names, this is another stock that has been growing since day one. The recent downtrend appears to be part of an overall growth pattern that's on the upswing again. The HY lift trucks and aftermarket parts are well known as reliable products, and we see HY as a long term investment for those who dare to hold on.

8. Ryobi Ltd: RYBIF

Ryobi is down, but it pays to buy low if you want a long term investment that's on an overall uptrend. Since they make parts for automobiles and telecommunications, the demand isn't likely to go down over time, and Ryobi is a household name worthy of inclusion on any well-rounded stock portfolio.

7. Hitachi, Ltd: HTHIY

Hitachi is growing exponentially. While some companies have dug in their heels and are trying to hold on to outdated practices, Hitachi is looking to the future. They're ready, willing, and able to see the trends of the future and cease upon the current need for change in the way big business is handling human needs and environmental concerns.

"What if cities made life better for the people who live and work there? What if healthier life for all were a given?– not someday, but today?" From the Hitachi Social Innovations page.

6. Techtronic Industries Co. Ltd (Milwaukee Tools): TTI

If we were going to issue a Buy Now warning, Techtronic Industries Co. Ltd would be top of the list. This company is growing in valuation so fast that we're sure it's going to be worth the price. Plus, if you don't add them to your portfolio soon, you may not want to pay the fee later.

5. Makita Corp: MKTAY

If you're not a 'tool person,' you may not be familiar with Makita, but they make outstanding high demand power tools. With factories all over the world, from the US to Romania, Dubai, and more, they're able to distribute products quickly worldwide. Moreover, Makita has been around for more than a century now. The stock prices have been on an upward trend for the last six months, so you may want to buy as low as you can on the next dip and hold on to this stock for a while.

4. Deere & Co: DE

John Deere is so ubiquitous that, similar to Google becoming a verb; it has become a common usage term for the type of product they sell. If you don't own one of their products, then your neighbors, friends, and family do. Despite wobbles, they've done nothing but increase their stock value since day one. If you'd picked them up in February 2009, you might have gotten in for less than thirty dollars a share. Today you'd be lucky to catch them under $175.

3. Caterpillar Inc: CAT

Cat is so similar to John Deere in terms of their stock history that it doesn't bear repeating. All that needs saying about CAT is that it belongs in a well rounded or tool, machine, and hardware heavy portfolio. Everywhere you go, CAT heavy equipment is used to build things you use daily. That trend is unlikely to change anytime soon, and the value of both stock and company will likely continue to rise.

2. Stanley Balck & Decker Inc: SWK

This Fortune 500 tool and hardware company is a no-brainer for investing. The Connecticut based company has been on the market since the 1980s. If you'd picked up their stock back when it was new and worth less than seven dollars a share, your investment today would be worth more than twenty-four times the original amount. We suggest you don't miss out before they grow further.

1. Bosch Ltd: BOSCHLTD

Bosch tops our list easily. The huge toolmaker is a highly prized stock with a current value of over fourteen thousand dollars. However, they've been on a downtrend lately, and you may want to snap it up at the best price you can get because overall, Bosch Ltd. has been on the rise since day one. Peaking around $26,706 in 2015. the current downtrend is a part of a larger overall picture. As a blue-chip company, they're more stable than most and well worth buying 'low.'

Final Thoughts

The need for tools and hardware isn't going to wane. Even if people stop doing DIY projects (unlikely), professionals would step in and absorb the difference. As long as people need homes, businesses need to be built, and things break down and need repairs, stocks like these are going to continue to grow. While many of the parts they sell haven't changed with the times (a hammer is a hammer), the need for them is unchanged. Whether you have to care for your lawn to appease the HOA or manage a multinational corporation with businesses all over the world, you or someone who works for you is buying from these companies, and they always will.