Leading home improvement retailer, The Home Depot Inc. (NYSE: HD), has published their first-quarter fiscal report for 2026. Their sales for the quarter reached an impressive $41.77 billion, marking a 4.8% increase from the previous year and surpassing analyst expectations of $41.53 billion. Comparable sales saw a moderate increase of 0.6%, with U.S. comparable sales specifically rising by 0.4%. Foreign exchange rates also played a role, contributing approximately 55 basis points to the growth in comparable sales.However, the company experienced a 4.2% decline in net earnings, landing at $3.29 billion, or $3.30 per diluted share, down from $3.43 billion, or $3.45 per diluted share, compared to the previous year. Adjusted diluted earnings per share (EPS) decreased to $3.43 from $3.56 but outperformed analyst projections of $3.41. Operating income took a 3% dip to $4.98 billion, with operating margin shrinking to 11.9% from 12.9%, and adjusted operating margin also falling to 12.3% from 13.2%. The gross margin saw a decline to 33.0% from 33.8%, while selling, general, and administrative (SG&A) expenses rose by 5.7% to $7.96 billion.For more detailed information, the full report can be accessed on Benzinga.com.