Haverty Furniture is showing its first positive signals after months of disappointment, with the Atlanta-based furniture retailer reporting unexpectedly strong numbers for the second quarter of 2025. Despite a challenging market environment, the company recorded its first revenue growth since Q4 2022, with sales increasing by 1.3 percent to $181 million, exceeding analyst expectations. Earnings per share reached $0.16, outperforming forecasts by two cents. The gross margin improved to 60.8 percent from 60.4 percent year-over-year, which CEO Steven Burdette attributed to new marketing and advertising strategies. This performance comes as a potential turning point for the stock, which has lost a substantial 29.4 percent over the past twelve months, currently trading at $20.87.
Financial Stability Despite Headwinds
Despite these improvements, Haverty continues to face significant challenges. Comparable store sales declined by 2.3 percent, reflecting ongoing pressure from a weak real estate market, low consumer confidence, and uncertainty regarding new tariffs. Administrative expenses increased by $4.2 million due to higher salaries and advertising costs, pushing the profit margin down to 1.5 percent. However, the company maintains a strong financial foundation with $113.8 million in cash reserves and zero debt. Management’s confidence in the future is demonstrated through continued dividend payments of $10.4 million and stock buybacks worth $2 million, despite an operational cash outflow of $13.4 million during the first six months of the year.
