News
Articles & Publications
Our team frequently contributes to industry publications offering analysis and insight on emerging trends in the global home furnishings marketplace. Stump consistently engages with strategic buyers, private equity firms and family offices to identify the next generation of investors for the furniture industry. The Stump team's demonstrated levels of knowledge and experience in the marketplace is unparalleled.
Articles & Publications
2021 Disruptions to the Home Furnishings Industry
by Stuart Stump Mullens
Stuart Stump Mullens discusses the ongoing E-commerce boom and how it's changing the Home Furnishings landscape.
2021 Disruptions to the Home Furnishings Industry
Stuart Stump Mullens discusses the ongoing E-commerce boom and how it's changing the Home Furnishings landscape.
Articles & Publications
2021 is Expected to be a Boom Year for Mergers and Acquisitions
2020 will go down in history as an epic year of frustration, disappointment, hardship and much more. In the business world, however, we have seen an amazing stock market rally, encouraging data on a quick macro-economic recovery and positive signs for a stronger 2021.
2021 is Expected to be a Boom Year for Mergers and Acquisitions
2020 will go down in history as an epic year of frustration, disappointment, hardship and much more. In the business world, however, we have seen an amazing stock market rally, encouraging data on a quick macro-economic recovery and positive signs for a stronger 2021.
Articles & Publications
A Furniture History Lesson
by Tim Stump
Our most recent transaction, the sale of Braxton Culler, Inc., is a classic win-win Stump deal, with clear synergies for the buyer and a terrific steward for Braxton’s compelling legacy.
A Furniture History Lesson
Our most recent transaction, the sale of Braxton Culler, Inc., is a classic win-win Stump deal, with clear synergies for the buyer and a terrific steward for Braxton’s compelling legacy.
Articles & Publications
A New Year Begins: 2025
by Bo Stump
Bo Stump, Stump & Co, shares a cautiously optimistic outlook for the furniture industry in 2025, highlighting signs of recovery, growth potential across residential, commercial, and hospitality sectors, and a favorable M&A environment on the horizon.
A New Year Begins: 2025
Bo Stump, Stump & Co, shares a cautiously optimistic outlook for the furniture industry in 2025, highlighting signs of recovery, growth potential across residential, commercial, and hospitality sectors, and a favorable M&A environment on the horizon.
Articles & Publications
A look at private equity in the furniture industry
by Bo Stump
Bo Stump dives into the increasing role private equity has played in the evolution of the residential furniture industry and M&A transactions.
A look at private equity in the furniture industry
Bo Stump dives into the increasing role private equity has played in the evolution of the residential furniture industry and M&A transactions.
Articles & Publications
Acquisition Complete: What are Karat Home’s Plans for Z Gallerie?
Karat Home acquired Z Gallerie’s e-commerce assets in a $7.2M bankruptcy deal, with Stump & Co. serving as investment banker for the transaction.
Acquisition Complete: What are Karat Home’s Plans for Z Gallerie?
Karat Home acquired Z Gallerie’s e-commerce assets in a $7.2M bankruptcy deal, with Stump & Co. serving as investment banker for the transaction.
Articles & Publications
An Outlook on the Furniture Industry
by Bo Stump
2020 has proven to be the most challenging and perplexing year of the new century. A global pandemic went from 0 to 6 million cases in a matter of months, with hundreds of thousands of casualties. The crisis sparked rapid job layoffs, business closures, plummeting GDP numbers, and a collapse in equity markets.
An Outlook on the Furniture Industry
2020 has proven to be the most challenging and perplexing year of the new century. A global pandemic went from 0 to 6 million cases in a matter of months, with hundreds of thousands of casualties. The crisis sparked rapid job layoffs, business closures, plummeting GDP numbers, and a collapse in equity markets.
Articles & Publications
An Outlook on the Furniture Industry
by Bo Stump
The furniture industry, like many others, has experienced rapid changes this year. Most notably: Consumption Patterns. The existential COVID-19 mandate to work (or for many, live) at home all day, every day, has been a boon to home and home office furnishings suppliers, as many consumers realized they needed a better home office, while others took the opportunity to upgrade dining and living areas.
An Outlook on the Furniture Industry
The furniture industry, like many others, has experienced rapid changes this year. Most notably: Consumption Patterns. The existential COVID-19 mandate to work (or for many, live) at home all day, every day, has been a boon to home and home office furnishings suppliers, as many consumers realized they needed a better home office, while others took the opportunity to upgrade dining and living areas.
Articles & Publications
BOH Podcast - The State of the Furniture Industry
Dennis Scully and Fred Nicolaus cover design industry news—from tariffs to Instagram lawsuits—then Tim and Bo Stump share insights on today’s furniture market.
BOH Podcast - The State of the Furniture Industry
Dennis Scully and Fred Nicolaus cover design industry news—from tariffs to Instagram lawsuits—then Tim and Bo Stump share insights on today’s furniture market.
Articles & Publications
Blog: 2021 – change, scale & opportunity
by Bo Stump
Ashley’s recently announced $1 billion capital investment over 18 months is a blockbuster that all of us in the furniture industry should take notice of. It is clear evidence of the need to remain agile, constantly improve and anticipate the numerous seismic changes coming around the next corner.
Blog: 2021 – change, scale & opportunity
Ashley’s recently announced $1 billion capital investment over 18 months is a blockbuster that all of us in the furniture industry should take notice of. It is clear evidence of the need to remain agile, constantly improve and anticipate the numerous seismic changes coming around the next corner.
Articles & Publications
Bo Stump featured in Axial's 2023 Consumer M&A Market Outlook
Bo Stump shares M&A insights in Axial's 2023 Consumer Market Outlook analysis.
Bo Stump featured in Axial's 2023 Consumer M&A Market Outlook
Bo Stump shares M&A insights in Axial's 2023 Consumer Market Outlook analysis.
Articles & Publications
Confronted with supply chain pressures
by Bo Stump
“Never let a good crisis go to waste” is a famous quote often attributed to Rahm Emmanuel, but in reality it was first said by Winston Churchill (and we assume by many other less-famous individuals in the past).
Confronted with supply chain pressures
“Never let a good crisis go to waste” is a famous quote often attributed to Rahm Emmanuel, but in reality it was first said by Winston Churchill (and we assume by many other less-famous individuals in the past).
Articles & Publications
Four factors feeding record furniture sales
by Stuart Stump Mullens
In their latest earnings reports, many home furnishing retailers are reporting record-breaking quarters. This is a historical anomaly for the industry — to be leading the charge out of a recession (though a welcome one).
We see four primary influences driving these results, some that should continue as tailwinds to the industry and others that are helpful in the moment but will likely abate with time
Four factors feeding record furniture sales
In their latest earnings reports, many home furnishing retailers are reporting record-breaking quarters. This is a historical anomaly for the industry — to be leading the charge out of a recession (though a welcome one).
We see four primary influences driving these results, some that should continue as tailwinds to the industry and others that are helpful in the moment but will likely abate with time
Articles & Publications
Furniture Industry M&A with Bo Stump
by Bo Stump
Peter Lehrman speaks with Bo Stump of Stump & Company about the evolution of the furniture supply chain, trends shaping valuations and buyer appetite, and how his team approaches M&A processes, exit strategies, and timing in the furniture and home goods sector.
Furniture Industry M&A with Bo Stump
Peter Lehrman speaks with Bo Stump of Stump & Company about the evolution of the furniture supply chain, trends shaping valuations and buyer appetite, and how his team approaches M&A processes, exit strategies, and timing in the furniture and home goods sector.
Articles & Publications
How Do You Find The Right Buyer For Furniture Companies?
by Stuart Stump Mullens
Stuart Stump Mullens explains how M&A advisors find the right buyers for furniture companies by aligning goals, finances, and deal expectations.
How Do You Find The Right Buyer For Furniture Companies?
Stuart Stump Mullens explains how M&A advisors find the right buyers for furniture companies by aligning goals, finances, and deal expectations.
Articles & Publications
How Shipping Delays Turned Used Furniture Into a Hot Commodity
Interior designers and homeowners are turning to antique, vintage and even contemporary resale furnishings for quicker delivery.
How Shipping Delays Turned Used Furniture Into a Hot Commodity
Interior designers and homeowners are turning to antique, vintage and even contemporary resale furnishings for quicker delivery.
Articles & Publications
Let’s Make a Deal? M&A Experts Say That Landscape is Changing
M&A experts Bo Stump and Howard Armistead say the post-pandemic furniture industry is seeing fewer, smaller, cash-funded deals as private equity retreats and companies face tougher financial conditions.
Let’s Make a Deal? M&A Experts Say That Landscape is Changing
M&A experts Bo Stump and Howard Armistead say the post-pandemic furniture industry is seeing fewer, smaller, cash-funded deals as private equity retreats and companies face tougher financial conditions.
Articles & Publications
M&A in a Family-Owned Business
by Stuart Stump Mullens
Stump & Company has been honored to represent hundreds of family businesses over the last 50 years and find that several factors impact family businesses disproportionately to financial or corporately owned businesses.
M&A in a Family-Owned Business
Stump & Company has been honored to represent hundreds of family businesses over the last 50 years and find that several factors impact family businesses disproportionately to financial or corporately owned businesses.
Articles & Publications
Profile: The Stump Companies
Nearly 50 years ago Charlotte businessman Ralph Stump founded The Stump Companies with a clear mission to provide owners of the furniture industries with real estate transactions and trusted, smart and confidential financial leadership overseeing mergers and acquisitions.
Profile: The Stump Companies
Nearly 50 years ago Charlotte businessman Ralph Stump founded The Stump Companies with a clear mission to provide owners of the furniture industries with real estate transactions and trusted, smart and confidential financial leadership overseeing mergers and acquisitions.
Articles & Publications
Putting the Recession in Perspective
by Tim Stump
Tim Stump considers the challenges alongside many of the positives in today’s economy.
Putting the Recession in Perspective
Tim Stump considers the challenges alongside many of the positives in today’s economy.
Articles & Publications
Reflections on 2020 and a look forward to 2021
by Bo Stump
On February 24th we attended Billy Joel’s monthly concert in NYC’s Madison Square Garden and never considered that COVID could become an issue here, despite it beginning to circle the globe. By mid-March the US was shut down, the stock market was plummeting, and unemployment was skyrocketing.
Reflections on 2020 and a look forward to 2021
On February 24th we attended Billy Joel’s monthly concert in NYC’s Madison Square Garden and never considered that COVID could become an issue here, despite it beginning to circle the globe. By mid-March the US was shut down, the stock market was plummeting, and unemployment was skyrocketing.
Articles & Publications
Retail’s Omnichannel Transformation Drives LMM M&A
Bo Stump, a Partner at Stump & Company, and Jason Somerville, the Founder and Managing Partner at Global Wired Advisors, help put these trends into context.
Retail’s Omnichannel Transformation Drives LMM M&A
Bo Stump, a Partner at Stump & Company, and Jason Somerville, the Founder and Managing Partner at Global Wired Advisors, help put these trends into context.
Articles & Publications
Struck by the power of the ports
by Stuart Stump Mullens
A visit to the United State's fastest-growing and third-largest-by-volume container terminal reveals the powerful investment the Port of Savannah has made to maintain the accurate pace for the U.S. economy's import and export needs.
Struck by the power of the ports
A visit to the United State's fastest-growing and third-largest-by-volume container terminal reveals the powerful investment the Port of Savannah has made to maintain the accurate pace for the U.S. economy's import and export needs.
Articles & Publications
Stump Interview with Axial
Axial interviewed Stump's second generation partners, Stuart Mullens and Bo Stump to get their first hand perspectives on furniture sales trends.
Stump Interview with Axial
Axial interviewed Stump's second generation partners, Stuart Mullens and Bo Stump to get their first hand perspectives on furniture sales trends.