Bear of the Day: Bassett Furniture (BSET)

Core Insights - Bassett Furniture Industries, Inc. (BSET) is currently positioned in a challenging housing market, with expectations for recovery potentially in 2026 [1][8] - The company holds a Zacks Rank of 5 (Strong Sell), indicating it is in the bottom 7% of Zacks Ranked Industries [1] Company Overview - Bassett operates 86 company and licensee-owned stores in the U.S., focusing on home furnishings, including custom furniture design and in-home design visits [2] - Approximately 60% of products are sold through stores, with a significant wholesale business serving over 1,000 open market accounts [2][3] Financial Performance - In Q3 2025, Bassett reported earnings of $0.09, meeting Zacks Consensus, with a revenue increase of 5.9% year-over-year; excluding Noa Home Inc. sales, revenue rose 7.3% [4] - Gross margin improved by 320 basis points to 56.2%, attributed to better margins in the wholesale segment [4] Earnings Outlook - Analysts predict a turnaround in earnings, with expectations of a 268% increase in 2025 to $0.81 from a loss of $0.48 in the previous year, followed by a further 34.6% growth to $1.09 in 2026 [6] Market Sentiment - Despite the anticipated earnings recovery, the Zacks Rank reflects a downward revision in analyst estimates for 2025 and 2026, contributing to the Strong Sell rating [7][8] - Bassett's shares have increased by 22% year-to-date and 13.5% in the last month, despite the challenging market conditions [9] Competitive Position - The company manufactures about 75% of its furniture in the U.S., which helps it avoid many tariffs [11] - Bassett is considered shareholder-friendly, offering a dividend yield of 4.9% [11] - The stock is trading at a forward P/E ratio of 15, indicating it may be undervalued [13]