Bloomberg Calls Martha Winner in HD vs. Lowe's

New York, NY, July 9, 2010--Bloomberg Business Week calls Martha Stewart the latest winner in the ongoing battle between Home Depot and Lowe's.

Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia this month began selling its branded carpeting in Home Depot's nearly 2,000 U.S. stores.

Business Week noted that it's no small victory because Home Depot led all rivals in carpet sales to homes and small businesses last year, with sales of $922.5 million, quoting Santo Torcivia, founder of Market Insights/Torcivia and a consultant for Floor Focus magazine. He predicts industry sales will advance 9.8% in 2010, to $10.3 billion.

Martha Stewart Living already sells patio furniture and its paint brands at Home Depot stores. After the carpet rollout, it will add a line of cabinets and countertops in September, followed by gardening tools and Christmas decorations before year-end.

Martha Stewart owes its good fortune to a move by Invista's Stainmaster, which had been a major Home Depot carpet brand since 1996. Invista recently dumped Home Depot for Lowe's.

Business Week said that Home Depot managers figure Stainmaster was under pressure by its independent carpet dealers, who had trouble competing with the big box retailer's low prices.