Leggett Sees 'Unprecedented' Downturn Gripping Mattress Business

Bedding supplier says industry facing challenges not seen in over 40 years

Published on Feb. 13, 2026

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Leggett & Platt executives painted a cautious picture for the bedding industry during the company's year-end earnings call, explicitly removing any expectation of a macroeconomic recovery despite signs of potential pent-up demand. The company's position in the supply chain provides it with real-time data across the manufacturing ecosystem, making its market assessments a strong indicator for the bedding industry.

Why it matters

As a key supplier of innersprings and comfort components to a wide range of mattress manufacturers in North America, Leggett & Platt's insights provide a window into the broader challenges facing the bedding industry. The company's assessment that the current downturn is 'unprecedented' in both duration and magnitude underscores the severity of the industry's struggles.

The details

Leggett & Platt executives said the bedding industry is experiencing an unprecedented downturn, with the market contracting to approximately 30 million mattresses annually, below what they consider normalized consumption of 34 million to 35 million units for the U.S. market. The company identified three primary factors constraining the market: inflation, weakened consumer confidence for discretionary purchases, and general affordability concerns as consumers prioritize spending on essentials.

  • Leggett & Platt's fourth-quarter results were impacted by a customer consolidation related to financial distress at one of the company's partners.
  • The first quarter of 2026 has brought additional headwinds in the form of severe weather events that disrupted both retail activity and facility operations.

The players

Leggett & Platt

A key supplier of innersprings and comfort components to a wide range of mattress manufacturers in North America.

Karl Glassman

CEO of Leggett & Platt, with more than 40 years of experience in the industry.

Perry Hagale

President of Leggett & Platt's bedding products segment.

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What they’re saying

“We'd like to see it. We've been guilty, as have some others, of forecasting a strong back half. We're not doing that.”

— Karl Glassman, CEO (Furniture Today)

“When we track data back to the early seventies, typically in any kind of macroeconomic step down, bedding goes into the cycle first and comes out of it earliest.”

— Karl Glassman, CEO (Furniture Today)

“We've definitely been tired of just hoping that a recovery is coming.”

— Perry Hagale, President of Bedding Products Segment (Furniture Today)

What’s next

Leggett & Platt executives said they will be watching President's Day sales activity closely, as they expect a catch-up period following the severe weather events that disrupted retail activity and facility operations in the first quarter of 2026.

The takeaway

Leggett & Platt's assessment of an 'unprecedented' downturn in the mattress business highlights the severe challenges facing the industry, with factors like inflation, weakened consumer confidence, and affordability concerns constraining demand. The company's cautious outlook underscores the need for bedding manufacturers to focus on execution, innovation, and maintaining market position as they wait for macroeconomic conditions to improve.