Lowe's Sales Up 11% in Q1, Earnings Flat at $1.6 Billion
Mooresville, NC, May 20, 2026—Lowe’s reported total sales for Q1 2026 were $23.1 billion, a 11% increase compared to sales of $20.9 billion in the prior-year quarter.
Today's Flooring News
Keep up to date with the most recent news in the flooring industry. Today's News...As it happens! We update this news several times a day so you can stay connected.
Architecture Billings Declined Slightly to 48.3 in April
Washington, DC, May 20, 2026—The AIA/Deltek Architecture Billings Index (ABI) fell from 49.8 in March, when billings were essentially flat, to 48.3 in April, signaling that more firms reported declining billings than rising billings.
Global Container Rates Climb Due to Strait of Hormuz Disruption
Greensboro, NC, May 20, 2026—“Global container spot rates rose sharply this week as carriers implemented new surcharges tied to the war involving Iran and ongoing disruption around the Strait of Hormuz, according to the latest update from supply chain analytics firm Drewry,” reported by Furniture Today.
More Homes Are For Sale But Prices Are Out of Reach for Buyers
Washington, DC, May 20, 2026—Households today can access about one-quarter fewer homes than they could in a balanced market, according to a new joint report from the National Association of Realtors and Realtor.com.
Mortgage Applications Declined 2.3% in Week Ending May 15
Washington, DC, May 20, 2026— Mortgage applications decreased 2.3% from one week earlier, according to data from the Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA) Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey for the week ending May 15.
More Than One-Third of Home Sellers Cut Their Asking Price in April
Seattle, WA, May 20, 2026—More than one-third (35.4%) of U.S. home sellers cut their asking price in April, reports Redfin. That’s down slightly from 35.6% a month earlier on a seasonally adjusted basis, and down from a record high of 36.6% in August.
Home Depot Q1 Sales Up 4.8%, Earnings Down 4.2%
Atlanta, GA, May 19, 2026—The Home Depot reported sales of $41.8 billion for Q1 2026, an increase of 4.8% from Q1 2025. Comparable sales for Q1 2026 increased 0.6%, and comparable sales in the U.S. increased 0.4%.
April Pending Home Sales Up 1.4% from March, 3.2% YOY
Washington, DC, May 19, 2026—Pending home sales in April increased by 1.4% month over month and rose 3.2% year over year, according to the National Association of Realtors Pending Home Sales report.
Taylor Adhesives Names Liebert General Manager, Grogan to Retire
Mentor, OH, May 18, 2026-Avery Dennison Corporation has announced that Matthias “Matt” Liebert has been appointed general manager of Taylor Adhesives, a wholly owned Avery Dennison subsidiary. Taylor Adhesives is a provider of adhesives, coatings and specialty installation products to the flooring industry.
NALFA Updates LF-01 Performance Standard
Springfield, MA, May 19, 2026—The North American Laminate Flooring Association (NALFA) has approved proposed updates to LF-01, its ANSI-accredited performance standard for laminate flooring, marking an important milestone in the association’s ongoing commitment to maintaining credible, current, and performance-based standards for the industry.