Ace Hardware reports first quarter 2026 results
Ace Hardware Corporation announced on May 13 its financial results for the first quarter of 2026, reporting record revenues of $2.5 billion, which is a 10.9 percent increase from the same period in 2025. The company also reported net income of $70.1 million for the quarter, up by $39.8 million compared to the prior year.
The company highlighted that these results reflect strong growth across multiple areas of its business and recognized achievements in customer service and franchise rankings during this period. Ace Hardware was ranked number one in home improvement on Forbes’ 2026 Best Customer Service List and placed fourth as the best franchise globally according to Entrepreneur Magazine.
John Venhuizen, Chief Executive Officer of Ace Hardware Corporation, said, “Our record first quarter results reflect a simple truth: when we serve our neighbors with excellence and urgency, growth follows. Revenue up 10.9 percent, digital up 30 percent, and hardware format same-store sales up 6.1 percent with transactions rising 0.7 percent. Just as importantly, our team delivered a 129 percent increase in net income through strong growth and disciplined, judicious expense management, proof that being both fierce and frugal is still a winning formula.”
During the first quarter of 2026, approximately 4,000 Ace retailers who share daily retail sales data reported a U.S. retail same-store-sales increase of 4.9 percent due to higher average ticket values and increased transactions.
Consolidated revenues included wholesale revenues totaling $2.3 billion—an increase driven by gains in outdoor power equipment, lawn and garden products, and power tools—as well as retail revenues from Ace Retail Holdings (ARH) at $185.8 million after opening new stores since late-2024.
The company added a net total of sixteen domestic stores during the quarter—35 new store openings offset by nineteen closures—bringing its total domestic store count to over five thousand at the end of March.
Gross profit for wholesale operations rose to $305.8 million while retail gross profit reached $88.6 million; operating expenses remained largely stable relative to revenue growth at both wholesale and retail levels.
Receivables increased compared to last year due to higher sales volumes while inventories decreased following efforts to reduce overstock inventory levels; long-term debt also rose slightly over this period.