Topic: How To Invest

Q: Hey, Pat. Thanks for all the good advice! It has kept me out of a couple of bad stocks. What do you think about Herman Miller as a recovery play? Thanks again.

Article Excerpt

A: Herman Miller Inc., $42.62, symbol MLHR on Nasdaq (Shares outstanding: 75.3 million; Market cap: $3.2 billion; www.hermanmiller.com), is a leading manufacturer of well-designed furniture for the home and office. Its brands include Herman Miller. Design Within Reach, Geiger, Maharam and several others. In a major move, on July19, 2021, Herman Miller completed the acquisition of Knoll Inc. (symbol KNL) for $1.8 billion in cash and stock. Knoll shareholders got $11 in cash and 0.32 shares of Herman Miller stock for every share they held in Knoll. Herman Miller shareholders now own 78% of the company, with Knoll shareholders owning 22%. Herman Miller expects the acquisition will add to its earnings per share within 12 months. It also expects to generate $100 million in cost savings annually, within 24 months. Its revenue rose 13.3%, from $2.26 billion in 2016 to $2.57 billion in 2019. Sales then fell 3.1% to $2.49 billion in 2020 as COVID-19 hurt demand for Herman Miller office products from…