UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, DC 20549

SCHEDULE 14A
(Rule 14a-101)

SCHEDULE 14A INFORMATION

Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

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Definitive Proxy Statement
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Soliciting Material Pursuant to § 240.14a-12

CAVALIER HOMES, INC.
(Name of Registrant as Specified In Its Charter)
 
(Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if other than the Registrant)

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On April 7, 2009, Cavalier Homes, Inc. (the “Company”) made a definitive filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission of a proxy statement and accompanying WHITE proxy card to be used to solicit votes for the election of its director nominees at the Company’s 2009 annual meeting of stockholders. The Company urges stockholders to read the proxy statement because it contains important information.


Item 1: On April 28, 2009, the Company delivered the following presentation to Proxy Governance, Inc.:

 
Company and Industry Update - April 2009
 
 

 
Cautionary Statement for Investors
This presentation contains forward-looking statements
about future financial performance, business plans and
strategies of Cavalier Homes, Inc. (“Cavalier” or the
“Company”).   Because forward-looking statements involve
risks and uncertainties, actual results may differ materially
from those expressed or implied.   Investors are cautioned
not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking
statements and are advised to carefully review the risk
factors described in documents that the Company files with
the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the
Annual Report on Form 10-K for 2008.   Cavalier disclaims
any obligation to update information contained in this
presentation.
1
 
 

 
Cavalier Today
    Cavalier is the 6th largest manufactured housing
  company in the United States
    In 2008, the Company generated revenue of
  approximately $164.4 million and diluted earnings per
  share
from continuing operations of $0.17
    Cavalier is one of the best capitalized public companies
  in the industry with $27.2 million of cash and only $0.6
  million of debt as of 3/28/09
    The Company sells through a network of over 280
  independent dealers, of which about 17% are exclusive
    Cavalier has approximately 10.0% market share in its
  core 11 states, which account for 94% of company sales
2
 
 

 
Cavalier Markets, Capabilities
Core markets
Other markets
3
    With distribution in Mississippi, Louisiana, Kansas, Missouri,
  Oklahoma, Arkansas and Texas, Legacy homes is a direct
  competitor
 
 

 
A Challenging Industry Backdrop
    Industry floor shipments reached a modern peak of
  609,000 floors in 1998
    Ease of entry, overexpansion of retail, and loose lending
  standards created inventory oversupply
    Lender exits caused chattel financing to evaporate
    Repossessions spiked in aftermath, suppressing
  traditional sales
    Loose lending standards for site built homes drew away
  many of the traditional buyers of manufactured homes
    77% drop in floor shipments between 1999-2008
    2008 saw the lowest industry shipments in 54 years
4
 
 

 
5
MHI Industry Shipments
 
 

 
Proactive Steps to Weather the Storm
    Promoted lean manufacturing, operational efficiencies
    Improved gross margins to 18.2% in 2008 from 13.6% in
  2007
    Developed high-value products
    Limited risks and capital required in distribution by
  working mainly with independent dealers
    Significantly improved cash position and lowered debt
    Profitable in four of the past five years
6
 
 

 
Sale of CIS Business
    Sold CIS Financial Services to Triad Financial Services
    Purchase price was $765,000 in cash at closing plus the principal
  balance of certain outstanding installment contracts receivable as
  of the closing date, which will be paid to Cavalier as collected by
  Triad within 180 days of closing
    The transaction closed on February 27, 2009
    Improves liquidity position
    Freed up $14.1 million of stockholder’s equity tied up in financing
  business
    Lowers risk
    Triad will offer Cavalier’s dealers comparable programs
  to those provided by CIS
7
 
 

 
Potential Turnaround Drivers
    Tightening of lending standards for site built homes will
  push natural buyers back to manufactured housing
    Closures by competitors will improve supply dynamics
    Growing use of land-home deals for factory-built housing
    Emerging HUD home/modular trends
    FHA has raised the Title 1 limits for manufactured
  housing, which industry sources estimate could increase
  shipments as much as 10% - 15%
8
 
 

 
Cavalier Opportunities
    Situated to capitalize on expected Regional industry upturn
    Strong markets (CA, AZ, FL, MS, LA, TX )
    Available capacity in area
    Product offerings
    Broad product spectrum to meet market demand ($18,000 single-wide to
  $130,000 modular)
    Capability to build modular homes in existing facilities
    Competitive price points
    Attractive product lineup
    Potential to grow modular business
    Controlled manufacturing environment (faster completion time, greater
  consistency to specifications, more predictable costs)
    Lowers builders’ needs for construction loans
    Other Cavalier advantages
    Competency in efficient production of broad range of products
    Lean cost structure
    Good balance sheet
9
 
 

 
We Build Great Value In Our Products
10
 
 

 
Operating Income
11
 
 

 
Net Income (Loss) Per Diluted Share
12
 
 

 
Relative Profitability
13
($196.6)
($175.8)
($30.4)
($12.9)
$3.4
$2.8
$2.2
$1.1
Note:   Net income over the most recent reported twelve month period ending: 3/28/09 for CAV, 12/31/08 for CVCO and DVLY; 4/4/09 for CHB; 1/25/09 for FLTW.Q; 1/31/09 for
  NOBH; 12/26/08 for PHHM; and 2/28/09 for SKY.
 
 

 
    Cavalier has the best performing stock price of any
  manufactured housing company over the past three, six
  and twelve months
Recent Relative Stock Performance
14
As of 4/26/2009
 
 

 
    Cavalier’s stock has outperformed many manufactured
  housing companies, including the two largest, over the
  past 13 years
Historical Relative Stock Performance
15
As of 4/26/2009
 
 

 
Working Actively to Improve Liquidity
    Generated $2.7 million from the sale of the Company’s
  Cordele, GA facility
    Completed or in-process sales of financing assets
  expected to generate more than $2.9 million of cash
    Lowered inventory from $20.5 million in 2007 to $14.5
 
million in Q1 2009
    Has one idle facility for sale
16
*Pro Forma for sale of the Cordele facility
 
 

 
Improving Liquidity
17
 
 

 
Potential Tax Effects
    $10.0 million federal NOL carryforward as of December
  31, 2008
    35% expected federal tax rate after $10.0 million taxable
  income starts in years after 2008
    Valuation allowance for deferred tax assets of $16.0
  million as of December 31, 2008
    The valuation allowance may be reversed to income in
  future periods to the extent the deferred taxes are
  realized or the valuation allowance is no longer needed
18
 
 

 
Investment Considerations
    Strong balance sheet
    Improving gross margins
    Streamlined operations
    Profitable four of the past five years
    Industry poised to begin a rebound
    Board and management proactively working to handle
  challenging industry conditions and position the
  Company for future growth
19
 
 

 
Cavalier Has An Excellent Board
    6 of 8 Directors are Independent
    Engaged - Three year attendance rate of 98% for group
    Each has participated in:
    Plant visits and reviews
    Succession planning
    Strategic planning
    Annual budgets
    Capital expansion reviews
    Key Committees:
    Comprised of independent directors
20
 
 

 
Background of Proxy Contest
    2005, Company sells idled Ft. Worth, Texas facility to Mr. Hodgson and Mr. Shipley.
    May 2008, Mr. Donnell, Mr. Shipley and Mr. Hodgson meet in Austin, Texas. They
  engaged in general discussions about the manufactured housing business and about
  their respective businesses and operations. Mr. Hodgson and Mr. Shipley indicated a
  desire to combine Legacy with Cavalier.
    On May 29, 2008, Mr. Hodgson sent an email to Mr. Donnell acknowledging the
  meeting, indicating availability for a subsequent meeting during the month of June and
  noting that Mr. Hodgson and Mr. Shipley owned over 900,000 shares of our common
  stock.
    On June 20, 2008, Mr. Hodgson and Mr. Shipley met with most members of the Board
  of Directors of Cavalier and presented a proposal for Cavalier to buy Legacy Housing
  in exchange for 13 million shares of Cavalier common stock.   The proposal included
  Mr. Hodgson and Mr. Shipley becoming two of the three permitted insider members of
  the Board of Directors of Cavalier and would have resulted in the equity owners of
  Legacy Housing, including Messrs. Hodgson and Shipley, owning in excess of 41% of
  Cavalier following the merger of Legacy Housing into Cavalier. The Board members
  determined that they did not want to proceed with a transaction with Legacy Housing.
  They believed the cost of such a transaction was too high and would unfairly dilute
  current Cavalier stockholders.
21
 
 

 
Background of Proxy Contest (cont.)
    In early January 2009, Mr. Donnell informed the Board that members of the Legacy
  Group had, among other things, criticized the decision to sell CIS Financial Services,
  Inc. (which was first announced on November 24, 2008).
    On January 21, 2009, Mr. Hodgson sent Mr. Donnell an email indicating that
  Mr. Hodgson intended to nominate three individuals for election to the Board of
  Directors.
    On January 22, 2009, the Board of Directors convened a meeting to discuss the
  Legacy Group nominations, the information provided by Mr. Donnell, and reviewed the
  information provided by the Legacy Group with respect to each of the three dissident
  nominees.
    As a result of these discussions, the Board of Directors concluded that it would be
  improper for individuals who are actively engaged in a business that is in direct
  competition with Cavalier to serve on the Board. The Board felt that it would violate the
  Board’s fiduciary duties to the stockholders to name individuals running a competing
  manufactured housing company to the Cavalier Board, where those individuals would
  have access to confidential information that Cavalier would not ordinarily share with
  competitors.
22
 
 

 
Background of Proxy Contest (cont.)
    At the January 22 meeting, Board members also discussed that the dissident
  nominees did not satisfy the criteria established by the Board for director nominees.
    Given the negative implications of allowing a competitor to become privy to confidential
  information, the Board of Directors determined to neither accept nor endorse the
  nominees of the Legacy Group.
    Following the Board meeting, the Legacy Group notified Cavalier that it intended to
  solicit proxies for three dissident nominees in opposition to the nominees selected by
  the Board of Directors and the Nominating and Governance Committee.
23
 
 

 
Harm in Replacing 1, 2 or 3 Directors
    Conflict of Interest
    Kenneth Shipley and Curtis Hodgson, co-founders and principals
  of Legacy Housing - a direct competitor of Cavalier
    Legacy Nominees Are Not Prepared
    No public company board experience
    No senior-level public company operating experience
    Disruption on the Board
    Legacy looking to replace the Chairman of the Board
    Remove the President and CEO from the Board
    Customer and employee concerns on change in strategic
  direction
24
 
 

 
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