In the retail home improvement segment there are two well-known gorillas in the room: Lowe's (NYSE:LOW) and Home Depot (NYSE:HD). Both companies have provided exceptional returns for investors over the years. For instance, Lowe's has not only paid but also increased its dividend for 52 consecutive years. Over the past two decades total returns have come in at about 16% per annum, with this number being perhaps a couple of percent higher if you extend your time horizon. Home Depot's dividend history isn't quite impressive - having kept the same quarterly payout from the end of 2006 through 2009 - but the returns are certainly there. During the past two decades this security has turned in total yearly gains of about 14%. As you move back further than this, the total annual returns quickly surpass 20% per year. Read more