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Culp, Inc. Releases Third Quarter Results for 2025

March 6, 2025  by Karen Parrish in Business Strategy, Industry   

Fiscal 2025 Third Quarter Financial Highlights

Consolidated net sales of $52.3 million
—  Down 6.1 percent compared sequentially to last quarter, with mattress fabrics sales down
4.8 percent and upholstery fabrics sales down 7.8 percent
— Continued improvement in mattress fabrics operating performance, with a 58.3 percent sequential reduction in operating loss on lower sales (following a 70.7 percent sequential reduction last quarter)
— Continued profitability in upholstery fabrics segment in extremely challenging industry environment

GAAP consolidated loss from operations of $(3.9) million (includes $2.3 million in restructuring expense and related charges)

- Non-GAAP loss from operations of $(1.6) million (see reconciliation table on page 15)

- Sequential reduction in consolidated operating loss despite lower sales, driven primarily by positive impact of mattress fabrics restructuring, including improved operating efficiencies, lower fixed costs, and lower SG&A

Net loss of $(4.1) million, improved sequentially from a net loss of $(5.6) million last quarter

Adjusted EBITDA for the period was close to break-even at negative $(123,000), a sequential improvement of approximately $1.1 million with $3.4 million less in sales as compared to last quarter (see reconciliation table on page 19)

Current mattress fabrics restructuring initiatives substantially completed in January; also entered into a conditional agreement for the sale of the Canadian real estate, contingent on the satisfaction of due diligence and closing conditions

- Currently expect to receive approximately $6.0 million to $8.0 million in cash proceeds (net of all taxes and commissions) from the real estate sale

$5.3 million in cash, $5.4 million in outstanding borrowings used to fund worldwide working capital and restructuring initiatives

Commenting on CULP's third quarter performance, Iv Culp, President and Chief Executive Officer, said, "Despite continued macro industry weakness, we achieved further sequential improvement in our operating results for the quarter, driven largely by the positive effects of our mattress fabrics restructuring activity. We also continue to see increasing potential to grow our market share, particularly with new business opportunities for mattress fabrics and sewn mattress covers. We remain very confident in the future of our two business segments, especially considering the competitive advantages generated from a more streamlined cost structure with an agile manufacturing and sourcing platform and our market-leading design and innovation capabilities, ultimately supported by an eventual market recovery.

"Our mattress fabrics segment continued to reduce its operating loss, building on the prior quarter improvement, and we also achieved near break-even consolidated adjusted EBITDA for the quarter, even with lower sequential sales. We are pleased that our restructuring initiatives within the mattress fabrics segment are mostly finished. The team has worked hard to execute on our plans, and they are beginning to generate the savings and efficiency improvements we anticipated.

"Additionally, we entered into an agreement for the sale of our Canadian mattress fabrics facility during the quarter, and we are working to close this transaction in the upcoming months. Assuming completion, we intend to use the cash proceeds to pay off outstanding borrowings and further bolster our liquidity.

"Our consolidated sales for the third quarter were down sequentially, largely due to ongoing weakness in the home furnishings industry and, as expected, specific pressure on residential upholstery fabric sales that was exacerbated by some unique inventory adjustments from a large customer. Sales were also pressured in both segments by fewer shipping days due to holiday closures and weather-related disruptions during the quarter. However, we noted stronger demand in our upholstery fabrics hospitality/contract business, with both year-over-year and sequential increases in sales for the third quarter. Despite the tough residential demand environment, we remain pleased with this segment's continuing profitability, supported by our asset-light and flexible global platform.

"Looking ahead at the various and ongoing macro-economic headwinds, including increasing tariff uncertainty, as well as industry consolidation, we believe we are well positioned in both businesses with strong customer relationships and a variety of agile manufacturing and sourcing options. We are confident that our actions to optimize the cost platform in our mattress fabrics segment will enable us to return to profitability post-restructuring, even at currently depressed demand levels.

"Moreover, we took new and additional cost saving actions in the third quarter related to labor and professional fees that we expect will generate annual savings of approximately $1.0 million. We are also targeting further strategic actions to synergize and create more cost and operating efficiencies across our businesses going forward. Our management team continues to diligently focus on controlling what we can control and taking the critical steps to position our business for profitability as we head into fiscal 2026," added Culp.

Restructuring Update
The restructuring plan announced on May 1, 2024, primarily focused on the company's mattress fabrics segment, was substantially complete as of the end of the third quarter. The company still expects to generate $10.0 - $11.0 million in annualized savings and operating improvements following the restructuring, with most of the benefits beginning to be realized during the fourth quarter of fiscal 2025.

Based on completed restructuring activities, along with remaining restructuring estimates primarily related to limited ongoing building maintenance in Canada, the company now expects to incur total restructuring and restructuring-related costs and charges of $8.5 million in fiscal 2025, of which $5.3 million is now expected to be cash expenditures. The company still expects to fund close to $1.8 million of the cash costs with proceeds from the sale of excess manufacturing equipment and proceeds from a building lease termination in Haiti.

These restructuring and restructuring-related costs and charges exclude any gain on the sale of owned real estate in Canada, the amount and precise timing of which is currently unknown, which would ultimately reduce the total amount of charges incurred. The company has entered into a conditional agreement for the sale of the Canadian real estate, contingent on the satisfaction of certain due diligence and closing conditions. Assuming completion of the transaction, the company currently anticipates receiving approximately $6.0 to $8.0 million in cash proceeds (net of all taxes and commissions).

Third Quarter Fiscal 2025 Results versus Third Quarter Fiscal 2024 Results
Net sales were $52.3 million, down 13.5 percent compared with the prior-year period, with mattress fabrics sales down 4.6 percent and upholstery fabrics sales down 22.4 percent.

Loss from operations was $(3.9) million (which included $2.3 million in restructuring expense and related charges during the period), compared with a loss from operations of $(1.7) million for the prior-year period (which included $111,000 in restructuring and related credits during the period).

Adjusted loss from operations was $(1.6) million, compared with an adjusted loss from operations of $(1.9) million for the prior-year period. (See reconciliation table on page 15). Adjusted operating performance as compared to the third quarter of fiscal 2024 was supported by improved operating efficiencies resulting from the mattress fabrics segment's restructuring initiatives, lower fixed costs, and lower SG&A.

Net loss was $(4.1) million, or $(0.33) per diluted share, compared with a net loss of $(3.2) million, or $(0.26) per diluted share, for the prior-year period. The effective tax rate for the third quarter was negative (12.1) percent, reflecting the company’s mix of taxable income between its U.S. and foreign jurisdictions during the period.

Financial Outlook
Due to macro-economic and increasing tariff uncertainty, the company expects continued industry sales pressure and is only providing limited financial guidance at this time.

Consolidated net sales for the fourth quarter expected to show some growth year-over-year (and expected to remain flat sequentially), with an expected increase in the mattress fabrics segment, offset by ongoing pressure on residential upholstery fabric sales due to weak industry demand and impact from the timing of the Chinese new year holiday (which this year falls entirely in the fourth quarter).

Currently expect continued sequential improvement in adjusted EBITDA (excluding restructuring and related charges), with further improvement in mattress fabrics profitability in the fourth quarter; and a foundation for a return to consolidated operating income in fiscal 2026.

The company’s expectations are based on information available at the time of this press release and reflect certain assumptions by management regarding the company’s business and trends, the projected impact of restructuring actions, and ongoing market headwinds. The company's expectations also assume no further meaningful impacts from tariffs and trade negotiations.

Conference Call
A replay of the webcast will be available for 30 days under the "Past Events" section on the investor relations page of the company’s website, beginning at 2:00 p.m. Eastern Time on March 6, 2025.