HVT Haverty Furniture Companies Inc

ATLANTA, April 4, 2008 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- HAVERTY FURNITURE COMPANIES, INC. (NYSE:HVTNYSE:andNYSE:HVT.A) today reported sales for the month ended March 31, 2008. Havertys' sales for March decreased 6.2% to $62.0 million compared with $66.1 million for March 2007. On a comparable-store basis, March sales decreased 9.8%. Sales for the first quarter of 2008 decreased 3.0% to $185.2 million compared with $191.1 million in 2007. On a comparable-store basis, sales decreased 6.3% 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 Comparable- (unaudited) Total Sales Store Sales 2008 2007 % Change % Change March $62.0 $66.1 -6.2% -9.8% First Quarter $185.2 $191.1 -3.0% -6.3% Clarence H. Smith, president and chief executive officer, said, "Our total written sales for March were down approximately 3.5% compared to March of 2007, consistent with the level of decrease for the full first quarter of 2008. We successfully launched the transactional phase of our website during March continuing the focus on reaching out to our customers on their terms and enhancing their total Havertys shopping experience." Havertys is a full-service home furnishings retailer with 124 showrooms in 17 states in the Southern and Midwestern regions 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/. News releases include 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 limited to, general economic conditions, the consumer spending environment for large ticket items, competition in the retail furniture industry 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 DATASOURCE: Haverty Furniture Companies, Inc. CONTACT: Dennis L. Fink, EVP & CFO, or Jenny Hill Parker, VP, Secretary & Treasurer, +1-404-443-2900, both of Haverty Furniture Companies, Inc. Web site: http://www.havertys.com/

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