Hello Atlanta

The Sitemeter counter on the bottom of my main blog page provides me with some rather detailed information. While I never record them, individual IP numbers for each visitor are shown, along with the IP provider, web browser, computer operating system, time, date of visit, length, number of pages read, entry page, and a few other items.

That's how I know that someone from Home Depot's Atlanta HQ visits my blog every morning between 7 and 8AM.

I'm guessing that, due to the stream of posts I wrote about the ailing firm while it suffered under mediocre management by Bob Nardelli, someone in the public relations function is tasked with monitoring my blog, among others which have featured the firm.

It may even be an automated blog crawler, as my partner suggests, rather than a live human.

Either way, this post is for you, Home Depot.

As Nardelli's exit has partially removed the spotlight from your firm, it's quite possible that it may be months before I write about your firm again. Most of the interest was in comparing the egregious behavior of Nardelli with his inability to operate Home Depot in a manner which earned consistently superior total returns for shareholders. Something it actually had done for years prior to his arrival. In fact, in those days, I owned and profited from owning the company's stock. I wrote a post about it, here, last July.

However, if Frank Blake would like to know what I know about what level and patterns of operating performances will increase the probabilities that Home Depot's stock will consistently outperform the S&P500, I'd be happy to share my proprietary knowledge with him.

Although I now use my proprietary research for equity portfolio management, it was, in fact, originally developed as a knowledge transfer product. It has been applied to one large financial institution whose then-CEO is, even now, a well-known figure in US business circles. As I did with that firm's senior executives, I am quite sure I can help Blake and his colleagues understand what sort of fundamental operating performances are likely to lead to Home Depot's return to consistently superior total return performances.

Just post a comment here with contact directions, and we can discuss the matter privately.