Sherwin-Williams last week held their quarterly earnings call, and it offered glimpses into what to expect in the residential market this year.

The forecast came during a cautiously positive call where Sherwin-Williams reported a solid quarter that beat analyst expectations.

The paintmaker reported earnings per share of $2.23, beating Wall Street’s prediction of $2.16. One of the highlights was the growth of the Consumer Brands Group, which was up almost 25% year-to-year.

The company offered a wide range for anticipated existing home sales, saying the market could be slightly lower than last year or could experience double-digit growth. The company said it’s “hard to predict,” which has been the story of the last year.

“We expect the new residential market to be down at least in the mid-single digit range this year, given negative single-family starts over the back half of 2025, and many forecasters’ expectations for further softening in 2026,” said CEO Heidi Petz. “National Association of Home Builders sentiment levels were notably negative exiting 2025, and mortgage rates remain in the 6+ range.”

Recently, we reported that Sherwin-Williams restored the 401K match for its employees much earlier than had been anticipated, and this earnings report provides the positive data that supports that employee-friendly decision.

“We do see a bright spot in multifamily starts, which were positive for most of the second half of 2025,” Petz added in the call. “However, these starts won’t turn to completions and painting until late this year and into 2027.”

The housing market has a way of defying expectations, however, so take any predictions with a grain of salt.