Home Depot 2009 Annual Report Download - page 4

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paint, Behr Premium Plus Ultra®, which is paint and primer in one can. Through our focus on everyday low
pricing and innovation, we are committed to meeting those expectations.
Your company is financially strong. During the year we retired $1.75 billion of senior notes and re-entered the
share repurchase market, repurchasing approximately $200 million of outstanding shares. On February 23,
2010, your Board of Directors approved a 5 percent increase in our dividend, the first increase since 2006.
At The Home Depot, our goal is to provide the best customer service and product authority in home
improvement retail. Taking care of our associates is an important part of taking care of our customers. For
2009, we issued success sharing checks in excess of $146 million to our hourly associates. This is more than we
have ever paid out.
Our strategy remains simple and straightforward: We are passionate about customer service. We are – and must
continue to be – the number one authority on products in the home improvement market. And we will drive
shareholder return through disciplined capital allocation.
I hope as you spend time in our stores you will notice our continuing improvement.
Francis S. Blake
Chairman & Chief Executive Officer
March 25, 2010