Home Depot reported fiscal second-quarter results that fell short of Wall Street forecasts on both revenue and profit, the first time since 2014 the home-improvement chain has missed consensus on both measures. The stock slipped roughly 3 percent in early New York trading. Net sales rose 4.9 percent from a year earlier to $45.28 billion, below the $45.43 billion analysts expected. Comparable sales increased 1.0 percent—turning positive after last year’s slump—but trailed the 1.39 percent estimate; U.S. comps were up 1.4 percent. Net income was little changed at $4.55 billion, or $4.58 a share, while adjusted earnings came in at $4.68 a share versus the $4.72 consensus. Chief Financial Officer Richard McPhail said sales trends improved each month of the quarter, yet higher borrowing costs continue to keep larger renovation projects on hold. Chief Executive Officer Ted Decker added that customers are concentrating on smaller, budget-friendly improvements, a shift that began late last year. Merchandise inventories ended the quarter at $24.84 billion, broadly in line with expectations. Despite the shortfall, the company reaffirmed its full-year outlook for about 2.8 percent total sales growth, roughly 1 percent comparable-sales growth and an operating margin near 13 percent. Management also maintained guidance for a low-single-digit decline in adjusted earnings per share, signaling confidence that demand from professional contractors and do-it-yourself customers will remain resilient even as interest-rate and tariff pressures persist.