HIGH POINT, N.C. — New residential furniture orders rose 13% in July, compared to the same period in 2024, according to the September issue of Furniture Insights. New orders also rose compared to the month prior, up 6% over June figures, according to Mark Laferriere, assurance partner at Smith Leonard, the accounting and consulting firm that produces the monthly report. Approximately two-thirds of participants reported increases compared to a year ago, he said.

New residential furniture orders are now down just 1% for the year-to-date, compared to last year.

July shipments were up 3% compared to 2024 figures, with two-thirds of survey participants reporting increases compared to the year prior, Laferriere noted. However, July shipments were down 2% compared to June. and remain down 1% for the year-to-date compared to 2024 figures. July backlogs were down 4% compared to 2024, but up 2% from June 2025 as new orders outpaced shipments, Laferriere said.

Receivable levels were up 2% from June, and flat with July 2024, "both materially in line with related shipment trends," Laferriere noted. Inventories were down 2% compared to June and down 1% from July 2024, "which are materially in line with prior periods and current operational levels," he added. 

On a seasonally adjusted basis, sales at furniture and home furnishings stores in August were down 0.3% compared to July, but up 5.4% from August 2024. Year to date on a non-adjusted basis, sales were up 5.4%, according to the September Furniture Insights.

"More shifting of the landscape this month with the announcement of the Section 232 tariff on upholstered furniture imports,
while we seemingly await additional announcements from the results of the 50-day investigation into other furniture categories including imported case goods," Laferriere said. "The timing of these announcements will again make for an interesting Fall High Point Furniture Market creating both challenges and opportunities for exhibitors."

Although economic data was mixed. "there are some positive trends with housing which will potentially accelerate with the long-awaited Fed interest rate cut in September and more cuts expected to come through the end of the year," he added. "Consumer confidence slipped again this month, which may be further impacted by the government shutdown and related
activity, though presumably this will be short-lived."

Laferriere continued, "As to our own stats program, it was good to see the year over year increases in both new orders and shipments this month which bring the July 2025 year-to-date results almost even with the prior year and provide a glimmer of hope for the remainder of the year and into 2026."