U.S. – Leading American home improvement retailers The Home Depot and Lowe’s, reported an increase in comparable sales for 2Q/2015 of 4.2% and 4.3% respectively. 

Results in the quarter were boosted by the housing recovery in the U.S. “We were pleased with this quarter’s results. We saw balanced growth across our business resulting from strength in the core of the store as well as the continued recovery of the U.S. housing market,” said Craig Menear, Home Depot chairman, CEO and president.

The Home Depot, America’s and the world’s largest home improvement retailer, reported sales of USD 24.8 billion for the second quarter of fiscal 2015, a 4.3 percent increase from the second quarter of fiscal 2014. Comparable store sales for the second quarter of fiscal 2015 were positive 4.2 percent, and comp sales for U.S. stores were positive 5.7 percent. Net earnings for the second quarter of fiscal 2015 were USD2.2 billion, compared with net earnings of USD2.1 billion, in the same period of fiscal 2014. At the end of the second quarter, The Home Depot operated a total of 2,270 retail stores in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, 10 Canadian provinces and Mexico. The Company employs more than 300,000 associates. 

Lowe’s Companies, Inc. reported sales for the second quarter of USD17.3 billion a 4.5 percent increase from USD16.6 billion in the second quarter of 2014, and comparable sales increased 4.3 percent. Comparable sales for the U.S. home improvement business increased 4.6 percent for the second quarter. Net earnings reached USD 1.13 billion for the quarter ended July 31, 2015, an 8.4% increase over the same period a year ago. As of July 31, 2015, Lowe’s operated 1,846 home improvement and hardware stores in the United States, Canada and Mexico representing 201.4 million square feet of retail selling space.