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The Tile Shop reported net sales of $98.6 million for Q2 2023, an 8.4% decline compared to sales of $1.08 billion for Q2 2022. Sales decreased at comparable stores by 8.0% during the second quarter of 2023 compared to the second quarter of 2022, primarily due to a decrease in traffic, which was partially offset by an increase in average ticket value. Read More

For Q2 2023, Floor & Décor reported a net sales increase of 4.2% to $1.14 billion from $1.09 billion in Q2 fiscal 2022. Comparable store sales decreased 6.0 Read More

The sharp decline in the U.S. housing market caught up with kitchen and bath product manufacturers and marketers in the first half of 2023. Dollar manufacturer sales (shipments minus exports plus imports) could have declined by 5.6 percent in the first half. Unit sales declined about 2.0 percent in the first half. Price increases, however, moderated along with inflationary pressures. The dollar sales decline this year compared to a 10.8 percent gain for all of 2022. First half 2023 sales declined along with the drop in new home construction and existing home sales as the Federal Reserve increased interest rates. Rising rates caused housing demand – new and existing – to drop sharper over the past year. Read More

2023 started as simply an extension of 2022. The industry could do no wrong. And then the industry had no answers for fixing how wrong the industry was. For the first time in years, the sales at manufacturing were not the perfect barometer as to how retailers did. Thousands of shipping containers stuck offshore in 2022 were finally delivered just as demand slowed down. Distributors who had been chasing stellar sales with built up inventory suddenly found themselves with way too much inventory for the second half of the year. Read More

U.S. floor coverings manufacturer sales (shipments minus exports plus imports) declined sharply in the first half of 2023 as final demand dropped and distributors and retailers worked off excess inventories accumulated in the second half of 2022. Manufacturers are also working through supply chain issues which significantly cut into import shipments. In addition, price increases leveled off as demand slumped and material cost pressures subsided. Catalina, however, sees the decline in manufacturer sales bottoming out in the third quarter of 2023 and could begin to recover in the fourth quarter as the inventory liquidation ends. Manufacturer sales could turn up by the fourth quarter as the drop in new home construction levels off, the decline in existing home sales slows, and commercial demand remains strong. Read More

In 2022, U.S. floor coverings sales slowed considerably from the sharp gains experienced in 2021, according to Catalina Research. The year started strong since flooring sales were still benefiting from the surge in housing demand in 2021. Floor covering sales growth weakened in the second half as the Federal Reserve sharply increased interest rates to curb inflationary pressures. Rising interest rates caused housing starts and existing home sales — the primary drivers of U.S. floor coverings sales — to decline sharply. At the same time, inflationary pressures and supply chain issues caused flooring prices and installation costs to surge. The rising cost of an installed floor resulted in customer purchases slowing at an even sharper rate than manufacturer sales. Read More

U.S. hard-surface imports finally crossed over the “400” bar in May, with the $425.2 million in customs value showing a 16.2% increase from April. However, the total is still more than 13% behind the $490.8 million of May 2022. Read More

Decorative Materials Design Consultant, Monica Lozano, recently had the opportunity to chat with Denver design powerhouse, Atelier Interior Design, on their expert use of our products. The award-winning design firm, headed by Katie Schroder, is known for one-of-a-kind aesthetics driven by vibrant color, pattern and culture. Katie and her team never cease to amaze us with their creativity and ingenuity when it comes to using tile and stone in their designs. It's always a delight when the Atelier team comes into the showroom because we know they don't shy away from the playful products to create something fabulous! Read More

Aging Population Creates Opportunities Wednesday, June 7, 2023 from Floor Covering Weekly By Sharyn Bernard Shaw’s Redefined Luxury is ideal for use in luxury… Read More

At the 2023 edition of Coverings, the largest international ceramic tile event in North America, over 60 premier Italian brands showcased their latest tile and installation products to the market in the Ceramics of Italy Pavilion. Demonstrating the versatility and beauty of Italian tile, the following trends summarize this season’s top trends in color, design and application. Read More