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From Home Furnishing Business
Leggett & Platt Implement Restructuring Plan Expected to Generate Millions
January 16,
2024 by HFBusiness Staff in Business Strategy, Industry 
Diversified manufacturer Leggett & Platt announced that it is implementing a Restructuring Plan primarily in its Bedding Products segment and to a lesser extent, in its Furniture, Flooring & Textile Products segment. In response to evolving markets, the Company is taking actions to improve manufacturing and distribution efficiency, advance its product strategy, and further support customer needs.
These actions are expected to generate $40 to $50 million in EBIT benefit on an annualized run-rate basis when fully implemented in late 2025.
President and CEO Mitch Dolloff commented, "We are taking actions to create a more focused, agile organization with a portfolio of products and operating footprint aligned with the markets we serve. The bedding market has experienced unprecedented change in recent years and the competitive landscape has continued to evolve.”
“Reshaping our Bedding Products strategy is expected to better position us for long-term success as the leading provider of bedding solutions across the value chain. In addition, optimizing our operating footprint in both Bedding Products and Furniture, Flooring & Textile Products will reduce complexity and enhance the efficiency of our business. Looking forward, we expect to advance key product growth, improve profitability, and drive enhanced value for customers and shareholders."
OVERVIEW OF INITIATIVES
The major Bedding Products initiatives that are part of the Restructuring Plan include:
Refocusing Strategy: We are continuing to reshape our Bedding Products business to focus on innovative, higher-value content, driven by customer and end-consumer needs. We are proud of our long history of providing product solutions our customers value and see further opportunities to do so in both innersprings and specialty foam, from components to private label finished goods.
Optimizing Manufacturing and Distribution Footprint: We plan to consolidate certain locations across the Bedding Products segment, reducing our manufacturing and distribution footprint of 50 facilities to approximately 30 to 35 facilities.
Creating a new and more efficient regional distribution network will support our ability to maintain sufficient manufacturing capacity in fewer, higher-output facilities to effectively serve our customers and better align with anticipated future market demand. These actions should allow us to integrate our specialty foam and innerspring capabilities while maintaining market- leading service and product quality levels and improving overall efficiency.
The initiatives outlined above are expected to enable profitable growth through expanded product capabilities and increased content at attractive price points, reduce costs, and create shareholder value.
In Furniture, Flooring & Textile Products we plan to consolidate a small number of production facilities in Home Furniture and Flooring Products to better align capacity with regional demand and drive operating efficiencies.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
In total, the initiatives are expected to reduce annual sales by approximately $100 million and generate $40 to $50 million in EBIT benefit on an annualized run-rate basis when fully implemented in late 2025, with some of the benefit starting to be realized in the second half of 2024.
Additionally, we anticipate receiving approximately $60 to $80 million in net cash proceeds from the sale of real estate associated with the initiatives, with transactions largely complete by the end of 2025.
We expect to incur restructuring and restructuring-related costs of $65 to $85 million, of which approximately half are anticipated to be incurred in 2024 and the remainder in 2025. This includes $30 to $40 million in cash costs, the majority of which are anticipated to be incurred in 2024. In the first half of 2024, we anticipate $20 to $25 million of restructuring and restructuring-related costs (approximately half in cash costs).
LONG-TERM FINANCIAL TARGETS
In connection with the Restructuring Plan, we are withdrawing our previously stated Total Shareholder Return goal of 11–14% and financial targets, including revenue growth, EBIT margin, and dividend payout ratio. Revised financial targets will be issued at a future date. We are not changing our objectives of maintaining our investment grade debt ratings and our current dividend practices.
FOURTH QUARTER 2023 IMPAIRMENT CHARGE
In addition, but unrelated to the Restructuring Plan, we are impairing an estimated $450 million of long-lived assets (primarily intangibles) associated with prior year acquisitions in the Bedding Products segment. Prolonged weak demand and changing market dynamics have created disruption and financial instability for some of our customers.
As a result, recent efforts by certain customers to improve their financial position are expected to reduce our future sales and earnings. We are not otherwise updating guidance for, or reporting upon, our fourth quarter 2023 or full year 2023 financial results. These financial results and 2024 full year guidance will be released on Feb 8.
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Visit Leggett's website at www.leggett.com.