Homes, Earnings & Clunkers

Are homes looking sweet again? Home Depot and Lowe's Q4 results beat analysts' expectations and could continue to improve if consumers tap their home equity, Jackie reports. While that bodes well for the S&P 500 Home Improvement Retail industry’s earnings, prospects for the S&P 500 Homebuilding industry look more dubious. … Also: A look at which sectors and industries offer investors attractive earnings growth prospects at far lower valuations than tech stocks. … And not all startups we’ve spotlighted in past Disruptive Technologies segments have gone on to glory. A look at some of the flashes in the pan.