July 24,
2014 by in General 
After a slump in 2014Q1, the Industry increased 3.3% in quarter 2 with sales totaling $21.80 billion. Combined Furniture and Bedding increased 3.1% from the second quarter of 2013.
Furniture (excluding Bedding) experienced an increase of 2.9% over 2013Q2 and rose significantly since the first quarter of 2014 – up 4.2%. Although Bedding declined (-1.8%) over last quarter, sales are still up 4.0% from 2013Q2.
July 18,
2014 by in General
Despite the improving economy, median household incomes remain flat well after the Great Recession’s bottom in 2009. According to the Census Bureau’s report, median household income, adjusted for inflation, was $51,017 in 2012 – down (- 8.3%) from 2007 and (-4.3%) from 2009.
July 11,
2014 by in General
In 2012, the top 20% of households (Highest Fifth) were responsible for over 50% of the total income generated in the United States – the top 5 percent contributing 22.3% to the overall total. Although the Fourth Fifth quintile contributed 23.0% to the total income in 2012, the 60% of households below it only earned a combined share of 25.9%.
The Highest Fifth of households increased their share of income from 2002 to 2012 by growing from 49.7% to 51.0%, while the lower 80% of households all decreased their shares of the total income earned during the same 10 year span.
July 3,
2014 by in General
The slow and even stagnant growth is strongly depicted by the middle and lower quintiles from 2007 to 2012. While the Lowest Fifth of households increased their mean incomes by 16% from 2002 to 2007, they decreased by (-1%) from 2007 to 2012. Both the Second Fifth and Third Fifth quintiles had minimal growth of 1.5% from 2007 to 2012 after increasing 16.5% in the previous 5 year span.
The Fourth Fifth household, traditionally the core of the furniture industry, had a steady increase of 18% from 2002 to 2007, but has shown a disappointing growth of only 4% in mean income from 2007 to 2012. While the Highest Fifth gained most of it’s income growth from 2002 to 2007, it did increase by 8% the following five years.
Unlike the bottom 80%, the Top 5 Percent kept up their steady growth rate from 2007 to 2012 by increasing 11% in mean household income – further widening the income gap from the rest of the population.
June 20,
2014 by in General
U.S. households are frequently divided by the Department of Commerce into equal “fifths” in terms of mean (average) income. This division helps track the movement of households within the income classes, i.e. Poverty, Lower Income, Middle Income, Upper Income, and High Income.
Looking at the mean household income from 2002 to 2012, the slow growth of the lower 80% of households is apparent, while the top 20% is growing at a steady rate with the top 5 percent adding to the widening gap between the middle class and high income households.
Both the Highest Fifth and Top 5 percent of households grew 27% from 2002. The Top 5 percent jumped from a mean income of $251,000 in 2002 to $318,052 in 2012, while the highest 20% overall increased from $143,743 to $181,905.
In 2012, the mean household income for the Fourth Fifth quintile was $82,098 and $51,179 for the Third Fifth – both increasing an average of 21% from 2002. The lowest 2/5th of households increased their mean incomes by an average of 16%.
June 16,
2014 by in General
Bedding sales jumped by 11.5% in the first quarter of 2014 after a disappointing slump in late 2013. This growth in sales allowed the Bedding Industry to match and slightly surpass sales in the same quarter as last year. Year-to-date, sales are up 0.25%.
*Historical data has been revised
May 30,
2014 by in General
The chart above shows the performance quarter-to-quarter for 2011 through the first quarter of 2014. While the Bedding Industry had a slight growth of 0.2% quarter to quarter (2013Q1 to 2014Q1), sales are up 11.5% over the fourth quarter of 2013.
*Historical data has been revised
May 27,
2014 by in General
The Industry continues a gradual decline since its peak growth in 2013Q3, with sales totaling $21.14 billion. Although dropping (-0.9)% from the previous quarter, Combined Furniture and Bedding increased 0.9% from the first quarter of 2013.
Furniture (excluding Bedding) experienced a slight increase of 1.0% over 2013Q1, but declined (-2.7)% over last year’s final quarter. Bedding jumped 11.5% from 2013Q4, while maintaining a flat growth of 0.2% compared with quarter 1 of 2013. Year-to-date, both Furniture and Bedding are up less than 1%.
May 16,
2014 by in General
All of the income segments were affected by the recession that peaked in 2009. As the data shows, spending levels for the higher income groups declined the most, but are now bouncing back at a higher rate.
Households making $150,000 and over spent 44% less from 2007 to 2009 but increased 26% from 2009 to 2013Q2 with an average annual expenditure of $1,311. After spending 35% less from 2007 to 2009, those making $100,000 to $149,999 upped their annual spending by 25% in 2013Q2.
Median household income has dropped from $56,080 in 1999 to $51,017 in 2013. Average annual spending for the income group closest to the national average ($50,000 to $69,999) has shown the same trend -decreasing since 2003 (with a flat growth of 2% from 2009 to 2013Q2).
Spending for those making $20,000 to $49,999 stayed relatively static from 2003 to 2013Q2 (down slightly by 3%). While households making $20,000 and under dropped by (-18% ) over the same period –averaging just $103.
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, “Consumer Expenditure Survey” and Impact Consulting model.
May 9,
2014 by in General
When it comes to average annual furniture purchases, households making $150,000 and over are spending exponentially more than lower income households. With an average annual expenditure of $1,311 in 2013Q2, the $150,000 and over group (just 9.5% of the total furniture buying population) is spending almost double those households making between $100,000 to $149,000.
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, “Consumer Expenditure Survey” and Impact Consulting model.