During a bear market, home improvement stocks have historically been solid defensive plays

The housing sector is slowing down. Rising mortgage rates are having the predictable effect of cooling down demand.

Or are they? While homeowners may not be able to get the same premium they could command just one year ago, there is still an ample supply of homes on the market. And once these homes change hands, new homeowners will be ready to make their new house their own.

However, that’s not the only catalyst for home improvement stocks. Homeowners who are deciding to “love it” rather than “list it” are likely to put some money into one of their largest investments as they wait for the housing pendulum to swing back in their favor.

In this article, I’ll give you three home improvement companies that continue to generate strong revenue and earnings. And two of these companies are also members of the exclusive Dividend Aristocrat club. These are companies that have increased their dividend for at least 25 consecutive years.

If that’s the kind of balance of growth and income that appeals to you, it may be time for you to consider these three home improvement stocks.

Lowe’s (LOW)

Lowe’s (NYSE: LOW) stock is down about 30% in 2022. That’s larger than the broader market. But in the last month, the stock is showing signs of forming a bottom. And with the stock near its 52-week low, it may be time for investors to take a closer look at the stock.

The driving force for that sentiment may be the company’s earnings. In May, Lowe’s closed out its fiscal year. Revenue growth came in at an uninspiring 1% growth. But earnings were up 19%. Even if companies are heading into an earnings recession, a P/E ratio that is slightly below the sector average means it’s likely that Lowe’s will be able to post growth, albeit perhaps slower growth, in its next fiscal year.

And Lowe’s offers investors a rock-solid dividend that it has increased in each of the last 48 years. The current payout is $3.20 per share on an annual basis, and the company has averaged 17% dividend growth over the past three years.

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Home Depot (HD)

Just as investors can debate Coca-Cola (NYSE: KO) versus Pepsi (NASDAQ: PEP) among consumer discretionary stocks, they can frequently plant their flag with Lowe’s or Home Depot (NYSE: HD) when it comes to home improvement stocks.

To be fair, neither of these stocks looks like a bad selection for investors who are concerned about a recession. Home Depot delivered a strong earnings report in May 2022. Revenue was up 3.8% and earnings per share were up 5.8%. The company delivered strong same-store sales growth that was due in large part to its relationship with professional contractors.

Of the three stocks in this article, Home Depot has the largest dividend yield (2.68%) as well as the largest payout ($7.60). And while it’s not a dividend aristocrat the company has increased its dividend in each of the last 14 years.

Sherwin Williams (SHW)

Paint is one of the most cost-effective ways to give a house a refreshing update. And as we move into the fall, homeowners attention turns to finding that perfect swatch of paint to transform a room. That’s enough to put Sherwin-Williams (NYSE: SHW) on my radar and perhaps yours as well. Historically the current quarter and the following quarter are the company’s strongest in terms of revenue.

But the skeptics will point to the fact that earnings have been a mixed bag. The company has missed analysts’ expectations in two of last four quarters and in the other two the gains were on the tepid side. And I’ll concede that a mixed earnings outlook will probably bring current price targets down from their 30% upside.

That being said, SHW stock offers both growth and income which is appealing in this volatile market. Sherwin Williams dividend yield of 1% isn’t likely to make income investors swoon. But the company does payout $2.40 on an annualized basis. The company also sports a three-year dividend growth of 24.26% and has increased its dividend in each of the last 44 years.