HOME DEPOT INC

RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

The following table presents the percentage relationship between net sales and major categories in our consolidated statements of earnings:

(1)Does not include results for HD Supply.

(2)Average ticket represents the average price paid per transaction and is used by management to monitor the performance of the Company, as it represents a primary driver in measuring sales performance.

(3)Sales per retail square foot represents sales divided by retail store square footage. Sales per retail square foot is a measure of the efficiency of sales based on the total square footage of our stores and is used by management to monitor the performance of the Company’s retail operations as an indicator of the productivity of owned and leased square footage for these retail operations.

FISCAL 2023 COMPARED TO FISCAL 2022

Sales

We assess our sales performance by evaluating both net sales and comparable sales.

Net Sales. Net sales for fiscal 2023 decreased $4.7 billion, or 3.0%, to $152.7 billion. The decreasein net sales for fiscal 2023 primarily reflects the impact of a negative comparable sales environment, primarily driven by a decrease in comparable customer transactions as well as the impact from lumber price deflation.

Online sales, which consist of sales generated online through our websites and mobile applications for products picked up at our stores or delivered to customer locations, represented 14.8% of net sales and increased by 1.1% during fiscal 2023 compared to fiscal 2022.

A weaker U.S. dollar positively impacted net sales by $276 million in fiscal 2023.

Comparable Sales. Comparable sales is a measure that highlights the performance of our existing locations and websites by measuring the change in net sales for a period over the comparable prior period of equivalent length. Comparable sales includes sales at all locations, physical and online, open greater than 52 weeks (including remodels and relocations) and excludes closed stores. Retail stores become comparable on the Monday following their 52 nd week of operation. Acquisitions are typically included in comparable sales after they have been owned for more than 52 weeks. Comparable sales is intended only as supplemental information and is not a substitute for net sales presented in accordance with GAAP.

Total comparable sales decreased 3.2% in fiscal 2023, reflecting a 2.9% decrease in comparable customer transactions and a 0.3% decrease in comparable average ticket compared to fiscal 2022. The decrease in comparable customer transactions reflects the impact of macroeconomic factors, including the continued shift in consumer consumption trends away from goods and towards services and the impact of a higher interest rate environment, pressuring home improvement demand. The decrease in comparable average ticket reflects U.S. commodity price deflation, which negatively impacted average ticket by approximately 145 basis points, driven primarily by lumber. This was partially offset by inflation across several product categories, which slowed relative to prior years, along with demand for new and innovative products.

For fiscal 2023, four of our 14 merchandising departments—Building Materials, Outdoor Garden, Hardware, and Plumbing—posted positive comparable sales compared to fiscal 2022. All of our other merchandising departments posted negative comparable sales during fiscal 2023 compared to fiscal 2022, with our Lumber department posting a double-digit comparable sales decline primarily resulting from lumber price deflation, partially offset by higher unit sales.

Gross Profit

Gross profit decreased $1.8 billion, or 3.4%, to $51.0 billion in fiscal 2023. Gross profit as a percent of net sales, or gross profit margin, was 33.4% in fiscal 2023 compared to 33.5% in fiscal 2022. The decrease in gross profit margin primarily reflects price stabilization as well as reduction and optimization of our inventory position, partially offset by lower supply chain costs.

While we continue to experience shrink above historical averages, year-over-year pressure to gross profit margin from shrink decreased as we moved through fiscal 2023. As a result, shrink did not have a significant impact on our gross profit margin in fiscal 2023 compared to fiscal 2022.

Operating Expenses

Our operating expenses are composed of SG&A and depreciation and amortization.

Selling, General & Administrative. SG&A increased $314 million, or 1.2%, to $26.6 billion in fiscal 2023. As a percent of net sales, SG&A was 17.4% in fiscal 2023 compared to 16.7% in fiscal 2022, primarily reflecting deleverage from a negative comparable sales environment along with previously executed wage investments for hourly associates, partially offset by the one-time benefit from the favorable settlement of litigation with a vendor as well as lower incentive compensation.

Depreciation and Amortization. Depreciation and amortization increased $218 million, or 8.9%, to $2.7 billion in fiscal 2023. As a percent of net sales, depreciation and amortization was 1.8% in fiscal 2023 compared to 1.6% in fiscal 2022, primarily reflecting increased depreciation expense from ongoing investments in the business and deleverage from a negative comparable sales environment.

Interest and Other, net

Interest and other, net increased $203 million, or 13.0%, to $1.8 billion in fiscal 2023. As a percent of net sales, interest and other, net, was 1.2% in fiscal 2023 compared to 1.0% in fiscal 2022, primarilydue to increased variable rate interest on floating-rate debt resulting from interest rate swaps, higher average debt balances, and deleverage from a negative comparable sales environment, partially offset by higher interest income.

Provision for Income Taxes

Our combined effective income tax rate was 24.0% in fiscal 2023 compared to 23.9% in fiscal 2022.

Diluted Earnings per Share

Diluted earnings per share were $15.11 in fiscal 2023 compared to $16.69 in fiscal 2022. The decrease in diluted earnings per share for fiscal 2023 was primarily driven by lower net earnings during fiscal 2023, partially offset by lower diluted shares due to share repurchases.