Weather influences sales

Home Depot started 2014 with sales growth amounting to 2.9 per cent in the first quarter. In the three months to 4 May 2014, the global market leader’s sales came to USD19.687 bn. Like-for-like sales increased by 2.6 per cent compared with the same period in the previous year, and by 3.3 per cent in stores in the USA. At the reference date the company operated 2 263 stores in the USA, Canada and Mexico. According to chairman and CEO Frank Blake, sales for the quarter were affected by the poor start to the spring season. Solid results had been achieved in segments not dependent on the weather.