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Ethan Allen Interiors, Inc.

  • This Company Provides Credit, But It’s Not a Bank

    By Mark Lin - May 13, 2013 | Tickers: BBY, CONN, ETH

    Decades ago, before credit cards became prevalent, it was common for consumers to buy things at their friendly neighborhood store on credit and settle your bills after a month. Conn’s (NASDAQ: CONN), a specialty retailer of durable consumer goods, comes close to that, having offered credit to its customers. Similar to the old-time neighborhood stores, Conn’s has built up significant customer loyalty over time with its consumer credit more »

  • How to Benefit From Housing and Rental Demand

    By Reuben Brewer - April 8, 2013 | Tickers: ETH, SHW, WSM

    The housing market has made a surprisingly quick recovery at the same time as rental markets appear to be continuing along a solid path. Investors can play both trends with the right stocks.

    Homes and rentals

    Blackstone has been in the news for a couple of years for its efforts in the housing market. The company now owns around 20,000 single family homes and it isn't the only more »

  • How To Benefit from Housing And Rental Demand

    By Reuben Brewer - April 3, 2013 | Tickers: ETH, SHW, WSM

    The housing market has made a surprisingly quick recovery at the same time as rental markets appear to be continuing along a solid path. Investors can play both trends with the right stocks.

    Homes and Rentals

    Blackstone has been in the news for a couple of years for its efforts in the housing market. The company now owns around 20,000 single family homes and it isn't the only more »

  • Will You Sleep Well With This Mattress Retailer?

    By Mark Lin - February 25, 2013 | Tickers: ETH, M, MFRM

    Founded in 1986 in Houston, Texas, Mattress Firm (NASDAQ: MFRM) is one of the nation’s leading specialty bedding retailers, offering a broad selection of both traditional and specialty mattresses from leading manufacturers, including Sealy, Serta, Simmons, Stearns & Foster and Tempur-Pedic.

    Business Quality

    Mattress Firm is the market leader in specialty bedding retailing, operating 1,159 stores (including franchise locations) primarily under the Mattress Firm name, in 78 markets across more »

  • Recline and Define Your Interest in These Companies

    By Michael Ugulini - February 14, 2013 | Tickers: ETH, LZB, LEG

    Sometimes it's nice to sit back and enjoy your favorite libation while researching companies in a relaxed manner. Rash investment decisions can cause a nervous rash, and blemishes on any disposable income you have in your cash account. With that in mind, recline and define your interest in these companies.

    La-Z-Boy Incorporated (NYSE: LZB) is one of the world's leading residential furniture producers with three reportable operating segments more »

  • SWOT Analysis: E-Commerce Will Make or Break Williams-Sonoma

    By Daniel Sparks - January 4, 2013 | Tickers: BBBY, ETH, PIR, WSM | Editor's Choice

    As investment guru, Bruce Greenwald, said in his book, Competition Demystified, "formulating effective strategy is central to business success." In light of strategy's importance in business, there is an old and simple business school approach to identifying the strategies that are most relevant to the company's competitive landscape: A SWOT analysis. The SWOT acronym stands for the company's internal Strengths and Weaknesses and the company's external more »

  • This Insider Sees Fortune Brands Going Even Higher

    By Meena Krishnamsetty - December 12, 2012 | Tickers: AMWD, ETH, FBHS, LEG, MAS

    Since Fortune Brands Home & Security (NYSE: FBHS), a provider of home furnishings and security products, became an independent publicly traded company in September 2011, the stock price has risen 126%, more or less consistently. Now, economic theory tells us that it is rational for company insiders to diversify their wealth away from the same company that is responsible for much of their income. The primary exception would be if an more »

  • A Housing Turnaround

    By Reuben Brewer - December 6, 2012 | Tickers: ETH, HD, LOW, LL, BX, WSM

    Dow-30 component Home Depot (NYSE: HD) recently announced pretty good earnings, largely attributed to a recovering housing market. Indeed, as people buy homes they almost invariably make changes to the property to suit their needs and desires. After years of being a drag on the company's results, it is a welcome sign that there is a shift taking place in the still depressed housing market. What other companies are set to benefit?

  • Can You Sit Back and Relax If You Hold These Stocks?

    By Jonathan Lim - October 10, 2012 | Tickers: ETH, LZB, ZZ, SCSS, TPX

    You'd think companies that make products we spend large amounts of time using would prove to be great investments over time. In many cases, you'd be right—but not always. The wide range in the performance of these companies' stocks suggests that the oft-repeated investment maxim about buying what you love might not work as well as it sounds. Let's compare La-Z-Boy (NYSE: LZB) and Tempur-Pedic (NYSE: TPXmore »)

  • Premium Furniture Heats Up

    By Mary Posey - July 18, 2012 | Tickers: ETH, FBN, LZB

    Though the numbers show that American consumers are spending less on furniture than they have previously, that does not go to say that all furniture companies are losing ground.  Similar to general retail and automotive, the high-end and luxury brands are still proving to be desired products.

    Interior design retailer Ethan Allen Interiors (NYSE: ETH) was recently upgraded to "buy" status by Raymond James.  The company’s core competencies include more »

  • Inheritance Bust: Bye Baby Bums, Hello Shots for Fido

    By Jane Genova - June 19, 2012 | Tickers: DHI, ETH, FB, PETM, PIR, PG, TGT, WFC

    Bulls and sundry economic optimists keep scanning the horizon for signs of sustained economic recovery. Hark, there is a light in the distance.  They point out, for example, that builder D.R. Horton’s (NYSE: DHI) second fiscal quarter earnings increased 46% from the period a year ago.  The homebuilding part of that was up 28%. However, that light could soon start flickering because of the inheritance bust. Most industries more »

  • Do Home Furnishing Stocks Provide Signs of Real Estate Stabilization

    By Edgar Ambart - February 2, 2012 | Tickers: ETH, HOFT, LZB

    In my “Will Housing Recover in 2012” article, I spoke about the possibility of home price stabilization this year.  Normally strong housing markets are correlated with positive quarters in furniture businesses.  Granted, real estate is a local market and some local furniture stores benefit more than others.  In comparing charts for the following three home furnishing companies, one can presume that real estate activity has accelerated in the past year more »