Home improvement stocks: Analyst foresees 'renovation renaissance'

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Lowe's (LOW) and Home Depot (HD) have received Buy ratings from Mizuho analysts, as demand in the housing market starts to recover. Mizuho Americas Director and Senior Analyst David Bellinger joins Yahoo Finance Live to discuss this move, expressing his expectation for "a renovation renaissance" in the coming years.

Bellinger highlights Lowe's as the "top pick" due to its strong positioning in the do-it-yourself (DIY) segment. Bellinger explains that when homeowners first purchase a house, they are often engaged in a flurry of home improvement projects for the next two to three years. With Lowe's outperforming in key DIY categories such as paint, outdoor, and patio, he states that the company has "a leg-up" in capturing this demand.

While acknowledging the recent "freeze on housing activity," Bellinger notes that "there is a lot of demand out there" from potential homebuyers seeking to enter the market. He also emphasizes that long-term home improvement dynamics remain robust, with nearly 50% of the housing stock in the United States being "aged 40 or older." Bellinger describes these older homes as "leaky buckets," foreshadowing the need for ongoing maintenance— furthering his bullish outlook on home improvement stocks.

For more expert insight and the latest market action, click here to watch this full episode of Yahoo Finance Live.

Editor's note: This article was written by Angel Smith

Video Transcript

SEANA SMITTH: The US housing market seeing some bright spots housing starts in February rising nearly 11% well above January's revised estimate with builders benefiting from low inventory and also from mortgage rates softening just a bit. Well, as we head into a pivotal season for home buying analysts remaining largely bullish on home improvement stocks. Mizuho initiating coverage on both Lowe's and Home Depot with buy ratings, naming Lowe's a top pick.

For more on this, we want to bring in David Bellinger. He is Mizuho Americas director and senior analyst. It's great to have you here. So let's start with Lowe's being a top pick within your coverage base right now. What is it about Lowe's that you think better positions that name versus Home Depot, which you also see upside with?

DAVID BELLINGER: Good Morning and thanks for having me on. So yes, we do like the home improvement space. We are beginning to see some green shoots in these housing numbers. Somewhat better housing activity. But we step back and look at Lowe's versus Home Depot, we clearly like both names. But we prefer Lowe's as our top pick within our consumer hardlines coverage and our top pick overall.