Home improvement is hot (sort of)

Of the 100 retailers on the National Retail Federation’s “Hot 100 Chart,” six are firmly planted in the home improvement industry – and five of the six are in the Top 40.

Research firm Kantar Retail provided the data for the Hot 100 list, which ranks the company’s by sales growth in 2014, compared to 2013. Department store retailer Hudson’s Bay took top honors with a 254.1% rate of growth, and the top 10 was sprinkled with up and coming, trendy apparel retailers.

Among home improvement retailers, Burnsville, Minnesota-based Northern Tool and Equipment, the 2007 Golden Hammer Retailer of the Year, appears in 10th place, with sales growth of 41.3%.

While six out of 100 might not sound like a significant representation from home improvement, the competition was keen – bringing up the rear of the Top 100 were Costco (91), Apple Stores (94) and Lucky Brand (95).

Here are how the six home improvement companies fared among the Hot 100:

10. Northern Tool and Equipment, up 41.3%

24. Ace Hardware, up 18.7%

34. Rural King Supply, up 14.3%

36. Sherwin-Williams, up 13.2%

38. Tractor Supply Company, up 12.7%

84. Leslie’s Poolmart, up 7.1%

The NRF list can be found here.

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