Stocks in the news: Home Depot, Goldman Sachs, American Express

The following post rounds up the companies making headlines today:

Home Depot (HD) reported that fiscal first-quarter profit climbed 44 percent despite sales dropping 10 percent. Adjusted profit was 35 cents per share, beating estimates of 29 cents per share. Home Depot Inc. reiterated its guidance for a 7 percent drop in full-year earnings from continuing operations. HD shares dropped 2.5 percent in pre-market trading.

Goldman Sachs (GS), Morgan Stanely (MS) JPMorgan Chase (JPM) have formally asked the Federal Reserve for permission to repay a combined $45 billion in federal bailout money. If regulators find they have enough capital to keep lending, they may allow the repayment, which would be the most substantial since Congress established the $700 billion Troubled Asset Relief Program last year. From their end, banks want to return the money to escape restrictions on compensation and hiring that were imposed on TARP recipients. Shares of all three traded lower before the bell.