Home Depot’s fiscal first-quarter profit falls compared with the prior year, but the retailer reports results that top Wall Street expectations, according to two outlets. Both accounts attribute the performance largely to demand from professional customers, which helps offset weaker trends elsewhere. They also say homeowners contribute to sales as shoppers stock up on some spring-related home improvement supplies. Despite the profit decline, the company’s overall first-quarter performance meets analysts’ expectations, suggesting resilience in key categories even as consumer confidence remains uncertain. The reporting frames the quarter as occurring against a backdrop of broader economic concerns, with investors watching for whether customers continue spending on repairs and renovations. Overall, the coverage agrees that professional shoppers and seasonal purchases by homeowners are central to the quarter’s sales, and that the reported earnings surpass what financial markets forecast, even as year-over-year profit declines.