The Home Depot

The Home Depot is an American multinational home improvement retailer that sells tools, construction products, appliances, and services such as fuel and equipment rentals. It is the largest home improvement retailer in the United States, reporting $159.5 billion in revenue for fiscal 2024 with about 470,100 associates. Headquartered in Cobb County, Georgia, with an Atlanta mailing address, the company operates big-box stores across the U.S., including Guam, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, as well as all 10 Canadian provinces and all 31 Mexican states plus Mexico City. It also owns Interline Brands, known as The Home Depot Pro, a maintenance, repair, and operations company with 70 distribution centers nationwide. The Home Depot ranks as the seventh largest U.S.-based employer globally.

The company was founded in 1978 by Bernard Marcus, Arthur Blank, Pat Farrah, Ron Brill, and Kenneth Langone after they were fired from Handy Dan, a home improvement chain. The first two stores opened on June 22, 1979, in Atlanta, each roughly 60,000 square feet, massive warehouses that stocked 25,000 products, far more than any competitor. Home Depot went public in 1981, fueling rapid expansion into Canada and Mexico. Its warehouse format, emphasis on knowledgeable staff, and free in-store workshops for DIYers quickly made it the dominant player.

Home Depot's product lineup includes over 35,000 items in stores and more than one million online. Products are grouped into four categories: leadership, commodity, core, and emerging. The company also runs private brands like Husky tools and HD Supply. Its "inverted pyramid" management philosophy puts customers and front-line associates first, supported by regional and corporate leadership. The brand's orange-and-white color scheme is instantly recognizable across North America. [edit]