Home Depot (HD) stock has been a terrific buy-and-hold bet for truly long-term shareholders. Thanks to a history of innovation and adaptation, the nation's largest home improvement retailer has managed to stay on top through both economic ups and downs and technological disruptions.
Back in the day, hardware stores, be they mom-and-pop shops or regional chains, had relatively modest retail formats. That made it hard for them to service both professional contractors and do-it-yourselfers (DIY) at scale.
