Home Depot does not have to look far to find the tools for weathering retail’s latest difficult environment. How it uses them, however, enabled it to cement a solid first-quarter performance and stand taller than many other retailers.
Consumer spending rose just 0.3 percent in the first quarter of 2017, the worst three-month period since 2009, according to U.S. News & World Report. The disappointment was led by major brands including Macy’s, which posted sales of $5.34 billion, short of the expected $5.47 billion, and Lowe’s, which reported $16.86 billion in sales when analysts projected $16.96 billion.
