Home Depot’s Surprise Sales Rebound—But Is It Enough to Overcome a Tough 2025?

Home Depot’s latest financial results presented a mixed picture, with some encouraging signs of recovery despite a cautious outlook for the coming year. Total sales for fiscal 2024 rose 4.5% to $159.5 billion, though comparable sales for the year declined by 1.8%. However, fourth-quarter same-store sales showed improvement, rising 0.8%—breaking an eight-quarter streak of declines and exceeding analysts’ expectations of a 1.5% drop. In the U.S., comparable sales increased by 1.3%, reflecting strong consumer engagement in key categories such as appliances, lumber, and building materials. Disaster recovery efforts also boosted certain segments, though large-scale home improvement projects remained under pressure due to high mortgage rates. Home Depot’s quarterly revenue of $39.7 billion slightly surpassed the estimated $39.2 billion, while adjusted earnings per share of $3.13 exceeded analyst expectations of $3.04.