The Home Depot Inc. did better than expected in the first quarter, posting net income growth of 44.4 percent.

The Atlanta-based home improvement retailer had net income of $514 million and earnings of 30 cents a share, compared with net income of $356 million and earnings of 21 cents a share in the same period of 2008.

Analysts were projecting earnings of 28 cents a share for the first quarter of 2009.

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