Haverty Furniture Reports Sales for March ATLANTA, April 8 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- HAVERTY FURNITURE COMPANIES, INC. today reported sales for the month ended March 31, 2004. (Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20020207/HVTLOGO ) Havertys' sales for March increased 8.3% to $63.0 million compared with $58.2 million for March 2003. On a comparable-store basis, March sales increased 3.1%. Sales for the first quarter of 2004 increased 8.5% to $190.3 million compared with $175.4 million in 2003. On a comparable-store basis, sales increased 4.0% for the first quarter. Comparable-store sales do not include locations opened, closed or otherwise non-comparable during the last 12 months. Sales in Millions Total Comparable- (unaudited) Sales Store Sales 2004 2003 % Change % Change March $63.0 $58.2 + 8.3% + 3.1% First Quarter $190.3 $175.4 + 8.5% + 4.0% Clarence H. Smith, President & CEO said, "Our comparable-store sales were positive each month of the first quarter. We believe that the overall demand for furniture was not as strong as had been widely anticipated and may be reflective of the drop in consumer confidence since the beginning of the year. "Sales of our Havertys Collections private label merchandise, as we expected, more than doubled in the first quarter versus last year, to 31% of our total sales. "We began construction on our new Florida distribution center, scheduled to open in the fall of this year. This new facility will serve our growing Florida market and its distinctive "coastal look" merchandise. We are pleased to announce our opening of a store in Cincinnati, Ohio late in 2004. This will expand our footprint into a 16th state and another market with great opportunities." Havertys is a full-service home furnishings retailer with 113 showrooms in 15 southern and central states providing its customers with a wide selection of quality merchandise in middle- to upper-middle price ranges. Additional information is available on the Company's website at http://www.havertys.com/. This release includes forward-looking statements, which are subject to risks and uncertainties. Factors that might cause actual results to differ materially from future results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements include, but are not limitedto, general economic conditions, the consumer spending environment for large ticket items, competition in the retail furniture industry, issues related to imported merchandise and other uncertainties detailed from time to time in the Company's reports filed with the SEC. Contact for Information: Dennis L. Fink, EVP & CFO or Jenny Hill Parker, VP, Secretary & Treasurer (404) 443-2900 http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20020207/HVTLOGO http://photoarchive.ap.org/ DATASOURCE: Haverty Furniture Companies, Inc. CONTACT: Dennis L. Fink, EVP & CFO or Jenny Hill Parker, VP, Secretary & Treasurer, both of Haverty Furniture Companies, Inc., +1-404-443-2900 Web site: http://www.havertys.com/

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