Home Depot Introduction
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HOME DEPOT INTRODUCTION: The Home Depot is an American retailer of home improvement and construction products and services. Headquartered in Vinings, just outside Atlanta in unincorporated Cobb County, Georgia, the Home Depot employs more than 355,000 people and operates 2,141 big-box format stores across the United States (including the 50 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands and Guam), Canada (ten provinces), Mexico and China. Currently, the world's second largest Home Depot opened on November 14, 2007 on the island of Guam. Established in 1978 by Bernie Marcus and Arthur Blank, the Home Depot Corporation opened its first store in Atlanta, becoming the world’s largest home improvement retailer. They are now the second largest retailer in the United States, offering 40,000 to 50,000 different types of home improvement supplies, building materials, and lawn and garden products. They carry a wide assortment of low-cost products, and offer expert advice and exceptional customer service. As an innovator of the home improvement industry, Home Depot has expanded into Canada, Mexico, Argentina, Chile, and Puerto Rico. Currently there are 1,459 stores including fifty EXPO Design Centers, one Floor Store, and three Home Depot Landscape Supply stores. Home Depot caters to Do-It-Yourself customers, as well as home improvement, construction and building maintenance professionals. Home Depot’s stock went public in 1981 and is traded in the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol, "HD". It is included in the Dow Jones Industrial Average and the Standard and Poor's 500 Index. 1 The Home Improvement sector in general is in the growth stage of its life cycle. Even in the weak economic environment, low interest rates have allowed the real estate sector to survive. As a result, home ownership has reached new highs, and the housing industry thrived. In August 2002, Home Depot was ranked first in "Quality of Earnings" by Merrill Lynch in a study of large, publicly traded companies. Home Depot reported net sales for fiscal 2001 of $53.6 billion and employs approximately 280,000 people. Fortune Magazine has ranked them as “America’s Most Admired Specialty Retailer”. Business Week cited Home Depot as “Ten Best Boards in the U.S.” In October 10, 2002, Home Depot announced they are opening two sourcing offices in Shanghai and Shenzhen. According to Vice President of Global Sourcing, Duane Goodwin, this will allow Home Depot to enhance their opportunities to purchase more goods directly from their manufacturers, as well as rapidly expand their purchasing throughout China and Asia. HISTORY OF HOME DEPOT: The Home Depot was formed in 1979 by Bernie Marcus and Arthur Blank in Atlanta, Georgia. Home Depot virtually revolutionized the do-it-yourself home improvement industry in the United States almost overnight. The two entrepreneurs opened their stores which were no frills warehouses. In 1998 the average Home Depot carried 35,000 products. Products varied from well known national brands to propriety Home Depot brands. 2 Home Depot held its IPO in 1981 and listed on the New York Stock Exchange three years later under the ticker – ‘HD’. Home Depot reached $1 billion in sales in 1986. Sales of $20 billion were reached in 1997 making them the fastest growing home improvement retailer with an average annual growth in sales of 119% during said period. EXCLUSIVE BRANDS • The Home Depot carries several exclusive brands, including: • Hampton Bay (lighting, ceiling fans & patio furniture) • Pegasus (kitchen and bath items) • Glacier Bay (faucets and bath) • RIDGID (power tools) • Husky (tools) • Vigoro (fertilizer) • Ryobi (power tools) • Millstead • Mill's Pride • Workforce • Thomasville cabinetry • Behr (paint) • Ralph Lauren paint . 3 Home Depot’s Values and Vision Associates are central to Home Depot’s success and their values are part of the fabric of the company. Values are beliefs that do not change over time. They are what they believe in, they do, and they govern their decisions on a day-to-day basis. They are the principles and standards for the framework upon which Home Depot is built. Home Depot’s unique culture is built on associate dedication and a commitment to an “orange-blooded” entrepreneurial spirit. Taking care of our people: The key to their success is treating people well. They do this by encouraging associates to speak up and take risks, by recognizing and rewarding good performance and by leading and developing people so they may grow. Giving back to our communities: An important part of the fabric of The Home Depot is giving their time, talents, energy and resources to worthwhile causes in our communities and society. Doing the right thing: They exercise good judgement by "doing the right thing" instead of just "doing things right." We strive to understand the impact of our decisions, and we accept responsibility for our actions. 4 Excellent customer service: Along with their quality products, service, price and selection, they must go the extra mile to give customers knowledgeable advice about merchandise and to help them use those products to their maximum benefit. Creating shareholder value: The investors who provide the capital necessary to allow the company to grow need and expect a return on their investment. They are committed to providing it. Building strong relationships: Strong relationships are built on trust, honesty and integrity. They listen and respond to the needs of customers, associates, communities and vendors, treating them as partners. Entrepreneurial spirit: Home Depot associates are encouraged to initiate creative and innovative ways of serving our customers and improving the business and to spread best practices throughout the company. Respect for all people: In order to remain successful, our associates must work in an environment of mutual respect, free of discrimination and harassment where each associate is regarded as a part of the Home Depot team. PRINCIPLES OF THE HOME DEPOT • Committed to operating a safe environment for our customers and associates. • Never walk by a customer or fellow associate without speaking. 5 • Don’t spend money on a fancy environment; that would make our prices higher. • Train our associates so they can pass knowledge on to our customers. • Want associates to build relationships with customers, to educate the customers, and to give the customers the confidence to complete their projects. • Stay flexible and make changes based on the customer needs and wants. • Make an effort to never lose a sale. Objectives and Strategies In 2002, Home Depot maintained its long-term objectives for continuous growth and expansion. CEO, Robert Nardelli, plans on the opening of 200 new Home Depot stores in the U.S. in 2003. In addition, Home Depot will increase investments in technology and store modernization, as well as sustain its control through its vertical growth strategy in its value chain (Home Depot). With a strategy to enhance its core retail network through innovative and unique merchandise, Home Depot is committed to the changing needs of the home improvement market (Home Depot). The company began to tap the residential homebuilders’ market with the 2002 acquisition of three of the top 10 turnkey providers of installed flooring. Using a “customer-back” initiative in decision-making, Home Depot is dedicated to building relationships with the customers, whether they are the “do-it-yourselfers (DIY), the do-it-for-me (DIFM), the 6 professional, or one of many emerging customer segments” (Annual Report). Home Depot is pledges to provide service and products “second to none” (Home Depot) (Annual Report). ORGANISATION STRUCTURE: Bob Nardinelli Chairman, President & CEO Diane Dayhoff Joe DeAngelo Dennis Donovan Frank Fernandez Vice President Executive VP Executive VP Executive VP Investor Relations & President THD Supply Human Resources Secretary & General Counsel Frank Blake Brad Shaw Harvey Seegers Bob DeRodes Executive VP Senior VP President Executive VP Business Development Corporate Communications Home Depot Direct Chief Information Officer & Corporate Operations & External Affairs Five Forces Model of Competition TomRivals Taylor Carol Tome Annette Verschuren Executive VP Executive VP Regional President Canada MerchandisingAs & theMarketing world’s largest& Chief home Financial improvementOfficer retailer,& Division President Home EXPO Depot’s competition runs the gamut of lumber yards, specialty interior stores that concentrate on one aspect of the home, i.e. kitchens, lighting, flooring, etc. Home Depot’s competition is also embodied in other such retailers as: Sears, Ace Hardware, Frank’s Nursery, and Lowes. Home Depot’s competition (except Lowes) primarily focus on one aspect of their expansive product offerings. For example, Sears would 7 specialize in selling Craftsman tools to Home Depot’s offering; likewise Frank’s Nursery competes directly with Home Depot’s garden center. Lowe’s Companies is Home Depot’s largest competitor. Home Depot and Lowes have very similar product offerings and large warehouse formats. In many major markets Lowes and Home Depot stores go head to head both vying for the patronage of the do-it- yourself customer. Suppliers Home Depot maintains relationships with many suppliers that stock Home Depot stores with over 30,000 different products. Although Home Depot has a significant amount of suppliers they are still able to force them into offering price concessions due to the fact that Home Depot makes up a large portion of the supplier’s sales. These concessions have gone a long way in driving down the cost of home improvement as well as further increasing Home Depot’s margins and competitiveness with Lowes and others in hotly contested markets. Buyers At the time of the case, Home Depot has 3 distinct customer segments. Since the company’s incorporation, they have been primarily focused with the do-it-yourself (DIY) customers. These customers are non-professional consumers interested in doing their own home improvement projects.