- Home Depot anticipates a downturn in consumer spending amid economic uncertainty, despite modest Q2 earnings and a slight sales increase.
- While Home Depot avoids broad price hikes, some products may be discontinued if tariffs make them unprofitable. The company is diversifying its supply chain to reduce reliance on any single foreign country.
- CEO Ted Decker notes that Home Depot’s customers remain financially stable, with spending focused on smaller home projects rather than large renovations.
- Unlike Walmart and Stanley Black and Decker, which are raising prices due to tariffs, Home Depot is working to minimize cost increases for consumers.
- President Donald Trump has criticized companies like Walmart for blaming tariffs for price hikes, urging them to absorb costs rather than pass them on to customers.
(Natural News)—Home Depot, the nation’s largest home improvement retailer, is preparing for financial challenges in the coming months as the U.S. economy shows signs of strain. Despite reporting modest second-quarter earnings, executives warned of a looming downturn in consumer spending, just as the critical holiday shopping season approaches.
During an earnings call on Tuesday, May 20, Home Depot executives reassured investors that they do not foresee “broad-based price increases” for customers, despite new tariffs on imported goods. However, some items may be phased out if tariffs render them economically unviable.
“We don’t see broad-based price increases for our customers at all going forward,” Home Depot executive Billy Bastek said during the earnings call with analysts. “There are items that we have that could potentially be impacted by a tariff that, candidly, we won’t have going forward. There’ll be some things that don’t make sense that just end up going away.”
Since tariffs on Chinese goods were first imposed, Home Depot has worked to diversify its supply chain, aiming to source no more than 10 percent of its products from any single foreign country by mid-2026. The company has also avoided major cost increases from lumber tariffs due to a separate trade deal with Canada. (Related: Trump’s 125% tariff triggers panic among Chinese Amazon sellers.)
CEO Ted Decker emphasized that Home Depot’s core customers remain financially stable, even as economic uncertainty looms. “We have a very different customer and a very different sort of use case for expenditure in home improvement,” Decker told investors. “Our customer is in a good spot right now.”
Home Depot reported a slight 0.2 percent increase in U.S. sales and a 2.1 percent rise in transactions last quarter, driven by small-scale home projects. However, high mortgage rates and a sluggish housing market continue to deter major renovations.
Despite these challenges, Decker struck an optimistic tone, suggesting the U.S. economy has moved past the worst recession fears, citing strong employment and easing inflation.
Walmart warns tariffs could further burden inflation-weary consumers
Meanwhile, Walmart warned that tariffs could further burden inflation-weary consumers. “We will do our best to keep our prices as low as possible. But given the magnitude of the tariffs, even at the reduced levels announced this week, we aren’t able to absorb all the pressure given the reality of narrow retail margins,” Walmart CEO Doug McMillon said last week on an earnings call. “The higher tariffs will result in higher prices.”
The pressure isn’t limited to Walmart. Stanley Black & Decker, which owns brands like DeWalt and Craftsman, has already raised prices by high single digits this year due to tariffs and plans another increase later in 2024.
However, President Donald Trump has dismissed corporate complaints and accused Walmart of shifting blame. He said, “Walmart should STOP trying to blame tariffs as the reason for raising prices throughout the chain. Between Walmart and China they should, as is said, ‘EAT THE TARIFFS,’ and not charge valued customers ANYTHING. I’ll be watching, and so will your customers!!!”
Trump has also criticized Amazon and Mattel for considering similar price adjustments, framing corporate resistance as disloyalty to American consumers.
Head over to Trump.news for related news. Trump should put the tariffs on immediately, expert says. Watch this video.
This video is from the NewsClips channel on Brighteon.com.
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- California challenges Trump’s tariff plan in historic legal battle.
- Market rebounds on Trump’s tariff pause, but uncertainty looms.
- Trump imposes 25% tariff on nations buying Venezuelan oil.
- U.S. job market surges past projections despite looming tariff uncertainty.
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Why Bullion Beats Numismatics and Collectible for Your Safe or IRA
Precious metals continue to attract Americans seeking reliable ways to protect their wealth amid inflation, geopolitical risks, and stock market swings. Whether stored in a home safe or held inside a self-directed IRA, physical gold and silver deliver tangible value that paper or digital assets often lack. Yet investors must choose carefully between bullion—pure bars and coins valued mainly for their metal content—and numismatics or collectibles, where rarity, history, and collector demand heavily influence pricing.
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Numismatic coins and collectibles add substantial value from factors such as age, rarity, minting errors, or historical significance. A pre-1933 U.S. gold coin or graded proof piece can carry premiums of 30%, 50%, or even 200% above melt value. While this appeals to hobbyists, it creates complexity. Pricing depends on subjective grading, collector trends, and auction results instead of daily spot prices.
For investors focused on wealth preservation and retirement security rather than building a collection, bullion often delivers better results.
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Stronger Fit for Precious Metals IRAs
Precious metals IRAs continue gaining traction as investors diversify retirement portfolios beyond stocks and bonds. IRS rules permit certain bullion products in self-directed IRAs if they meet purity standards (.995 fine for gold, .999 for silver) and are held by an approved custodian. Eligible items include American Gold and Silver Eagles plus many generic bars and rounds from recognized mints.
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Regulatory guidance from the CFTC and state securities offices repeatedly cautions against aggressive sales of expensive numismatics or “semi-numismatic” coins for IRAs. For retirement planning, transparent bullion from established providers reduces risk and aligns better with long-term goals.
How to Get Started with Bullion
Begin by clarifying your goals. Are you protecting savings in a safe, or moving part of a retirement account into a precious metals IRA? Focus on the number of ounces you can acquire at current prices rather than chasing marked-up collectibles.
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As economic uncertainties linger and faith in conventional assets erodes, bullion continues proving its worth as a dependable store of value. Its direct approach avoids the hype that sometimes surrounds collectible markets and keeps the focus on the metal itself.
For investors prepared to strengthen their portfolios, Advisor Bullion supplies the expertise and selection needed to acquire high-quality bullion efficiently. Whether building personal holdings or integrating metals into an IRA, their emphasis on transparent, investment-grade products helps secure more ounces today that support greater financial security tomorrow. In a complicated financial landscape, bullion’s clarity and reliability make it the smarter foundation for protecting what matters most.