US RETAIL giant Home Depot says its inventory is 21 per cent lower that it as four years ago, but because of efficiency rather than reduction in consumer demand, which is rising.

The Atlanta-based company said it has benefited from a long-term supply chain scheme, reports Newark's Journal of Commerce, adding that the company cut inventory US$38 million year on year in the last quarter despite a 1.8 per cent revenue increase in the same period and a rise in net profits of 6.8 per cent to $1.19 billion.

The improvement has been attributed to the opening of its deployment centres, a growing network of distribution centres now serving 80 per cent of the company's US retail outlets, the report said.

Source: shipping online