Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Aug 18
Home Depot Expects CEO Ted Decker Back in Months as Comparable Sales Rise 1.7%
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Aug 18

Home Depot Expects CEO Ted Decker Back in Months as Comparable Sales Rise 1.7%

3 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Aug 18

Summary

  • Ted Decker is expected to return in a few months after taking temporary medical leave, Home Depot said as it reported quarterly results.
  • Comparable sales rose 1.7% in the latest quarter—Home Depot’s biggest gain since 2022—showing consumers are still spending on smaller home-improvement projects.
  • Richard McPhail, the chief financial officer helping run the business during Decker’s absence, said consumer uncertainty and housing affordability are still weighing on larger projects.
  • Home Depot is also pushing broader changes, including acquisitions to expand its professional contractor business and investments in artificial intelligence for stores and back-end operations.

Insights

With its CEO on leave, can Home Depot's massive pivot toward professional contractors and AI sustain growth amid a frozen housing market?
Can three-hour express deliveries and AI operations truly offset the heavy budget pressures currently squeezing homeowners and contractors?