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Many companies in the home furnishings and furniture industry are enhancing their marketing efforts and improving internal efficiency in response to the industry's increased competitive environment., and the Internet has also become an important industry tool. The US domestic economy is also slowing and this is also having an effect on the industry due to its cyclical nature. Investors will find several interesting stocks in this sector, and some have growth potential for the next three to five years.

The furniture and home furnishings industry should experience modest earnings gains, despite increasing mortgage rates and a slowing of home building activity. Interest rates continue to be low historically, which should not cause a dramatic decrease in home purchases. The residential furniture sector continues to be dominated by manufacturer-retailer alliances, and office furniture suppliers are becoming more automated and focusing on the development of ergonomic products. Investments in this industry have suffered double-digit losses in 1994, a situation not likely to improve in 1995.

Industry analysts believe that the currently low price for stocks in the home furnishings and furniture market could be a good long term investment. The analysts point out that although interests rates have risen and home buying may have slowed, the furniture industry does not seem closely tied to home sales. The purchase of furniture generally lags behind home buying. However, only one of the 10 stocks listed have risen since Apr 1994. The majority of the rest have declined by double digits.

Furniture and home furnishing stocks have declined by 4% to 11% since Feb 1994, but should do well in 1994. These businesses usually do well once the economy is well into the recovery. One problem that exists include the fact that consumers perceive the price of furniture to be higher than the value. Manufacturers can help to fight this by reducing delivery times, which would take a large investment in new equipment, and by creating brand awareness.

Furniture and home furnishings industry stocks should perform well in 1994. New home construction and the higher sales of existing homes generally forecast sales of new furniture. However, analysts believe that new home owners may be taking advantage of low interest rates and spending all available cash on homes with none left over for furnishings. Sales of home furniture increased by 10% in 1993. Sales of office furnishings are expected to increase as well since many companies are investing in ergonomic furniture.

THE FEDERAL OPEN MARKET COMMITTEE on March 22 raised the federal funds interest rate by 25 basis points to 2 3/4 percent -- the seventh-straight rate rise since last June. [...]

HIGH POINT, N.C.-Never mind Elvis and Kathy Ireland. Celebrity collections may have dominated market buzz, but the bottom line was less flashy and most welcome: The buyers were back in [...]

Bassett Furniture Industries posted a decline of 11.6% in its sales for the 2003 second quarter. The company posted $71.5 million in sales for the period.

Bassett Furniture Industries Inc. share net dropped year-to-year as did sales and earnings. Shares offer limited long-term investment appeal with above-average dividend yield.

Bassett Furniture Industries posted a $1.3 million loss for the fiscal 2003 first quarter. The company also posted a drop of 13.6% in its sales for the period.

Bassett Furniture Inds. posted $6.7 million in net income for the fiscal year ending November 30, 2002. The company posted $2.6 million in losses in the fiscal year-before period. Bassett also posted a 5.8% in sales for the fiscal year.

Bassett Furniture Industries, Inc.'s continues its slow recovery and will benefit as U.S. economic conditions improve. Its shares are not yet recommended to investors until conditions improve.

High Point--This third edition of the Kids Today Vendor Scorecard, which covers the results of 12 suppliers to the juvenile home furnishings industry, shows that these companies, collectively, may have [...]

Three major home furniture manufacturers -- La-Z-Boy Inc., Bassett Furniture Industries Inc. and Hooker Furniture -- recently reported improved quarterly sales. La-Z-Boy, headquartered in Monroe, MI, reported sales of $596 [...]

Bassett Furniture Industries Inc. of Bassett, VA, announced that its first quarter 2002 sales improved by 2% over the first quarter of 2001 to $84.5 million, and by 8% over [...]

High Point -- This issue of Kids Today presents the first edition of the Kids Today Vendor Scorecard, covering 13 suppliers to the juvenile home furnishings industry. These publicly-held companies [...]

Bassett Furniture announced reported first-quarter sales of $99.8 million, compared with $97.5 million in the prior year, an increase of 2.4 percent. At Bassett's annual stockholders meeting, Paul Fulton, chairman [...]

BASSETT, Va.-Bassett Furniture Industries announced increased earnings per share and significantly improved operating income. Income from operations (excluding one-time charges in both 1998 and 1997) increased 51 percent for the [...]