HNI Corporation Reports Fourth Quarter and Fiscal Year 2024 Results

HNI Corporation (NYSE: HNI) today announced net sales of $2.526 billion and net income of $139.5 million for the full year ended December 28, 2024. Fourth quarter net sales and net income were $642.5 million and $38.3 million, respectively.

Highlights

• Solid full-year earnings growth and margin expansion. Full-year non-GAAP EPS increased 15.5 percent year-on-year despite lower net sales. Consolidated operating margin expanded 450 basis points on a GAAP basis and 130 basis points on a non-GAAP basis versus 2023. The performance was driven by profit transformation initiatives, synergy benefits, and price-cost strategies. Non-GAAP to GAAP reconciliations follow the financial statements in this release.
• Elevated earnings visibility in 2025 and 2026. The Corporation continues to expect significant savings from the Kimball International (“KII”) acquisition synergies and from the ramp-up of its Mexico facility to benefit the 2025-2026 period. These two initiatives are expected to contribute an additional $0.70 to $0.80 of EPS over the next two years.
• 2025 outlook points to a return of net sales growth. Workplace Furnishings order rates, backlog levels, and pre-order metrics remain encouraging. Fourth quarter Residential Building Products orders grew eight percent compared to the prior year, with quarter-to-date growth continuing. Segment backlog is up double-digits year-on-year. Given these positive indicators and improving business sentiment, consolidated net sales growth is expected to return in 2025. Most of the increase is expected to come from Workplace Furnishings, with year-over-year growth rates increasing as the year progresses.
• Strong balance sheet and cash flow. Operating cash flow exceeded $225 million in 2024 and year-ending gross debt leverage was 1.1x, as calculated in accordance with the Corporation’s debt agreements. That ratio was unchanged from the end of the third quarter of 2024. The Corporation deployed cash flow by further accelerating stock repurchase activity in the fourth quarter, while maintaining its longstanding quarterly dividend. For the year, gross buybacks and dividends paid totaled $129 million.

“Our strong full-year results, in both segments, demonstrate the strength of our strategies and customer-first business model. Our members delivered another year of excellent operational and financial performance. Full-year non-GAAP EPS grew more than 15 percent year-over-year, our third straight year of double-digit earnings growth. Our earnings per share reached a new record in 2024.

“In the Workplace Furnishings segment, our profit transformation plan and recognition of KII synergies delivered 44 percent full-year segment non-GAAP operating profit growth. Segment non-GAAP operating profit margin of 9.5 percent expanded to the highest annual level since 2007. While our fourth quarter profitability was impacted by lower year-on-year net sales, pre-order metrics continue to show improvement, backlog levels are up, and return-to-office plans are gaining momentum, all pointing to a return of net sales growth in 2025. And we are increasingly focusing our investments on driving growth in this segment.

“In Residential Building Products, we expanded segment non-GAAP operating profit margin 50 basis points for the full year, despite a challenging housing market that impacted net sales in the fourth quarter and fiscal year. Our results demonstrate the dedication of our members and strength of our business model. We believe in the long-term opportunities tied to the broader housing market, and in the strength of our market-leading positions and profitable operating model. And we continue to invest accordingly.

“Again in 2024, we demonstrated our ability to manage through all parts of the economic cycle. And we expect continued strong results going forward, driven largely by our margin expansion efforts. However, ongoing economic volatility—tied to tariff uncertainty and rising inflation expectations, still-elevated interest rates, and weaker consumer sentiment—points to ongoing demand volatility in 2025,” stated Jeff Lorenger, Chairman, President, and Chief Executive Officer.

HNI Corporation — Fourth Quarter Summary Comments

• Consolidated net sales decreased 5.5 percent from the prior-year quarter to $642.5 million. Soft market conditions in Workplace Furnishings and Residential Building Products drove year-over-year net sales down at similar rates in both segments.
• Gross profit as a percent of sales expanded 30 basis points compared to the prior-year quarter, driven by improved net productivity, partially offset by lower sales volume and higher restructuring costs recorded to cost of sales as a result of factory consolidation initiatives in Workplace Furnishings.
• Selling and administrative expenses as a percent of sales increased 60 basis points from the prior-year quarter. This increase was driven by reduced net sales, partially offset by lower variable compensation in the current year and prior-year KII acquisition-related expenses of $3.6 million.
• Restructuring and impairment charges totaled $2.5 million in the current-year quarter, primarily in connection with factory consolidation initiatives in Workplace Furnishings. In the prior-year quarter, the Corporation incurred $31.4 million of restructuring and impairment charges, primarily from goodwill and intangible asset impairments related to small business units in the Workplace Furnishings segment.
• Net income per diluted share was $0.79 compared to $0.48 in the prior-year quarter. On a non-GAAP basis, net income per diluted share declined to $0.87 from $0.98 in the prior-year quarter, primarily driven by lower sales volume, partially offset by improved net productivity, lower variable compensation, favorable price-cost, and reduced interest expense.
• Income tax rate comparability versus the prior-year quarter was impacted by the effects of the Kimball International acquisition and impairment charges in 2023.

HNI Corporation — Full-Year Summary Comments

• Consolidated net sales increased 3.8 percent from the prior year to $2.526 billion. On an organic basis, net sales decreased 5.1 percent compared to the prior year. The prior-year acquisition of Kimball International increased year-over-year sales by $228.0 million, while the prior-year divestiture of Kimball’s Poppin business decreased year-over-year sales by $11.1 million. A reconciliation of organic net sales, a non-GAAP financial measure, to net sales follows the financial statements in this release.
• Gross profit as a percent of sales expanded 190 basis points compared to the prior year. This increase was driven by improved net productivity and favorable price-cost, partially offset by lower organic net sales volume.
• Selling and administrative expenses as a percent of sales decreased 90 basis points compared to the prior year. This decrease was driven by $41.2 million of prior-year KII acquisition-related expenses and current-year acquisition-related cost synergies, partially offset by lower organic net sales volume.
• Restructuring and impairment costs in the current year of $6.2 million were primarily incurred in connection with factory consolidation initiatives in Workplace Furnishings and reorganization efforts in Residential Building Products. Prior-year restructuring and impairment charges were primarily comprised of $31.0 million of goodwill and intangible asset impairments related to small business units in the Workplace Furnishings segment and $9.8 million incurred in connection with the divestiture of Poppin.
• Net income per diluted share was $2.88 compared to $1.09 in the prior year. On a non-GAAP basis, net income per diluted share increased to $3.06 compared to $2.65 in the prior year, driven by improved net productivity, favorable price-cost, and the net benefit of the Kimball International acquisition, partially offset by lower organic net sales volume.

Workplace Furnishings — Fourth Quarter Summary Comments

• Workplace Furnishings net sales decreased 5.7 percent from the prior-year quarter to $462.9 million, driven by soft market conditions in most customer channels.
• Workplace Furnishings operating profit margin of 6.6 percent expanded 470 basis points versus the prior-year period, driven by a $24.5 million decrease in restructuring and impairment charges. On a non-GAAP basis, segment operating profit margin of 7.7 percent compressed 50 basis points, driven by lower sales volume, partially offset by improved net productivity and lower core SG&A.

Workplace Furnishings — Full-Year Summary Comments

• Workplace Furnishings net sales increased 8.5 percent from the prior year to $1.888 billion. On an organic basis, net sales decreased 4.0 percent from the prior year. The impact of the Kimball International acquisition in the second quarter of 2023 increased sales by $228.0 million over the prior year, while the divestiture of the Poppin business in the third quarter of 2023 decreased sales $11.1 million year-over-year.
• Workplace Furnishings operating profit margin of 9.0 percent improved 510 basis points, driven by a $33.3 million decrease in restructuring and impairment charges and prior-year KII acquisition-related expenses of $12.5 million. On a non-GAAP basis, segment operating profit margin of 9.5 percent expanded 230 basis points year-over-year, primarily driven by enhanced net productivity, favorable impacts of the Kimball International acquisition, and improved price-cost, partially offset by lower organic net sales volume.

Residential Building Products — Fourth Quarter Summary Comments

• Residential Building Products net sales decreased 5.0 percent from the prior-year quarter to $179.6 million. Remodel-retrofit sales declined at a higher rate than new construction.
• Residential Building Products operating profit margin of 22.2 percent decreased 10 basis points, driven by lower sales volume, partially offset by favorable price-cost and lower variable compensation.

Residential Building Products — Full-Year Summary Comments

• Residential Building Products net sales decreased 8.0 percent from the prior year to $638.4 million. Remodel-retrofit sales declined at a higher rate than new construction.
• Residential Building Products operating profit margin of 17.4 percent increased 60 basis points due to improved net productivity, favorable price-cost, lower variable compensation, and favorable product mix, partially offset by lower sales volume. Segment non-GAAP operating profit margin was 17.5 percent, an improvement of 50 basis points year-over-year.

Fourth Quarter Orders

• In the Workplace Furnishings segment, orders in the fourth quarter were up two percent compared to the prior-year period on an organic basis. Orders from contract customers performed better than those from small-to-medium-sized customers.
• Orders in the Residential Building Products segment increased eight percent compared to the fourth quarter of 2023, driven partially by prior-year comparisons related to remodel-retrofit channel inventory correction in 2023. Remodel-retrofit orders outperformed those from the new construction channel.

Outlook

• First quarter demand environment. The Corporation expects first quarter 2025 net sales in Workplace Furnishings to decrease at a low-to-mid single-digit rate year-over-year. In Residential Building Products, first quarter 2025 net sales are expected to increase mid-single digits compared to the same period in 2024.
• First quarter non-GAAP earnings per share. When including the anticipated impact of tariffs, non-GAAP earnings per share in the first quarter of 2025 are expected to decrease slightly from 2024 levels. Excluding a temporary drag from tariffs, the Corporation would have expected first quarter non-GAAP earnings per share to increase modestly driven by increasing productivity, partially offset by investments.
• 2025 net sales outlook. For the full year 2025, the Corporation expects year-over-year net sales growth in the low-to-mid single digits in both segments. In Workplace Furnishings, the benefits of improving pre-order, order, and backlog metrics are expected to drive net sales growth beginning in the second quarter, with year-over-year growth rates improving as the year progresses. In Residential Building Products, the majority of the year-over-year growth is expected late in 2025, as comparisons ease.
• Double-digit EPS growth in 2025, and elevated earnings growth visibility through 2026. The Corporation expects another year of double-digit EPS growth in 2025, driven by KII synergies, the ramp-up of the Mexico facility, and increased profits from net sales growth. The remaining $0.70 to $0.80 of incremental EPS benefit from KII and Mexico are expected to be evenly distributed between 2025 and 2026, providing strong earnings visibility over the next two years. For the full year, the Corporation expects to fully offset any tariff-driven pressures.
• Balance sheet. The Corporation’s low leverage and strong cash flow generation will provide substantial capacity for capital deployment. Current priorities for capital deployment are reinvesting in the business, funding dividends, pursuing share buybacks, and exploring M&A opportunities.

Concluding Remarks

“Over the last three years, our strategies and the dedication of our members have driven non-GAAP EPS growth of nearly 90 percent and expanded consolidated operating margin by 400 basis points despite an unstable macroeconomic environment. In Workplace Furnishings, our profit transformation initiatives and the addition of Kimball International have expanded operating margin more than 800 basis points, and segment operating profit has grown $165 million from 2021 levels. Our ongoing profit transformation initiatives and expectations of improving net sales growth point to continued year-over-year profit and margin improvement.

“In Residential Building Products, we have effectively managed our cost structure to navigate housing market volatility caused by elevated interest rates and affordability pressures. Despite these challenges, our non-GAAP operating profit margin in 2024 expanded 50 basis points, while we continued to invest in long-term growth initiatives, enhancing customer connectivity, and building leading brands. As demand trends recover, we are uniquely positioned to drive high-margin growth in this business.

“Our balance sheet is in great shape and our cash flow remains consistent and strong. Our members remain focused on expanding margins in Workplace Furnishings and driving long-term high-margin net sales growth in Residential Building Products.

“As we enter 2025, despite ongoing macroeconomic uncertainty and demand volatility, we maintain elevated earnings visibility through 2026 and have a renewed focus on driving net sales growth,” concluded Mr. Lorenger.

The full text of HNI’s 4Q24 earnings release, including all tables, may be accessed at investors.hnicorp.com/news. A replay of the company’s Feb. 20 conference call is available at investors.hnicorp.com/events-and-presentations.

About HNI Corporation
HNI Corporation (NYSE: HNI) is a manufacturer of workplace furnishings and residential building products, operating under two segments. The Workplace Furnishings segment is a leading global designer and provider of commercial furnishings, going to market under multiple unique brands. The Residential Building Products segment is the nation’s leading manufacturer and marketer of hearth products, which include a full array of gas, electric, wood, and pellet-burning fireplaces, inserts, stoves, facings, and accessories. More information can be found on the Corporation’s website at www.hnicorp.com.