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In the quarter ending May 1, 2022 (some companies have weird calendars), Home Depot Inc. reported an 8.2% decline in customer transactions from the same quarter in 2021 — a time when, as you may remember, home improvement had become the national pastime. But thanks to an 11.4% increase in the average transaction size, due in large part to sharply rising prices for lumber and other building materials, the company was able to report increases in sales per retail square foot and overall profits that surprised markets and made investors happy.