FINANCE

Atlanta-based The Home Depot reported first-quarter sales of $22.8 billion during what CEO Craig Menear described as a "stronger than expected start to the year." Comp-store sales for the quarter were up 6.5% - with comps for the U.S. stores up 7.4%. Net earnings for the three months ended May 1 were $1.8 billion, up 14.2% compared with net earnings of $1.6 billion in the same quarter last year.

Starbucks Corp. has turned to the bond market to fund its sustainable-coffee efforts. The chain issued a $500 million U.S. corporate sustainability bond to fund projtects that will support ethical coffee sourcing. The 10-year, 2.45 percent senior notes, due 2026, will fund programs that ensure coffee is grown and distributed in a way that can be maintained over the long run, such as providing fair pay for workers and protection for wildlife.

In a quarter of strong home improvement demand, Mooresville, North Carolina-based Lowe’s reported net earnings of $884 million for the quarter ended April 29, a 31.4% increase over the same quarter lat year. Sales for the quarter increased 7.8% to $15.2 billion. Comp-store sales increased 7.3% overall, and increased 7.5% for the U.S. business.

Ace Hardware took home "record" first quarter revenues of $1.2 billion in the first quarter, an increase of 4.3% over last year. The message was a little more muddled for earnings. Though its first quarter net income of $26.1 million was down 12.7% year-over-year, that figure was still 12.0% ahead of plan. It was also a planned reduction owing to the timing of promotions.

Shoppers love a deal – the perception of one anyway – which explains how TJX Companies continues to defy gravity by posting another quarter of strong same store sales growth and improved profitability.

Retailers’ margins could be under pressure during the first quarter as a new index tracking promotional selling shows full price sales have declined and promotional activity has increased.

Retailers are relying heavily on discounts and promotions so for this year, continuing the trend from the 2015 holiday season of pulling the promotional lever far too often, according an analysis of $5 billion in consumer transactions from January through March conducted by DynamicAction.

Presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump is no fan of Amazon, its founder and CEO Jeff Bezos, and The Washington Post, which Bezos also owns. Trump told Fox News personality Sean Hannity that "Amazon is getting away with murder, tax-wise. He's using The Washington Post for power so that the politicians in Washington don't tax Amazon like they should be taxed.”

Despite J.C. Penney's disappointing sales results, the chain still performed better than its peers in the first quarter. What’s more, Penney an array of new initiatives lined up to help it connect better with a new era of shoppers. To read more, click here