Market

The Vegas market has a very strong mattress/bedding presence, and the World Market Center has done a good job bringing energy and focus to this sector. With Stump & Companys recently announced sale of Jamison Bedding to Solstice Sleep Products, we were busy on the bedding floors actively talking‎ with buyers and sellers.

Mergers & Acquisitions are front and center as the general economy is getting stronger, the furniture trends are positive, and capital remains relatively cheap. Strong companies are buying weak ones, large companies are buying small ones, and Private Equity is furiously looking for deals given their huge pool of available funds.

Stump & Company love the High Point Market in the fall when the weather is clear and cool, and this year we got a perfect Chamber of Commerce commercial: blue skies, calm winds and nice temperatures. Also we had strong attendance, good buying attitudes and no stock market crash.

Contract/Commercial furniture folks are upbeat, as business is strong across all sectors, and most people believe we have another 2-4 years of growth ahead of us.

Optimism at the market was palpable. Most owners mentioned looking 1-2-3 years down the road and seeing encouraging signs for increased sales growth and shareholder value creation. With these good feelings comes renewed chatter in the Merger & Acquisition market. Many Private Equity firms want out of existing positions, while plenty of others want in. Some will want to add to existing portfolios to bolster their holdings. Strategic acquisitions are likewise heating up.

Our team traveled to New York for the annual BDNY hospitality show at the Javits Center and it was fantastic!