Home Depot Bets $18.3B on Contractors with Largest-Ever Acquisition of SRS Distribution

• Home Depot is acquiring SRS Distribution, a supplier to professional contractors, for $18.3 billion - its largest acquisition ever • The deal expands Home Depot's business with professional customers as the DIY market stalls • Home Depot gets about half its sales from housing professionals who spend more than DIY customers • Home Depot's DIY sales boomed during the pandemic but have slowed as consumers cut spending • The acquisition faces potential regulatory hurdles under the Federal Trade Commission's scrutiny of anti-competitive practices