some operating but Thank and certainly We hope your safe in This periods the will over environment, more observed. have unique ones the also us we company further decade with have reinforced distinct our loved call everyone. to agile our as than it context appreciate in strengthen that virus support today associates will quarter mentioned review customers and was a while structure. and morning we safe to providing the the dramatically supporting has flexible to respond you you, a consolidated communities. provide results first our good right healthy. joining and we to been Ted Ted quarter we everyone I I primarily actions changing made review three on of are to COVID-XX associates and products our have have And taken investments and ones. the direct business focused capital the our They for took some them last we be ever Today, before. keeping that our actions unprecedented also a color the our central the the and will and the allowed of
quarter, first from billion, the $XX.X last total year. In sales a were X.X% increase
in of for in of with quarter, positive Comps U.S. comps X.X% in with positive March April. in total X.X% February, positive X.X% February, in X.X% comps March were the X.X% in comps Our company the positive South April. in were quarter positive of the for Metro X.X% X.X% and The of regions Florida comps positive and and our From were comps York geographic three first the and posted two New divisions in regions. our all quarter. perspective, exceptions a XX XX U.S. U.S. had our X.X%
and our the period Puerto Rico negatively accordance York areas region for stores New south Florida surrounding that impacted with region local was had negatively given the a by outsized in of the impacted its closed and mandates. virus were in our impact time on being
the During regions. comps all into the period in relatively U.S., pre-COVID across February and stretching with strength mid-March, were double-digit positive in uniform
early we As we late and mandates moved into March experienced shelter-in-place country. the peak April, across
densely time, our which and customer decisive a most to areas. direct impact higher measures traffic stores sales, in acutely negative to felt restrict this implemented stores, we early volume urban had in in populated During our
percentage negative areas. the traffic over Over X of sales course to by underperforming on in points performance shelter-in-place lower comp weeks volume weekly these higher and double-digit self-imposed X mandates with volume stores limitations our stores pressured certain
first have comp the weeks second weeks strong with of across and acceleration quarter, home of significant improvement seen store, turn sales the during and the X to the of finally, continuing projects. into repairs to April we growth, X as most double-digit last a And customers performance
operating a result measures promote stores, but As have model levels our to in strong practices our ability flexed constrain higher our these ongoing demand. improve stores, distancing customer we of limits serve our in sales to volume continue social of to to
changes supply pressure primarily by continued chain decrease points by mix of expenses Friday was gross from XX shrink. was first in products offset part last our Annual driven the this This Spring the sold from the our and cancellation and was basis In favorability pressure This of X%, Black year. XX, quarter, margin year. event a and in by decrease of
if based worked for additional considered year expense to provision a During off of pay and for be sales points year for associates the reflects provision other any our reflecting the to it. for our paid-time associates off increased time to our choose at not during higher at accrued quarter. hourly CDC guidelines. enhanced de-leverage on associates, time and these associates paid be and out incurred points The the for first incremental risk benefits, bonuses XX.X%. will as our quarter, approximately percent overtime Weekly primarily to all of in created decision This of $XXX associates the totaling operating use expense be basis expense of end extend hourly million benefits XXX additional increase can used basis double during paid XXX enhanced which benefits hours approximately our
a year of addition, of plan recorded In approximately slight basis investment our expenses $XXX last expense points million, increase de-leverage. to strategic we XX versus creating related
we expense all leverage the basis and control of business areas navigated XXX Finally, that basis. in as expense on other showed the points approximately we strong drove of quarter
operating for Our was our to and quarter XX.X% to for by would XXXX. due approximately expense points of to million to quarter we first to X XX.X%. million $XX COVID-XX to expenses been of $XXX If have exclude in first debt margin primarily higher ago. long-term operating support grew associates, basis the other were our de-leverage margin XXX levels the Interest year related the than XX.X% quarter compared the the first
our XX.X% was of quarter flat XXXX. first tax first rate effective with the fiscal the In quarter,
made quarter per negatively first $XXX quarter Our were quarter diluted in $X.XX impacted in to of of first support our associates for earnings related $X.XX per approximately of $X.XX. expense share we earnings $X The compared share by XXXX. in million our first the to the enhancements diluted
at footage were end of the feet. X X Rico up was from end the store store opened inventory square quarter, bringing the million turns Xx, year. last At our X.Xx Mexico square Puerto Selling in to XXX we and quarter, the quarter X,XXX. the in During count new of
ago than a and of beginning long-term of equity year onset XX we months, XXXX. decrease the debt approximately I comment as trailing ending the And average will from was those This on COVID-XX primarily in took take little liquidity detail. invested first XX.X%, of the balances steps quarter moment return during debt long-term and enhance the on X on for fiscal and a down more capital higher position actions our Computed the XX.X% to pandemic. reflects to
mid-March, first quarter million we and strengthen to $XXX moved approximately repurchased repurchase share We we the liquidity our suspension, position a position. began very late of facility that or our the to PX commercial strong X.X shares billion million outstanding suspended to billion. had in we early quarter indefinitely. with billion program paper In stock. Prior with In to $X upsized conjunction we we credit March, from $X capacity our billion. expanded paper revolving our from $X.X AX program commercial In program, $X that upsizing
we of outstanding un-drawn. credit facilities no today, and commercial As have paper our are
coupon finally, we coupon of this adequate March And an with maturity of X%. than on is had liquidity more debt raised actions of important ensure $X were period approximately long-term XX, average average uncertainty. below we coupon of our This These during billion the staggered overall debt to average portfolio.
our merchandizing to to in took directly, nonessential and our as our we actions and addition, postponed strategic base. touch stores stores resets reduce changes of our our In of front-end activity a some that investments result including
our plan on seamless to committed strategic begun their investment focus value XXXX leverage Fiscal experience. actions customers While to interconnected to marks as new distancing, the pivot designed and to have Depot strategy. to prove ways. create third investments a and we These frictionless our of serve One we advantage our our extend already and in our year are competitive Home these reflect remain social
call are we guidance. Now, that fiscal that any fourth in I about impacts our how COVID-XX. we will provided the from on February excluded guidance thinking Recall XXXX on quarter comment
metrics has GDP, also initial traditional historically it which a performance guidance. surpassed like to-date of and expectations disconnected Our is we our have element sales as used our from foundational
activity a notice. customer exists of of on uncertainty suspending the are and guidance this As result impact our we that future level to further demand, and the until Covid-XX respect XXXX fiscal economic of with
business. of a not of the of for but for is stance reflection Our improvement home broad the demand range economy potential reflection a and outcomes our current rather
Our investments in they our places for serve have to to customers well continue products positioned strategic the essential us their homes need of with work.
Our have financial to strengthen is that steps further strong and we in taken position a company position.
strengthen we continue will stronger our as and advantages this competitive stronger believe will a invest We emerge to COVID-XX we company. team to a from and
Thank you call in for your now we are participation and ready questions. for today’s