This question is to develop a response to the following students post:

Home Depot (HD) is one of the world’s largest home improvement retailer, with over 2200 stores in the United States of America, Canada, and Mexico. Its products range from kitchen, appliances, to outdoor and in-door building materials, rentals such as flat-bed trucks, lawn, and household equipment, meeting the needs of an individual homeowner or a major contractor, at a reasonable price. HD is credited with revolutionizing the home improvement industry with a stock price growth rate of over 270% during the last five years (Trefis Team, 2017). HD’s biggest problem is its failure to diversify, as of December 2017, Home Depot has no foreign investments which could prove volatile for the company (Morningstar, 2017). I would suggest starting in 2018, HD should invest in the world market since they already have stores outside of the US. This will give them more financial leverage and stability in case of a financial crisis within the US

Not for profit organization

Make-A-Wish foundation was started because of the actions of one US customs officer, Agent Tommy Austin who tried to help his fellow officer Ron Cox, whose 7-year-old step-son was diagnosed with leukemia. Thirty-five years later the foundation has helped over 285,000 children in the United States and its territories to experience their wishes, bringing hope, strength, and joy to their hearts and faces (Make-A-Wish, 2017). Increasing major advertising beyond Christmas season would ensure more donations, due to reducing competition from other foundations.

State

The State of Connecticut budget deficit is set to hit over $208 million by year-end 2017. Lawmakers are struggling to fill future obligations such as capital projects, school subsidies, infrastructures and the up-coming winter which has seen over three snowfall clean-ups so far, with three months of winter still to go. Issuing revenue bonds tied directly to the State’s income tax, described as “stable and strong” would capitalize on the high wealth levels and insulates those bonds from budget and pension concerns earning a higher credit rating and lowering borrowing costs and in the end lowering the debt (Fitch, 2017).

References:

Fitch, M.E. (2017) CT to issue a new type of bond for a new economic reality. Retrieved from http://www.yankeeinstitute.org/2017/12/connecticut-to-issue-a- new-type-of-bond-for- a-new-economic-reality/

Morningstar, (2017). Portfolio Manager, Home Depot (HD). Retrieved from

https://members.morningstar.com/Register/Portfolio… 66F6C696F2E6D6F726E696E67737461722E636F6D2F5274506F72742F5265672F416C6C 566965772E61737078&referid=A3539

Trefis Team, (2017). Home Depot: Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/sites/greatspeculations/201…

In your responses to other students’ posts, provide constructive feedback, including any relevant personal experiences or insights.