Black Friday Is Now Home Depot's Biggest Sales Day

Home Depot Inc. , which calls spring time its Christmas because it's the home improvement retailer's biggest sales period, for the first time saw Black Friday become its biggest sales day in history. Black Friday, or the day after Thanksgiving, generated close to half a billion in sales, Chief Financial Officer Carol Tome said in an interview. Memorial Day traditionally has been Home Depot's largest sales day. Home Depot, the largest U.S. Christmas tree seller, has joined other retailers in seeking to capture demand during the holiday season. It's offered promotions on gift items including power tools, holiday lights and ornaments. "We worked the years to become a destination store for Black Friday," she said. "We understand we have to outperform that day. (But) second quarter is always going to be our largest quarter." Tome, however, declined to forecast if Black Friday will remain the biggest sales day going forward for Home Depot. Black Friday also contributed to the company's better-than-expected 8.9% fourth-quarter U.S. same-store sales gain. The company's shares rose 3% to a record $115.7, leading the Dow higher.