As a result, management should have room to increase the payout by significantly more than the 11% profit increase Home Depot is expected to achieve for the year. (EPS should rise by 14% thanks to those stock buybacks.) Sure, income investors aren't likely to see a raise that rivals last year's 29% hike. But it wouldn't be reckless of the management team to boost the annual dividend by 15% or 20%, given the rock-solid results and impressive growth Home Depot has delivered over the past 12 months.