Consumer Hardlines Symposium: Beyond Tariffs — How Leading Furniture Companies Are Positioning for the Next Upcycle

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In this special WTR Consumer Hardlines Symposium, Shawn Severson, Doug Lane, and the Water Tower Research team host two industry leaders to discuss how furniture and home furnishings companies are managing through tariff volatility, inflationary pressures, and shifting consumer demand as they prepare for the next growth cycle.

Iv Culp, President and CEO of Culp, Inc. (NYSE: CULP), shares how the company’s Project Blaze cost optimization initiative—expected to generate $18 million in annual savings—and its multi-geography manufacturing platform have positioned Culp for supply chain resilience and margin expansion when demand rebounds.

Tiffany Hinkle, Assistant Vice President of Financial Reporting at Haverty Furniture Companies (NYSE: HVT), discusses how Haverty’s reduced its China exposure from 15% to under 5%, maintained stable margins amid tariffs, and optimized its cost structure to support future operating leverage and sustained dividend growth.

Together, the discussion explores how both companies are balancing capital discipline, domestic flexibility, and global sourcing while staying laser-focused on operational efficiency and shareholder value—illustrating how U.S. hardline companies are preparing for recovery in 2026 and beyond.