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Home Depot Beats Q1 Estimates as Underlying Demand Remains Soft

The company reaffirmed full‑year guidance and is pushing further into the professional contractor market to offset homeowners delaying big projects.

Overview

  • Home Depot reported first‑quarter fiscal 2026 results on Tuesday, posting revenue of about $41.77 billion and adjusted EPS of $3.43, slightly above Wall Street forecasts.
  • Comparable‑store sales rose only 0.6% overall and 0.4% in the U.S., while customer transactions fell 1.3% and the average ticket rose to $92.76, signaling fewer but larger purchases.
  • Management kept fiscal 2026 guidance intact for total sales growth of 2.5% to 4.5% and comparable sales of flat to +2%, and said homeowners continue to postpone larger renovation work.
  • The company is expanding its professional‑customer business, which accounts for roughly half of revenue, through acquisitions including SRS, GMS and the recent Mingledorff’s deal to win more contractor business.
  • Investors reacted negatively despite the beat: shares briefly hit a two‑year low after the report, several analysts trimmed price targets, and the stock remains down year‑to‑date, raising questions about near‑term growth drivers.