Home improvement retailer Lowe’s has maintained strong sales despite what it calls a “challenging” environment.

The 1759-store giant maintained its guidance after $23.1 billion in sales for the fiscal first quarter, a 10.2 per cent increase on the previous year. This led to profits of $1.6 billion, a near-$200 million dip.

“Strong spring execution and continued momentum in pro, appliances, online, and home services supported a solid start to the year as we delivered our fourth consecutive quarter of positive comp sales,” said Marvin Ellison, Lowe’s chairman, president, and CEO. 

With 196 million sqft of retail selling space, Lowe’s has one of the largest physical store footprints in the country. Its current ‘Total Home Strategy’ hinges on using this retail footprint to create “one of the world’s most customer-centric, omnichannel retail experiences”.

“In spite of a challenging housing macro, we remain focused on advancing our Total Home strategy to provide the best experience for our customers,” Ellison added.