Expo Design Center
| File:The Home Depot logo.svg Logo used since 2000 | |
| Company type | Public |
|---|---|
| Industry | Retail (Home improvement) |
| Founded | June 22, 1978 in Atlanta metropolitan area, Georgia, United States |
| Founder | Bernard Marcus, Arthur Blank, Ron Brill, Pat Farrah, Ken Langone |
| Headquarters | Unincorporated Cobb County, Georgia (Atlanta postal address) , United States |
Area served | United States (including District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands), Canada (all provinces), Mexico (all states and Mexico City) |
Key people | Craig Menear (CEO), Frank Blake (Chairman) |
| Products | Tools, construction materials, appliances, fuel and equipment rentals |
Number of employees | 490,600 (2021) |
| Website | www |
Overview
The Home Depot, Inc., commonly known as Home Depot, is a leading American multinational retailer specializing in home improvement products. The company offers a wide range of tools, construction materials, appliances, and various services such as fuel and equipment rentals. It holds the position as the largest home improvement retailer within the United States. In 2021, Home Depot employed approximately 490,600 individuals and reported revenues exceeding $151 billion. The corporate headquarters is situated in unincorporated Cobb County, Georgia, with an Atlanta postal address.
Home Depot manages numerous large-format retail locations throughout the United States, including territories such as the District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Its presence extends to all ten Canadian provinces as well as every Mexican state and Mexico City. Additionally, The Home Depot owns Interline Brands (operating as The Home Depot Pro), a maintenance, repair, and operations supplier supported by 70 distribution centers across the U.S. The company ranks as the seventh-largest employer based in the United States on a global scale.
1978–1999
The Home Depot was established in 1978 by a group of founders including Bernard Marcus, Arthur Blank, Ron Brill, Pat Farrah, and Ken Langone. The concept behind the company was to create home improvement superstores that were significantly larger than those of competitors. Investment banker Ken Langone played a crucial role in assisting Marcus and Blank with securing the necessary funding to launch the business.
The initial two stores opened on June 22, 1979, situated in leased spaces formerly occupied by J. C. Penney's "hypermarket" format under the name Treasure Island. These inaugural locations were in the Atlanta metropolitan area, specifically in Doraville and on Memorial Drive in Decatur, both close to I-285. On September 22, 1981, The Home Depot made its public debut on the NASDAQ, raising $4.093 million. Subsequently, it transitioned to the New York Stock Exchange on April 19, 1984.
Expansion beyond Georgia began in 1981 with new stores opening in Hollywood and Fort Lauderdale. By 1984, The Home Depot operated 19 outlets and generated sales exceeding $256 million. To enter the Dallas market, the company acquired Bowater Home Center from Bowater Inc. for $40 million on October 31, 1984. However, rapid growth during the mid-1980s led to financial strain; earnings dropped by 42% while debt rose to $200 million, negatively impacting stock prices. In response, The Home Depot limited store openings to ten in 1986 and raised capital through a stock offering of nearly three million shares at $17 each to help restructure its debt.
By 1989, The Home Depot had surpassed Lowe's to become the largest home improvement retailer in the United States. Throughout the 1990s, the company sought to redefine its market presence. This included launching the EXPO Design Center in 1991, which specialized in upscale products and design consultation services. Additionally, a comprehensive guidebook titled Home Improvement 1-2-3 was published in 1995.
The first store in Utah opened on September 25, 1994, located in Riverdale. This facility featured a retail space of 102,000 square feet alongside a 28,000-square-foot garden center and employed around 110 individuals.
In 1994, The Home Depot acquired a majority stake (75%) in Canadian hardware chain Aikenhead's Hardware for $150 million. Eventually, all Aikenhead's locations were converted into The Home Depot stores. By 1995, the company’s sales had reached $10 billion with an operational network of approximately 350 stores.
In the year 2000, former General Electric executive Robert Nardelli was appointed as CEO and president of The Home Depot.
2000–2007
In 1997, The Home Depot acquired Maintenance Warehouse, a San Diego-based company specializing in maintenance and repair supplies, for $245 million. Maintenance Warehouse was a prominent direct-mail distributor of maintenance, repair, and operations products, enabling The Home Depot to reach customers beyond its traditional retail footprint. Two years later, in 1999, The Home Depot expanded its wholesale capabilities by purchasing Apex Supply, an Atlanta-based distributor focused on plumbing, HVAC, industrial pipes, and fittings. By 2004, both Apex Supply and Maintenance Warehouse outlets were consolidated and rebranded under the name "The Home Depot Supply."
That same year, employees at a Home Depot location in Harper Woods, Michigan, voted against union representation by a margin of 115 to 42, rejecting efforts to join the United Food and Commercial Workers. Had the union succeeded, this store would have been the first within The Home Depot network to have union representation.
In 2001, The Home Depot further broadened its distribution network by acquiring Your Other Warehouse, a major plumbing supplier known for fulfilling special orders. This acquisition supported two of The Home Depot’s divisions as well as its EXPO Design Centers. Also in 2001, the EXPO Design Center was restructured into three regional divisions located in South Plainfield, New Jersey (Northeast), Orange, California (West), and Atlanta, Georgia (Southeast).
The Home Depot made its initial entry into the Mexican market in 2002 through the purchase of Del Norte, a home improvement chain. Concurrently, new stores were being developed in Mexicali and Tijuana. That year also saw the launch of Home Depot Landscape Supply—a retail concept aimed at serving professional landscapers and offering upscale plants. However, this venture lasted only five years with limited locations in metropolitan Atlanta and Dallas/Fort Worth before all stores were closed by late 2007.
In September 2005, Home Depot Direct introduced an online home furnishings store called 10 Crescent Lane, soon followed by the launch of "Paces Trading Company," an e-commerce platform specializing in lighting products. Midway through 2006, The Home Depot expanded its online presence by acquiring Home Decorators Collection, which became part of the Home Depot Direct division.
A significant acquisition occurred in 2006 when The Home Depot purchased Hughes Supply—the largest home construction wholesaler in the U.S.—for $3.2 billion. Hughes Supply was integrated into The Home Depot Supply division to enhance service offerings for business customers. In January 2007, The Home Depot Supply division was rebranded as HD Supply. Within five months of this rebranding, The Home Depot sold HD Supply to a partnership of three private equity firms—The Carlyle Group, Bain Capital, and Clayton, Dubilier & Rice—each acquiring an equal one-third ownership stake.
2007–present
On January 2, 2007, The Home Depot and Robert Nardelli reached a mutual agreement for Nardelli to step down as CEO after leading the company for six years. His departure came amid criticism over his authoritative leadership style and concerns regarding his compensation package totaling $123.7 million (excluding stock option grants) over five years, which many considered disproportionate given the company's stock underperformance compared to rival Lowe's. Additionally, his severance payout of $210 million drew scrutiny due to the paradox of increasing pay despite declining stock value.
Nardelli’s replacement, Frank Blake, had previously held roles as vice chairman of the board and executive vice president at Home Depot. Blake accepted a significantly more restrained compensation plan, heavily tied to the company’s performance. While he had been a trusted deputy to Nardelli at both GE and Home Depot, Blake was viewed as less confrontational and more inclined toward collaborative decision-making. He notably reversed several of Nardelli’s policies, and reports suggest that communication between the two ceased following Nardelli's exit.
During 2008 and 2009, amid a housing market slump, The Home Depot announced workforce reductions involving thousands of employees and shuttered 54 stores nationwide, including all locations of the EXPO Design Center chain. Former EXPO employees were given the opportunity to reapply for positions within Home Depot without losing their tenure if rehired. In February 2009, the company reported sales of $71.288 billion—a decline exceeding $20 billion from its peak two years earlier—attributable to the divestiture of HD Supply and decreased revenue in retained operations. By 2012, Home Depot closed its large-format stores in China but maintained smaller outlets focusing on customized products and closer customer-associate engagement.
In 2013, The Home Depot inaugurated two expansive distribution centers located in Atlanta and Los Angeles to bolster its online fulfillment capabilities.
August 2014 marked the announcement that Frank Blake would resign as CEO, with 57-year-old Craig Menear named as his successor effective November 1, 2014. Blake remained with the firm as chairman. Menear joined Home Depot in 1997 and held multiple management and vice-presidential roles through 2003, including merchandising vice president of hardware and divisional merchandise manager for the Southwest Division. He progressed to senior vice president of merchandising from August 2003 until April 2007, then served as executive vice president of merchandising until February 2014. Prior to becoming CEO, Menear was president of U.S. Retail from February to November 2014.
In September 2014, The Home Depot experienced a data breach. A primary cause was the practice of manually entering credit card numbers into computers at service desks and specialty departments—such as flooring, kitchen cabinets, appliances, and millwork—instead of using point-of-sale credit card terminals directly. This procedure was discontinued following the breach. Customers affected were offered complimentary credit monitoring for one year through AllClearID upon request. Additionally, reports emerged indicating credit card information was compromised during transactions on Homedepot.com.
On July 22, 2015, Home Depot acquired Interline Brands from P2 Capital Partners, Goldman Sachs’ private equity division, along with Interline’s management team for $1.6 billion. By August 2016, Interline Brands was fully integrated into The Home Depot’s operations with their websites merged; Interline’s subsidiaries now operate under The Home Depot's umbrella.
In 2017, Home Depot purchased the online business of The Company Store from Hanover Direct. Founded in 1911 primarily as a catalog and e-commerce retailer with five physical outlets, only the online segment was included in this acquisition; the brick-and-mortar stores were excluded.
In December 2020, The Home Depot repurchased HD Supply for $8 billion.
In January 2022, The Home Depot announced that Craig Menear would step down as CEO and president effective March 1, 2022; however, he would continue serving as chairman of the board. He was succeeded by former executive vice president Ted Decker.
By February 2023, Home Depot declared plans to invest $1 billion toward increasing hourly employee wages.
Finances
| Year | Revenue (in million USD$) |
Net Income (in million USD$) |
Share Price (in USD$) |
Number of Employees | Number of Stores |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | 73,094 | 5,001 | 25.46 | 325,000 | 1,890 |
| 2006 | 77,019 | 5,838 | 24.59 | 345,000 | 2,042 |
| 2007 | 79,022 | 5,761 | 23.70 | 364,000 | 2,147 |
| 2008 | 77,349 | 4,395 | 17.36 | 331,000 | 2,234 |
| 2009 | 71,288 | 2,260 | 17.61 | 322,000 | 2,233 |
| 2010 | 66,176 | 2,661 | 22.70 | 317,000 | 2,244 |
| 2011 | 67,997 | 3,338 | 27.06 | 321,000 | 2,248 |
| 2012 | 70,395 | 3,883 | 41.22 | 331,000 | 2,252 |
| 2013 | 74,754 | 4,535 | 58.48 | 340,000 | 2,256 |
| 2014 | 78,812 | 5,385 | 68.55 | 365,000 | 2,263 |
| 2015 | 83,176 | 6,345 | 95.33 | 371,000 | 2,269 |
| 2016 | 88,519 | 7,009 | 108.50 | 385,000 | 2,274 |
| 2017 | 94,595 | 7,957 | 132.80 | 406,000 | 2,278 |
| 2018 | 100,904 | 8,630 | 164.89 | 413,000 | 2,284 |
| 2019 | 108,203 | 11,121 | 185.68 | 413,000 | 2,291 |
| 2020 | 110,225 | 11,242 | 228.67 | 415,000 | 2,296 |
| 2021 | 132,110 | 12,866 | 306.72 | 504,800 | 2,317 |
| 2022 | 151,157 | 16,433 | 297.81 | 490,600 | 2,322 |
| 2023 | 157,403 | 17,105 | 303.98 | 518,100 |
By 2020, Home Depot secured the 26th position on the Fortune 500 list ranking the largest U.S.-based companies according to total revenue. In the year 2023 alone, the enterprise was positioned at number 67 on the Forbes Global 2000 list.
During the second quarter of 2020 alone—ending August 2—the company announced sales totaling $38.1 billion. This figure marked a 23.4% increase compared to the same quarter in the previous year. Additionally, net income for this quarter rose by 27%, reaching $4.3 billion. The surge in revenue was largely driven by increased consumer activity as Americans remained home amid the COVID-19 pandemic. For the third quarter of 2020 (ending November 1), Home Depot reported revenues of $33.5 billion which reflected a 24% growth year-over-year.
Mascot
Since 1981, Homer D. Poe has served as the official mascot of The Home Depot, debuting in the company’s advertising campaigns. Illustrator Gwyn Raker describes him as "a humorous, approachable neighbor who isn’t intimidating." The mascot inspired the creation of the Homer Fund, a charity dedicated to associates, and has become deeply embedded within Home Depot’s identity. Homer appears on signage, promotional materials, awards, and even as a full-sized costume available for store events. Additionally, Homer’s fictional spouse is named Daisy.
Operation
Home Depot locations typically span about 105,000 ft2 (9,755 m2) and are arranged in a warehouse format to offer an extensive selection of products. The company’s two largest outlets are situated in Vauxhall, New Jersey, covering 217,000 ft2, and in Anaheim Hills, California, occupying 204,000 ft2. The brand’s signature color is a vivid orange (PMS 165, CMYK 60M100Y, HEX FF6600), prominently featured on store signage, equipment, and employee aprons.
Contractors
Although contractors represent only five percent of Home Depot’s customer base, they generate 45 percent of the company’s $132 billion annual revenue. To better serve these professional clients, Home Depot is developing new flatbed distribution centers tailored specifically for builders arriving in contractor flatbed trucks.
Marketing
On December 5, 2019, Home Depot introduced the slogan "How Doers Get More Done," succeeding the previous tagline "More saving. More doing." which had been in use since March 18, 2009. That slogan had replaced "You can do it. We can help." which was adopted in 2003. Over the past 25 years, other notable slogans have included "The Home Depot, Low prices are just the beginning" from the early 1990s; "When you're at the Home Depot, You'll feel right at home" during the late 1990s; and "The Home Depot: First In Home Improvement!" from 1999 through 2003.
US Stores Division
In 2014, longtime Home Depot employee Marc Powers was appointed to lead the company’s US stores division, succeeding Marvin Ellison who departed to assume the role of CEO at J.C. Penney. In January 2016, Home Depot announced that Powers would be stepping down from his position, with one of his experienced deputies, Ann-Marie Campbell, named as his successor. This leadership transition took effect on February 1, 2016. Ms. Campbell has dedicated over three decades to Home Depot, starting her career as a cashier at a South Florida branch. Prior to this promotion, she served as president of the company’s Southern division.
Distribution Centers
Home Depot operates more than 90 distribution centers across the United States to support its network of over 2,000 stores nationwide.
Online
By 2008, homedepot.com was attracting upwards of 120 million visitors annually according to data from Compete.com. The US-based HomeDepot.com is supported by five call centers situated in Kennesaw, GA; Atlanta, GA; Marietta, GA; Ogden, UT; and Tempe, AZ. The online platform provides customers with options such as in-store pickup and returns processed through online orders.
Fuel Centers
The Home Depot began piloting fuel centers at select store locations in 2006. The initial two "Home Depot Fuel" convenience outlets were established in Tennessee, followed by four prototype sites in Acworth, Georgia; Smyrna, Tennessee; Greensboro, Georgia; and Winchester, Tennessee. However, by 2012, Home Depot’s Vice President of Corporate Communication Stephen Holmes confirmed that there were no intentions to expand or develop additional fuel center operations.
Rental services for tools, vehicles, and equipment
The Home Depot provides rental options for tools, vehicles, and equipment at the majority of its stores. Available vehicle rentals include various sizes of flatbed trucks, cargo vans, and box trucks. Customers can access a wide range of professional-grade equipment suited for construction, landscaping, and home projects, from handheld tools to heavy machinery. Rental durations are flexible, with terms available for 4 hours, daily, weekly, or monthly periods.
Blinds.com
Blinds.com operates as an online retailer specializing in window blinds and coverings. Founded in 1993 by Jay Steinfeld, the company quickly established itself within the e-commerce sector. By 2006, it achieved the rank of #186 on the Internet Retailer Top 500 Guide and was recognized as the 10th fastest-growing e-commerce business on that list. The American Marketing Association honored Blinds.com with the Marketer of the Year Award in 2009 for its pioneering marketing approaches. Under the leadership of CMO Daniel Cotlar, the company collaborated with a manufacturing partner to develop a patent-pending Instafit shade product designed for tool-free and adhesive-free installation. In January 2014, The Home Depot completed its acquisition of Blinds.com.
Compact Power Equipment Inc.
Before 2017, this power equipment rental firm supplied machinery to rental departments in more than 1,000 Home Depot locations across North America. On July 6, 2017, The Home Depot completed its acquisition of the company.
Interline Brands
Now operating under the name The Home Depot Pro since 2018, Interline Brands manages over 90 distribution centers across the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico, catering to customer demands for MRO products.[1][2]
Interline Brands encompasses the following divisions:
- Wilmar Industries (MRO supplies)
- Barnett (MRO and contractor materials)
- Maintenance USA (MRO)
- SupplyWorks (janitorial, packaging, and MRO products)
- US Lock (security devices and keys)
- Hardware Express (hardware goods)
- Leran Gas Products (propane-related accessories)
The Company Store
Originally established in 1911 as a home furnishings retailer, this company now operates as an online vendor specializing in textiles and home décor items. Its e-commerce segment was acquired by The Home Depot in 2017.
Redbeacon
Founded in 2009 as an online platform connecting customers with contractors, this service is currently known as THD Pro Referral.
HD Supply
HD Supply is a distributor and supplier specializing in industrial products. Formerly known as The Maintenance Warehouse, it has provided infrastructure and construction support services across North America. The Home Depot re-acquired the company in December 2020 under the HD Supply name.
Exclusive brand names
The Home Depot offers several exclusive brands, including:
- Chem-Dry (services for carpet cleaning, upholstery cleaning, and tile and grout care)
- Behr paint products
- Homelite (outdoor equipment and power tools)
- Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia (outdoor furniture and indoor organization solutions)
- Ryobi and Ridgid (power tools)
- American Woodmark cabinetry
- Thomasville Furniture Industries cabinetry
Private labels
The company also offers a variety of private label brands, although it does not produce any of these products directly:[3]
- Commercial Electric
- Glacier Bay (including kitchen sinks, faucets, and related items)
- Hampton Bay (covering ceiling fans, lighting solutions, and outdoor furnishings)[3]
- HDX, introduced in February 2012 as an affordable alternative, succeeding the Workforce brand[3][4] Consumer Reports (2017) generally rated the brand’s product quality unfavorably,[5] while individual items received varied assessments in 2022.[6][7][8]
- Home Decorators Collection
- Husky (tools)[3]
- Everbilt
Corporate affairs
Ownership
Institutional investors hold the majority stake in Home Depot, possessing approximately 70% of the company's shares. As of December 2023, the principal shareholders included:
- The Vanguard Group (9.49%)
- BlackRock (7.15%)
- State Street Corporation (4.35%)
- Capital World Investors (3.86%)
- Geode Capital Management (2.01%)
- Morgan Stanley (1.93%)
- Capital Research Global Investors (1.48%)
- Bank of America (1.45%)
- Charles Schwab Corporation (1.33%)
- Norges Bank (1.25%)
Philanthropy
Established in 2002, The Home Depot Foundation serves as the company’s charitable division. It has invested more than $200 million through contributions of funds, labor, materials, and time to various initiatives such as Habitat for Humanity, California’s City of Hope National Medical Center, and the playground-building nonprofit KaBOOM!. Additionally, Home Depot extends a 10% discount to members of the U.S. Military community. Since 1993, its "Team Depot" initiative has awarded grants to veteran-focused organizations and mobilized local store employees to volunteer on projects benefiting veterans.
Home Depot collaborates with the Georgia Emergency Management Agency through its Ready Georgia program, providing supplies and facility access to support efforts aimed at enhancing emergency preparedness among children across Georgia. The company has also supplied survival kits and other awards for an art and essay contest targeted at elementary school students in the state.
In March 2018, Home Depot pledged $50 million to train 20,000 individuals as construction workers over a ten-year period. This funding supports the Home Builders Institute’s mission to educate veterans, U.S. Army personnel, high schoolers, and disadvantaged youth, addressing the critical shortage of skilled labor within the construction industry.
Environmental record
The Home Depot asserts on its website a dedication to sustainability, emphasizing that responsible environmental business practices are not only achievable but also beneficial for commerce. In 2007, the company launched an eco-label on close to 3,000 items, highlighting features such as energy efficiency, sustainable forestry management, and water purity. Executives at The Home Depot emphasized their influence as the largest purchaser of building materials worldwide, positioning the company to encourage numerous suppliers, builders, and consumers to adopt environmentally conscious behaviors. Ron Jarvis, vice president of environmental innovation at The Home Depot, questioned who else could exert a greater influence on this industry sector. This initiative continues the firm’s commitment from the late 1990s to reduce sales of lumber sourced from endangered forests in nations like Chile and Indonesia.
Moreover, The Home Depot actively promotes compact fluorescent light bulbs within its retail outlets and has established the largest recycling program for these bulbs across the United States. However, in March 2013, Canadian stores under The Home Depot brand ceased accepting compact fluorescent bulbs for recycling.
Television
In 2002, The Home Depot became a sponsor of PBS programs This Old House and Ask This Old House. The following year, in 2003, it extended sponsorship to include the show Trading Spaces.
Sports
Arthur Blank, co-founder of The Home Depot, acquired the Atlanta Falcons NFL franchise in February 2002. Later, in April 2014, he secured an expansion Major League Soccer team—Atlanta United FC—which began competing in March 2017. Although The Home Depot did not initially have an official partnership with the Falcons, it obtained naming rights in April 2017 for the approximately 11-acre park adjacent to Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Known as The Home Depot Backyard, this space occupies the former Georgia Dome location and functions as parking and tailgating grounds during Falcons and Atlanta United FC home games while serving as public green space on non-event days. The park officially opened on September 11, 2018. Additionally, The Home Depot is a sponsor of the 2026 FIFA World Cup scheduled across the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Since 1991, The Home Depot has been a significant backer of sports by supporting both the United States and Canadian Olympic Committees and initiating employment programs accommodating athletes’ training and competition demands. However, sponsorship of the Canadian Olympic team concluded in 2005, and support for the U.S. Olympic team ended in 2009.
From 1999 until 2014, The Home Depot served as a principal sponsor for Joe Gibbs Racing in NASCAR. Their entry coincided with Tony Stewart’s transition from the Indy Racing League to NASCAR’s premier series. Stewart piloted the No. 20 car sponsored by The Home Depot until 2008, securing two of his three series championships with that vehicle. Joey Logano succeeded him and achieved two victories driving the same car. When Matt Kenseth joined Joe Gibbs Racing, Dollar General assumed primary sponsorship of the No. 20 car; nonetheless, The Home Depot continued as its most frequent secondary sponsor through its Husky Tools brand. On June 23, 2014, The Home Depot announced it would withdraw from NASCAR sponsorship after that season.
The company was also the title sponsor of The Home Depot Center in Carson, California—home to Major League Soccer’s Los Angeles Galaxy. This venue previously hosted MLS's Chivas USA until its dissolution in 2014 and Major League Lacrosse's Los Angeles Riptide until it folded in 2008; it is now known as Dignity Health Sports Park.
In collaboration with Duke University’s Edmund T. Pratt Jr. School of Engineering in 2006, The Home Depot helped establish "The Home Depot Smart Home," a living laboratory where ten senior engineering students engage directly with projects aimed at innovating home technologies related to security, monitoring systems, communications, energy conservation, entertainment, environmental factors, and health.
Beginning January 2007, The Home Depot became ESPN's official home improvement sponsor for College Gameday broadcasts.
Politics
During the 2005–2006 United States election cycle, 73 percent of The Home Depot's political donations were directed toward Republican candidates. Company representative Jerry Shields explained that the organization's political action committee allocates funds based on factors such as a candidate’s legislative history, committee roles, and leadership status. At that time, the CEO was Bob Nardelli, who maintained a personal relationship with then-President George W. Bush. Nardelli also hosted a garden fundraiser for Bush at his residence in Atlanta on May 20, 2004.
In 2005, The Home Depot was one of 53 contributors to donate the maximum amount of $250,000 toward President George W. Bush’s second inauguration.
The watchdog organization Documented reported that in 2020, The Home Depot provided $125,000 to the Rule of Law Defense Fund, which is affiliated with the Republican Attorneys General Association.
In April 2021, prominent Black religious leaders in Georgia called for a nationwide boycott of The Home Depot due to the company’s silence regarding the Election Integrity Act of 2021. In response, Georgia Governor Brian Kemp condemned the boycott, stating that "this insanity needs to stop" and arguing that it prioritizes partisan politics over workers’ livelihoods.
In 2023, Scott Glenn, The Home Depot’s Vice President of Asset Protection, testified before the House Homeland Security Committee’s Subcommittee on Counterterrorism, Law Enforcement and Intelligence. He advocated for congressional approval of legislation designed to enhance federal collaboration with state and local agencies to combat organized retail crime. This bill had been introduced earlier in the year with the goal of strengthening efforts against retail crime syndicates.
Outside the US
Canada
Home Depot Canada represents the Canadian division of The Home Depot and ranks among the leading home improvement retailers in the country. This segment operates 182 stores nationwide and employs upwards of 28,000 individuals across Canada. Stores are present in all ten provinces, while customers in Nunavut, Northwest Territories, and Yukon are served through online platforms. The Canadian corporate headquarters is situated in Toronto.
The Canadian branch was established through the acquisition of Aikenhead's Hardware. Home Depot's leadership pursued an ambitious strategy to surpass its primary rival, RONA, which operates approximately four times as many outlets. Nevertheless, several RONA locations are smaller compared to a standard Home Depot store. When focusing solely on large-format stores, Home Depot outnumbers RONA (excluding other Rona brands such as Réno-Dépôt or Cashway). By 2007, RONA had overtaken Home Depot in total retail revenue, driven by RONA’s aggressive consolidation tactics and Home Depot’s divestiture of its industrial supply division, HD Supply, in July 2007. Competition intensified with Lowe’s entry into the Canadian market at the end of 2007. In 2016, Lowe's acquired RONA, expanding its portfolio to over 500 stores. In 2022, Lowe’s declared intentions to divest its Canadian operations, including RONA, selling them to Sycamore Partners.
In Quebec, where it operates 22 outlets, the brand is marketed simply as Home Depot (utilizing English terminology but omitting the definite article "The").
Home Depot Canada participates voluntarily in the Scanner Price Accuracy Code, which is overseen by the Retail Council of Canada.
Mexico
As of early 2025, The Home Depot runs 140 stores throughout Mexico and employs over 18,000 team members, establishing itself as one of the country’s largest retailers since its market entry in 2001. The company expanded significantly in 2004 by acquiring Home Mart, then recognized as Mexico's second-largest home improvement retailer.
In February 2025, The Home Depot revealed plans to invest $1.3 billion in Mexico over a three-year span. This investment includes opening five new stores annually and creating approximately 12,000 direct and indirect jobs.
China
In December 2006, The Home Depot expanded its footprint in China by acquiring The Home Way, a local home improvement retailer. This acquisition instantly provided The Home Depot with 12 stores across six Chinese cities.
By April 2011, the company had closed its last remaining store in Beijing, marking the fifth closure of its outlets in China over the previous two years. In September 2012, The Home Depot declared its decision to shut down all its large-format stores within the Chinese market. However, it maintained two specialized locations: one dedicated to the Home Decorators Collection and another focused on paint and flooring products.
As of September 16, 2012, all seven big-box stores operated by The Home Depot in China had ceased operations. The company currently has no plans to broaden its specialty store presence in the country. Adopting a cautious approach toward the Chinese market, The Home Depot prefers to observe developments rather than fully withdraw, understanding that re-entry would involve significant expenses.
The challenges faced by The Home Depot in China have been linked to a cultural mismatch between its do-it-yourself business model and local consumer preferences. In 2012, the company acknowledged misjudging Chinese customers' interest in DIY products. According to a company spokesperson interviewed by the Wall Street Journal, "The market trend indicates a preference for a do-it-for-me approach." It has been suggested that offering services aligned with this preference might have better suited Chinese consumers, who tend to favor completed renovations over purchasing individual materials like light bulbs or lumber. This cultural distinction appears unique to China, as evidenced by Chinese-language advertising and signage in Canadian Home Depot stores located in regions with significant Chinese populations.
United Kingdom
There were indications that The Home Depot showed interest in acquiring B&Q, recognized as the largest DIY retailer across the United Kingdom, Ireland, and China. Notably, B&Q had emulated the design of American Home Depot stores when launching its expansive "Warehouse" outlets during the 1990s, even adopting a corporate color scheme closely matching Home Depot's signature orange. Speculation about a potential acquisition surfaced around 1999 following Walmart's purchase of Asda. To acquire B&Q, The Home Depot would have needed to take over Kingfisher plc, B&Q’s parent company. Kingfisher owns multiple European DIY chains; however, The Home Depot expressed interest solely in B&Q’s operations and indicated plans to divest Castorama stores located in France, Italy, Poland, and Russia. Negotiations concluded without any acquisition agreement by 2005.
South America
Home Depot launched its inaugural and sole store in Peru in 1993; however, due to insufficient sales and limited brand promotion, the location was shuttered the following year. The company expanded into Chile and Argentina in 1997. Although founders Bernard Marcus and Arthur Blank initially regarded this move with high hopes, the operations ultimately failed to generate profits. By October 2001, Chilean partner Falabella acquired Home Depot’s stake in the five Chilean Home Center outlets, subsequently rebranding them as Home Store. Following a merger with Sodimac in 2003, all stores adopted the Sodimac name. Since then, Sodimac has experienced substantial growth throughout Latin America and currently holds the position as South America's largest home improvement retailer.Template:Fix/category[citation needed] In Argentina, Home Depot locations were purchased in 2002 by the Chilean firm Cencosud, which converted them into Easy outlets. Easy has also expanded extensively across South America and ranks as the continent’s second-largest home improvement chain.Template:Fix/category[citation needed]
Whistleblower case
Template:More citations needed section Home Depot became involved in whistleblower litigation under the provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX). In July 2005, former employee Michael Davis, represented by attorney Mark D. Schwartz, initiated a whistleblower lawsuit against Home Depot, claiming his termination was retaliatory after he refused to impose unwarranted back charges on vendors. Davis contended that employees were pressured to meet specific quotas for back charges related to damaged or defective goods, resulting in chargebacks against vendors for items that were neither damaged nor defective. Conversely, Home Depot maintained that Davis was dismissed due to repeated absenteeism.
The initial trial concluded in June 2006; however, in April 2007, U.S. Department of Labor Judge Pamela Lakes Wood ordered the case to be reopened after Home Depot’s legal counsel from law firm Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld disclosed that two employees who testified had provided false statements during the trial. On September 29, 2006, Akin Gump submitted a letter requesting that the contested testimony be invalidated. Following this revelation, Davis’ attorney Schwartz petitioned for reopening the case to allow further examination of those witnesses. Judge Wood granted this request on April 6, 2007.
The dispute was ultimately resolved through a settlement agreement dated March 28, 2008. As part of the settlement, Home Depot revised certain corporate governance policies and agreed to pay $6 million in cash plus $8.5 million in common stock to the plaintiff’s legal counsel.[9]
Dispute over patent law
The case of Powell v. Home Depot USA, Inc. (2008cv61862) (2011) involved a ruling by the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida on allegations of patent infringement concerning a "safe hands" device developed by Michael Powell, an independent contractor for Home Depot. Powell designed this device to prevent hand injuries sustained by employees operating radial arm saws in-store. The jury in the district court ultimately ruled in favor of Powell.
In 2011, Home Depot filed an appeal with the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, contesting the district court’s refusal to grant its renewed motion for judgment as a matter of law on infringement, willfulness, and damages issues. The appeal also disputed the district court’s interpretations regarding claim construction, accusations of inequitable conduct, and decisions on attorney fees. The appellate court determined that there was no inequitable conduct and that the attorney’s behavior did not meet the threshold of egregious misconduct.[10]
Design of stores using tilt-up construction
Following the 2011 Joplin tornado, during which a Home Depot store’s walls collapsed after being struck by an EF5 tornado, The Kansas City Star reported engineers’ critiques of Home Depot’s widespread use of tilt-up construction for its large retail locations. Other big-box retailers nearby in Joplin, such as Walmart and Academy Sports + Outdoors, utilized concrete block construction; their roofs were lost but their walls remained standing. Tilt-up construction involves casting concrete panels onsite, lifting them into position, and securing them to the roof. Engineers explained to the Star that although this method is generally safe and efficient, it poses significant risks during severe storms because if the roof is lifted—as occurred in Joplin—the walls tend to collapse sequentially like dominoes. Tragically, seven individuals lost their lives near the store’s front when walls weighing approximately 100,000 pounds fell upon them, whereas 28 people at the rear survived as those walls fell outward. Only two slab walls remained intact at the Home Depot site. By comparison, three fatalities occurred at Walmart but approximately 200 people survived. Engineers noted that when concrete block structures fail, they typically break into smaller fragments instead of large slabs. Home Depot expressed fundamental disagreement with the engineers cited by the Star and affirmed its intention to continue utilizing tilt-up construction when rebuilding the Joplin location.[11]
Payment-system compromise
On September 2, 2014, cybersecurity journalist Brian Krebs disclosed findings that credit card information associated with Home Depot transactions was being traded online, leading him to conclude that hackers had infiltrated The Home Depot's payment infrastructure.[12] Subsequently, on September 8, 2014, Home Depot officially acknowledged that its payment processing systems had been compromised.[13] Their announcement revealed that customers who made purchases at any Home Depot location between April and September 2014 were potentially affected. The company provided impacted customers with complimentary one-year credit monitoring services through AllClear ID. Additionally, the statement clarified that there was no indication of any breach affecting online shoppers. On September 18, 2014, Home Depot further disclosed that the cyberattack resulted in the theft of approximately 56 million credit and debit card records. Following the incident, Home Depot implemented advanced encryption technology across its point-of-sale terminals and self-checkout kiosks to enhance customer data security. A class-action lawsuit was initiated against the retailer.
In March 2016, Home Depot consented to a settlement of no less than $19.5 million to resolve claims from over 50 million affected consumers. The agreement included establishing a $13 million reimbursement fund for shoppers and allocating $6.5 million toward identity protection services for cardholders.[14]
EEOC disability discrimination lawsuit
In September 2012, Home Depot agreed to pay $100,000 and provide additional remedies to resolve a disability discrimination claim[15] filed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, which alleged that the company failed to provide reasonable accommodations for a cashier diagnosed with cancer at its Towson, Maryland location and subsequently terminated her employment due to her medical condition.[16]
Lead paint
In December 2020, The Home Depot was subjected to a $20.75 million penalty due to violations related to lead paint. The company faced allegations of employing subcontractors for renovation services who failed to adhere to proper lead hazard control protocols. These infractions included neglecting lead-safe work methods, omitting mandatory post-renovation cleaning, not distributing EPA-mandated lead paint informational pamphlets to residents, and lacking documentation to demonstrate compliance. This fine represents the largest civil penalty ever imposed under the Toxic Substances Control Act.
See also
- Menards, a privately owned American home improvement retail chain competing with The Home Depot in the Midwest region.
References
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External links
- Home Depot, Inc.; (official corporate site)
- Home Depot USA; (consumer retail website)
- 'How I Built This'; podcast episode featuring co-founder Arthur Blank – audio interview
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- Pages with reference errors
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- The Home Depot
- 1978 establishments in Georgia (U.S. state)
- Companies based in Cobb County, Georgia
- Companies listed on the New York Stock Exchange
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- Hardware stores of Canada
- Home improvement retailers of the United States
- Hardware stores of the United States
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- American companies established in 1978
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- 1980s initial public offerings
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