UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-K

ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF

THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the fiscal year ended April 28, 2024

Commission File No. 1-12597

CULP, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

(336) 889-5161

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act: None

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. Yes ☐ No ☒

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Yes ☐ No ☒

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months and (2) has been subject to the filing requirements for at least the past 90 days. Yes ☒ No ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§ 232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files). Yes ☒ No ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company,” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has filed a report on and attestation to its management’s assessment of the effectiveness of its internal control over financial reporting under Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (15 U.S.C. 7262(b)) by the registered public accounting firm that prepared or issued its audit report. ☐

If securities are registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act, indicate by check mark whether the financial statements of the registrant included in the filing reflect the correction of an error to previously issued financial statements. ☐

Indicate by check mark whether any of those error corrections are restatements that required a recovery analysis of incentive-based compensation received by any of the registrant’s executive officers during the relevant recovery period pursuant to §240.10D-1(b). ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act). YES ☐ NO ☒

As of July 10, 2024, 12,469,903 shares of common stock were outstanding. As of October 29, 2023, the aggregate market value of the voting stock held by non-affiliates of the registrant on that date was $64,332,059 based on the closing sales price of such stock as quoted on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), assuming, for purposes of this report, that all executive officers and directors of the registrant are affiliates.

CULP, INC.

FORM 10-K REPORT

TABLE OF CONTENTS

CAUTIONARY STATEMENT CONCERNING FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION

Parts I and II of this report contain “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the federal securities laws, including the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934). Such statements are inherently subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual events and results to differ materially from such statements. Further, forward-looking statements are intended to speak only as of the date on which they are made, and we disclaim any duty to update or alter such statements to reflect any changes in management’s expectations or any change in the assumptions or circumstances on which such statements are based, whether due to new information, future events, or otherwise. Forward-looking statements are statements that include projections, expectations, or beliefs about future events or results or otherwise are not statements of historical fact. Such statements are often but not always characterized by qualifying words such as “expect,” “believe,” “will,” “may,” “should,” “could,” “potential,” “continue,” “target,” “predict”, “seek,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “intend,” “plan,” “project,” and their derivatives, and include but are not limited to statements about expectations, projections, or trends for our future operations, strategic initiatives and plans, restructuring actions, production levels, new project launches, sales, profit margins, profitability, operating (loss) income, capital expenditures, working capital levels, cost savings (including, without limitation, anticipated cost savings from restructuring actions), income taxes, SG&A or other expenses, pre-tax (loss) income, earnings, cash flow, and other performance or liquidity measures, as well as any statements regarding dividends, share repurchases, liquidity, use of cash and cash requirements, borrowing capacity, investments, potential acquisitions, restructuring and restructuring-related charges, expenses, and/or credits, future economic or industry trends, public health epidemics, or future developments. There can be no assurance that we will realize these expectations or meet our guidance, or that these beliefs will prove correct.

Factors that could influence the matters discussed in such statements include the level of housing starts and sales of existing homes, consumer confidence, trends in disposable income, and general economic conditions. Decreases in these economic indicators could have a negative effect on our business and prospects. Likewise, increases in interest rates, particularly home mortgage rates, and increases in consumer debt or the general rate of inflation, could affect us adversely. The future performance of our business depends in part on our success in conducting and finalizing acquisition negotiations and integrating acquired businesses into our existing operations. Changes in consumer tastes or preferences toward products not produced by us could erode demand for our products. Changes in tariffs or trade policy, including changes in U.S. trade enforcement priorities, or changes in the value of the U.S. dollar versus other currencies, could affect our financial results because a significant portion of our operations are located outside the United States. Strengthening of the U.S. dollar against other currencies could make our products less competitive on the basis of price in markets outside the United States, and strengthening of currencies in Canada and China can have a negative impact on our sales of products produced in those places. In addition, because our foreign operations use the U.S. dollar as their functional currency, changes in the exchange rate between the local currency of those operations and the U.S dollar can affect our reported profits from those foreign operations. Also, economic or political instability in international areas could affect our operations or sources of goods in those areas, as well as demand for our products in international markets. The impact of public health epidemics on employees, customers, suppliers, and the global economy, such as the recent coronavirus pandemic, could also adversely affect our operations and financial performance. In addition, the impact of potential asset impairments, including impairments of property, plant, and equipment, inventory, or intangible assets, as well as the impact of valuation allowances applied against our net deferred income tax assets, could affect our financial results. Increases in freight costs, labor costs, and raw material prices, including increases in market prices for petrochemical products, can also significantly affect the prices we pay for shipping, labor, and raw materials, respectively, and in turn, increase our operating costs and decrease our profitability. Also, our success in diversifying our supply chain with reliable partners to effectively service our global platform could affect our operations and adversely affect our financial results. Finally, the future performance of our business also depends on our ability to successfully restructure our mattress fabric operations and return the segment to profitability. Further information about these factors, as well as other factors that could affect our future operations or financial results and the matters discussed in forward-looking statements, is included in Item 1A “Risk Factors” of this annual report on Form 10-K.

Many of these factors are macroeconomic in nature and are, therefore, beyond our control. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, our actual results, performance or achievements may vary materially from those described in this Annual Report on Form 10-K as anticipated, believed, estimated, expected, intended, planned or projected. The forward-looking statements included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K are made only as of the date of this report. Unless required by United States federal securities laws, we neither intend nor assume any obligation to update these forward-looking statements for any reason after the date of this Annual Report on Form 10-K to conform these statements to actual results or to changes in our expectations. A forward-looking statement is neither a prediction nor a guarantee of future events or circumstances, and those future events or circumstances may not occur. Additional risks and uncertainties that we do not presently know about or that we currently consider to be immaterial may also affect our business operations or financial results.

PART 1

ITEM 1. BUSINESS

As used in this document, the terms “Culp,” the “company,” “we,” “our,” and “us” refer to Culp, Inc. and its consolidated subsidiaries (unless the context indicates another meaning). The term “common stock” means the common stock of Culp, Inc., par value $.05 per share. The terms “Read Window Products” and “Read” refer to our wholly-owned subsidiary, Read Window Products, LLC.

Overview

Culp is one of the largest marketers of mattress fabrics for bedding and upholstery fabrics for residential, commercial, and hospitality furniture in North America. The company markets a variety of fabrics to its global customer base of leading bedding and furniture companies, including fabrics produced at Culp's manufacturing facilities and fabrics sourced through other suppliers. The company competes in a business driven by fashion and product performance, and we strive to differentiate ourselves by placing a sustained focus on creativity and product innovation. In addition, we place great emphasis on providing excellent and dependable service to our customers. Our focused efforts to protect our financial strength have allowed us to maintain our position as a financially stable and trusted supplier of innovative fabrics to bedding and furniture manufacturers.

Our operations are classified into two operating segments — mattress fabrics and upholstery fabrics. The mattress fabrics business markets primarily knitted and woven fabrics, as well as sewn covers made from those fabrics, which are used in the production of bedding products, including mattresses, foundations, and mattress sets. The upholstery fabrics business markets a variety of fabric products that are used in the production of residential and commercial upholstered furniture, including sofas, recliners, chairs, loveseats, sectionals, sofa-beds, and seating for offices, healthcare facilities, and other institutional uses, as well as fabric products that are used in the production of upholstered furniture for the hospitality industry, including seating for restaurants, hotels, and theaters. The upholstery fabrics business also markets window treatment products and installation services for customers in the hospitality and commercial industries.

Culp markets a variety of fabrics and other products in different categories to a global customer base, including fabrics produced at our manufacturing facilities and fabrics produced by other suppliers. In fiscal 2024, we had active production facilities located in North Carolina; Tennessee; Quebec, Canada; Shanghai, China; and Ouanaminthe, Haiti. Culp also sources fabrics and cut and sewn kits from other manufacturers, located primarily in China, Vietnam, and Turkey, with substantially all of these products made specifically for Culp and created by Culp designers.

In May 2024, Culp announced a restructuring plan (the “Fiscal 2025 restructuring”), primarily focused on its mattress fabrics segment, in which Culp will consolidate certain of its operations. Under this plan, Culp is engaging in a phased wind-down and closure of its manufacturing plant in Quebec, Canada, moving a portion of this plant's knitting operations to its manufacturing facility in Stokesdale, North Carolina, and transitioning this plant's weaving operations to a strategic sourcing model. In addition, Culp is consolidating its sewn mattress cover operation in Haiti, reducing the expenses at that location. It is also rationalizing the company’s internal upholstery fabrics finishing operation in China to align with current demand and further leverage strategic supply relationships. See “—Fiscal 2025 Restructuring” below for further details regarding the restructuring.

Additional information about trends and developments in each of our business segments is provided in the “Segments” discussion below, as well as in our “Management’s Discussion and Analysis” in Part II, Section 7 of this report.

General Information

Culp, Inc. was organized as a North Carolina corporation in 1972 and made its initial public offering in 1983. Since 1997, our stock has been listed on the New York Stock Exchange and trades under ticker symbol “CULP.” Our fiscal year is the 52- or 53-week period ending on the Sunday closest to April 30. Our executive offices are located in High Point, North Carolina.

Culp maintains a corporate website at www.culp.com. We will make this annual report and our other annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K and amendments to these reports available free of charge on our website as soon as reasonably practicable after such material is electronically filed with, or furnished to, the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). Copies of any materials we file or furnish with the SEC can also be obtained free of charge through the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. The information included on our website is not incorporated by reference into this annual report or any other reports we file with, or furnish to, the SEC.

Fiscal 2025 Restructuring

On May 1, 2024 (the company's fiscal 2025 year), Culp announced the Fiscal 2025 restructuring, which was designed to reduce costs, improve asset utilization, and drive performance and profitable growth. The plan, which is being implemented primarily in the company’s mattress fabrics segment and, to a lesser extent, in its upholstery fabrics segment, includes the following strategic actions:

The implementation of these restructuring actions began in May 2024. The restructuring actions are expected to be mostly completed by the end calendar year 2024. The company expects to incur restructuring and restructuring-related costs and charges of approximately $8.0 million, of which $2.5 million are anticipated to be incurred in the first half of fiscal 2025, and the remainder are expected to be incurred over the course of fiscal 2025. This includes approximately $2.5 million in cash costs, the majority of which are anticipated to be incurred in the first half of fiscal 2025. The company expects to fund these cash costs with the sale of manufacturing equipment. For further information about the Fiscal 2025 restructuring, see Note 8 of the consolidated financial statements.

Segments

Our operations are classified into two business segments: mattress fabrics and upholstery fabrics. The following table sets forth certain information for each of our segments.

Additional financial information about our operating segments can be found in Note 17 of the consolidated financial statements included in Item 8 of this report.

Mattress Fabrics. The mattress fabrics segment, also known as Culp Home Fashions, manufactures and markets mattress fabrics and sewn mattress covers to bedding manufacturers. These products include woven jacquard fabrics, knitted fabrics, and some converted fabrics. Culp Home Fashions has fabric manufacturing facilities located in Stokesdale, North Carolina, and St. Jerome, Quebec, Canada. As part of the Fiscal 2025 restructuring, Culp is relocating some of its knitting and finishing operations from its Quebec, Canada facility to Stokesdale, North Carolina, and transitioning its woven jacquard fabric operations to a strategic sourcing model. See “—Manufacturing and Sourcing—Mattress Fabrics Segment,” below, for information on our mattress fabrics manufacturing.

During fiscal 2023, we completed a restructuring and rationalization of our U.S.-based cut and sewn cover platform, moving our research and development ("R&D") and prototyping capabilities from our location in High Point, North Carolina, to our owned facility in Stokesdale, North Carolina. The result of this move was the discontinuation of our higher-cost on shore production capabilities, with the closure of two leased facilities in High Point during the third quarter of fiscal 2023. This platform adjustment has allowed us to

generate cost savings by utilizing our lower-cost mattress cover production and sourcing capabilities in Haiti and Asia. Also, as part of the Fiscal 2025 restructuring, we are consolidating our Haiti sewn mattress cover operation into one building and reducing operating expenses at that location.

During the past few years, we completed several multi-year capital projects for the mattress fabrics business, including consolidating certain operations, expanding capacity, improving efficiency and customer service, and maintaining our flexible approach to fabric sourcing. In fiscal 2019, we expanded our design capabilities with the launch of a new software and a library system for cataloging our products to drive marketing and enhance innovation. In fiscal 2020, we further enhanced our design and innovation platform by establishing a dedicated innovation team to develop and offer the latest technologies and forward-looking products, expanding our creative team to complement our innovation strategy, and releasing a new digital library, design simulations, and 3D image rendering capabilities to showcase our designs and marketing tools. In fiscal 2021, we invested in additional knit machines and other equipment to expand fabric capacity in North America, and we also enhanced our digital project management platform, which allows us to work with customers from concept ideation and 3D mapping to product life cycle management and final merchandising. In fiscal 2022, we expanded our leading-edge technology by investing in robust hot melt lamination finishing equipment. In fiscal 2024, we invested in knitting software to monitor machine efficiency and output, and we invested in a chemical dosing system designed to enhance our finishing capabilities and provide immediate cost saving benefits.

We believe the success of our mattress fabrics business over the longer term is due largely to a business strategy that has included a focus on creative design and product innovation; a strong global manufacturing and sourcing platform; solid long-term customer and vendor relationships; and reliable service. Our business model has allowed us to provide bedding manufacturers with innovative products developed from consumer-based research and trend analysis, and we have been able to meet continually changing demand trends with the support of our flexible global platform.

Upholstery Fabrics. The upholstery fabrics segment markets fabrics for residential, commercial, and hospitality furniture, described below. This segment also includes window treatment products and installation services through our Read Window Products business, including roller shades, drapery, hardware, and top-of-mattress soft goods, for customers in the hospitality and commercial industries.

During fiscal 2024, the upholstery fabrics segment operated four facilities in Shanghai, China, including one manufacturing facility. From these locations, we market a variety of upholstery fabrics and cut and sewn kits sourced from third-party producers, mostly in China and Vietnam. We utilize these facilities for design, prototyping, finishing, warehousing, quality control, and inspection operations related to these products. As part of the Fiscal 2025 restructuring, we are rationalizing our internal upholstery fabrics finishing operation in China to align with current demand and further leverage strategic supply relationships. See “—Manufacturing and Sourcing—Upholstery Fabrics Segment,” below, for information on our upholstery fabrics manufacturing.

We continue to expand our marketing efforts to sell our upholstery fabrics products in countries other than the U.S., including the Chinese local market. During the fourth quarter of fiscal 2024, we also established an administrative office located in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, for the purpose of enhancing our sourcing and to further diversify our supply chain in Asia.

Additionally, we market a variety of window treatments, using mostly customer-supplied fabrics and materials, fabricated at our Read Window Products facility in Knoxville, Tennessee, as well as by third-party suppliers.

Our upholstery fabrics business has moved from one that relied on a large fixed capital base that was difficult to adjust to a more flexible and scalable marketer of upholstery fabrics that meets changing levels of customer demand and tastes. At the same time, we have maintained control or oversight of the most important “value added” aspects of our business, such as design, finishing, quality control, and logistics. This strategic approach has allowed us to limit our investment of capital in fixed assets and control the costs of our products, while continuing to leverage our design and finishing expertise, industry knowledge, and important relationships.

We believe the success of our upholstery fabrics segment over the longer term is due largely to a business strategy that has included: innovation in a low-cost environment, speed-to-market execution, consistent quality, reliable service and lead times, and increased recognition of and reliance on the Culp brand. Our progress has been achieved through a unique business model that has enabled the upholstery fabrics segment to execute a strategy that we believe is clearly differentiated from our competitors. In this way, we have maintained our ability to provide furniture manufacturers with products from nearly every category of fabric for upholstered furniture and meet continually changing demand levels and consumer preferences.

Overview of Industry and Markets

Culp markets products primarily to manufacturers and hospitality customers in four principal markets. The mattress fabrics segment supplies the bedding industry, which produces mattress sets (mattresses, box springs, foundations and top of bed components) and bedding accessory products. The upholstery fabrics segment primarily supplies the residential furniture industry and, to a lesser extent, the commercial and hospitality furniture industries. The residential furniture market includes upholstered furniture sold to consumers

for household use, including sofas, sofa-beds, chairs, recliners, and sectionals. The commercial furniture, fabrics, and window treatments market includes fabrics and window treatment products used for upholstered office seating sold primarily for use in offices, healthcare facilities, and other institutional settings; and window treatments for commercial application. The hospitality furniture, fabrics, and window treatments market includes fabrics and window treatment products for use in the hospitality industry (primarily hotels and motels, restaurants, and theater seating) The principal industries into which the company sells products – the bedding industry and residential, commercial, and hospitality furniture industries – are described in more detail below. The great majority of our products are sold to manufacturers for end use in the U.S., and thus the discussions below are focused on that market.

Overview of Bedding Industry

The bedding industry has contracted and expanded in recent years in accordance with the general economy, although traditionally the industry has been relatively mature and stable. This is due in part to the fact that a larger share of bedding industry sales are replacement purchases, which are generally less volatile than sales based on economic growth and new household formations. During the second half of fiscal 2022 and throughout fiscal 2023 and fiscal 2024, the bedding industry experienced weakness in domestic mattress sales, with industry reports reflecting significant unit contraction. We believe this industry softness was mostly driven by inflationary pressures affecting consumer spending, especially for mattress products in the low to mid-range price points, and a shift in demand from home goods to travel, leisure, and entertainment following a pulling forward of demand for home goods during the early years of the COVID-19 pandemic. These factors are expected to continue affecting the bedding industry into fiscal 2025.

Until the last few years, the U.S. bedding industry largely remained a North American-based business, with limited competition from imports. This dynamic has mainly been due to short lead times demanded by mattress manufacturers and retailers, the customized nature of product lines, the relatively low direct labor content in mattresses, and strong brand recognition. Imports of bedding into the U.S. had been increasing gradually, but this trend accelerated significantly in recent years, especially for lower-priced and roll packed, boxed bedding. Major importing countries in fiscal 2024 included Mexico, Vietnam, Indonesia, Taiwan, Spain, and Kosovo, among others. The result of the increase in imports has been a decline in sales for the major U.S. bedding manufacturers, which has affected major suppliers to those manufacturers, including Culp. While several rounds of actions by the U.S. Department of Commerce intended to promote domestic production have yielded some benefits to domestic manufacturers, imported products have retained solid market share. Additionally, many mattress producers have adjusted to an assembly model in the United States, still utilizing a mix of domestic and imported materials from suppliers like Culp.

We believe that key trends in the bedding industry include increased demand for roll-packed/compressed mattresses through both online and traditional sales channels, greater awareness among consumers about the health benefits of better sleep, and emphasis on the design knitted or woven into mattress fabric. Consumer acceptance of boxed beds as a delivery mechanism continues to drive growth and increase market share for this product, increasing potential demand for knitted fabrics and sewn mattress covers. Mattress fabric design efforts are based on current trends in home decor and fashion. Additionally, the growth in non-traditional sources for retail mattress sales, such as online e-commerce channels and wholesale warehouse clubs, has the potential to increase overall consumption of bedding products due to convenience and high traffic volume, which may result in higher turnover of product. Among fabric types, knitted fabrics have continued to increase in popularity. Knitted fabric was initially used primarily on premium mattresses, but these products are now being placed on more mattresses at mid-range to lower retail price points and nearly all roll-packed bedding. Because knit fabrics are viewed as more versatile in the current market, due to their design flexibility in both style and texture and their functionality with roll-packed bedding, knit fabrics offer higher gross margin potential.

Overview of Residential, Commercial, and Hospitality Furnishing Industries

We supply upholstery fabric products to customers in the residential, commercial, and hospitality industries, and we supply window treatment products to customers in the commercial and hospitality industries.

Overall demand for our residential and commercial upholstery fabrics depends upon consumer and business demand for furniture products, which is subject to variations in the general economy, including current inflationary pressures affecting consumer spending and declines in consumer confidence. Purchases of furniture products are discretionary purchases for most individuals and businesses, and economic downturns or periods of depressed consumer confidence reduce demand for our upholstery fabrics. In addition, sales of residential furniture are influenced significantly by the housing industry and by trends in home sales and household formations. Reduced home sales in recent years have adversely affected our sales.

Additionally, demand for our upholstery fabrics and window treatment products for the commercial and hospitality industries generally reflects economic trends affecting businesses; consumer spending on travel and experiences; demand for new and refurbished hotel and resort properties; and demand for new and refurbished commercial office space. Increased consumer spending on travel and experiences following the COVID-19 pandemic has driven increased demand for our products in the hospitality market, while significant challenges in the commercial real estate market following the pandemic have adversely affected our commercial sales to some extent.

The sourcing of components and fully assembled furniture from overseas continues to play a major role in the furniture industry. The largest source for imported upholstery fabrics continues to be China, while China and Vietnam now serve as the largest sources for fully

assembled furniture. Imports of upholstery fabric, both in roll and in “kit” form, have also had a significant impact on the market for upholstery fabrics in recent years. Fabrics entering the U.S. from China and other low labor cost countries have resulted in increased price competition in the upholstery fabric and upholstered furniture markets.

In general, the residential furniture industry has been consolidating for several years. The result of this trend is fewer, but larger, customers for marketers of upholstery fabrics. Intense price competition continues to be an important consideration for both residential and commercial furniture.

Additionally, with the ongoing global trade dispute and other tensions between the U.S. and China, including the U.S. imposition of tariffs and the possibility for additional tariffs on China imports, some of our customers began altering their supply chains away from China in late fiscal 2019. This trend has continued in recent years, including in fiscal 2024. While we believe Asia remains a preferred location for sourcing of components, including fabric, we continue to diversify our sourcing strategies to develop additional geographic options to service our customers.

Products

As described above, our products include mattress fabrics and upholstery fabrics, which are our two identified operating segments. These fabrics are sold in roll form and as sewn mattress covers by the mattress fabrics segment, and in roll form and as cut and sewn kits by the upholstery fabrics segment. Our upholstery segment products also include window treatments and related products.

Mattress Fabrics Segment

Mattress fabrics segment sales constituted 52% of our total net sales for fiscal 2024, compared with 47% for fiscal 2023. The company has emphasized fabrics that have broad appeal at prices generally ranging from $1.60 to more than $10.00 per yard.

Upholstery Fabrics Segment

Upholstery fabrics segment sales totaled 48% of our sales for fiscal 2024, compared with 53% of for fiscal 2023. The company has emphasized fabrics that have broad appeal at “good” and “better” prices, generally ranging from $2.50 to $16.00 per yard.

Product Categories by Segment

We market products in most categories of fabric that manufacturers currently use for bedding and furniture. We also market window treatment products to customers in the hospitality and commercial industries. Our product lines include:

Mattress Fabrics

Upholstery Fabrics

Through our Read Window Products business, the upholstery fabrics segment also markets a variety of window treatment products and installation services for customers in the hospitality and commercial industries. These products include roller & solar shades, drapery, roman shades and top treatments, hardware products, and soft goods such as duvet covers, bed skirts, bolsters and pillows.

Manufacturing and Sourcing

Mattress Fabrics Segment

Our mattress fabrics segment currently operates three manufacturing plants, with one located in North Carolina (Stokesdale), one in St. Jerome, Quebec, Canada, and one in Ouanaminthe, Haiti. Over the past ten fiscal years, we have made capital expenditures to consolidate our production facilities and to modernize both knit and weaving equipment, enhance and provide knit and woven finishing capabilities, and expand capacity. The result has been an increase in manufacturing efficiency and reductions in operating costs, as well as expanded product offerings and capacity.

Knitted fabrics are currently produced at both the Stokesdale and St. Jerome facilities, while jacquard (damask) fabric is produced solely at the St. Jerome facility. The majority of our finishing and inspection processes for mattress fabrics is currently conducted at the Stokesdale plant, while the St. Jerome plant provides additional capacity and a second location for these processes. Both of these facilities offer finished goods distribution capabilities, and the Stokesdale plant houses the division offices. Additionally, our mattress cover operation has a wholly owned manufacturing platform in Haiti for production of cut and sewn mattress covers. This platform includes currently two leased facilities.

Following the Fiscal 2025 restructuring expected to be completed during calendar year 2025, our St. Jerome plant will be eliminated and our Haiti production operations will be reduced to a single facility. In connection with the St. Jerome closure, we will relocate some of the knitting and finishing operation conducted at that facility to the Stokesdale facility, and we will also transition jacquard (damask) fabric production from the St. Jerome facility to a strategic sourcing model through the company’s long standing supply partners. See “—Fiscal 2025 Restructuring” for further details regarding the Fiscal 2025 restructuring.

In addition to the mattress fabrics and sewn covers manufactured by Culp, we have important supply arrangements in place that allow us to source mattress fabrics and sewn covers from strategic suppliers. We source some knitted fabrics, certain converted fabric products, and sewn mattress covers using our Culp China platform. We also source sewn mattress covers from a strategic supply relationship in Vietnam, and a portion of our woven jacquard fabric and knitted fabric from a supplier located in Turkey (and as part of the Fiscal 2025 restructuring, we will transition all of jacquard (damask) production to outside suppliers). Substantially all of our outsourced mattress fabrics products are made specifically for Culp and manufactured to our design specifications.

Upholstery Fabrics Segment

During fiscal 2024, the upholstery fabrics segment operated four facilities located in an industrial park in Shanghai, China, including one manufacturing facility. At these facilities, we inspect fabrics sourced from a limited number of suppliers, and during fiscal 2024, we also applied value-added finishing processes to sourced fabric. As part of the Fiscal 2025 restructuring, we are rationalizing internal upholstery fabrics finishing in China to align with current demand and further leverage strategic supply relationships. Additionally, we previously produced cut and sewn upholstery kits in Haiti, but we discontinued this production during the first quarter of fiscal 2024, based on reduced demand.

A large portion of our upholstery fabric products, as well as certain elements of our production processes, are being sourced from outside suppliers. Our facilities in China provide a base from which to access a variety of products, including certain fabrics (such as micro denier suedes and polyurethane fabrics) that are not produced anywhere within the U.S. We have found opportunities to develop significant relationships with key overseas suppliers in China that allow us to source products on a cost-effective basis, while limiting our investment of capital in manufacturing assets. During fiscal 2024, we sourced unfinished and finished fabrics, as well as cut and sewn kits, from a limited number of strategic suppliers in China who are willing to commit significant capacity to meet our needs and work with our product development team located in China to meet the demands of our customers. Beginning in late fiscal 2019, we also developed strategic supplier relationships in Vietnam for additional sourcing of our cut and sewn kits, which has allowed us to begin

adjusting our supply chains to meet customer demands. We then established an administrative office located in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, during the fourth quarter of fiscal 2024, for the purpose of enhancing our strategic sourcing and further diversifying our supply chain in Asia. Additionally, beginning in fiscal 2022, we developed strategic supplier relationships in Turkey for additional sourcing of fabric products, providing further diversification in our supply chain.

We fabricate a variety of window treatment products at our Read Window Products facility in Knoxville, Tennessee, and we also use a limited number of strategic suppliers in the United States and Mexico for window treatment fabrication. The majority of upholstery fabrics and materials used by our Read Window Products business to fabricate window treatments are customer-supplied. These materials are generally sourced by customers, and we also source a portion of other window treatment products such as hardware and roller shades, from outside suppliers in the U.S., Turkey, and China.

Product Design and Innovation

Consumer tastes and preferences related to bedding, upholstered furniture, and window treatment products change over time. The use of new fabrics, creative designs, and special production finishes and technologies remains an important consideration for manufacturers and marketers to distinguish their products at retail and to capitalize on changes in preferred colors, patterns, textures, and performance properties. Culp’s success is largely dependent on its ability to market fabrics and products with appealing designs and patterns, as well as performance properties such as cleanability, stain-resistance, cooling, sustainability, and health-related benefits. The process of developing new designs and innovative finishes involves maintaining an awareness of broad fashion and color trends, as well as wellness and other consumer trends, both in the United States and internationally.

In order to enhance our design and innovation creativity and advance the synergies between our mattress fabrics and upholstery fabrics segments, we launched a new innovation campus in downtown High Point, North Carolina, during fiscal 2022. This space combines our design, innovation, and sales teams for both businesses into a shared location to support collaboration across divisions and pull our top creative talent together to develop new products and technologies based on the latest consumer trends.

Mattress Fabrics Segment

Design innovation is a very important element of producing mattress fabrics. We invest significant resources to stay ahead of current design trends, including maintaining a trained and active design and innovation staff; investing in research and development activities, such as participation in international design shows; and implementing systems for creating, cataloging, and simulating new designs. Price point delineation for our fabrics and our customers’ finished mattress products is accomplished through fabric quality as well as variation in design. Consumers are often drawn to the mattress that is the most visually appealing when walking into a retail showroom or viewing mattress products online, so this design variation, together with price point delineation, helps our customers merchandise different looks at various price points. Fiber differentiation also plays an important part in design. For example, rayon, organic cotton, and other special fibers, including recycled fibers promoting sustainability and fibers with cooling properties, are incorporated into the design process to allow the retailer to offer consumers additional benefits related to their sleeping experience. Similarly, many fabrics contain special production finishes that enhance fabric performance.

Mattress fabric designs are not routinely introduced on a scheduled season. Designs are typically introduced upon the request of the customer as they plan introductions of new products. Additionally, we work closely with our customers on new design offerings around the major furniture markets such as Las Vegas, Nevada, and High Point, North Carolina.

Upholstery Fabrics Segment

The company has developed an upholstery fabrics design and product development team (with staff located in the U.S. and in China) with a primary focus on value in designing body cloths, while promoting style leadership with pillow fabrics and color. Our design staff travels regularly to international trade and design shows to maintain familiarity with current design and fashion trends. The team searches continually for new ideas and for the best sources of raw materials, yarns, and fabrics, utilizing a supply network located mostly in China. Using these design elements, they develop product offerings using ideas and materials that take both fashion trends and cost considerations into account to offer products designed to meet the needs of furniture manufacturers and ultimately the desires of consumers.

Upholstery fabric designs are introduced at major fabric trade conferences that occur twice a year in the United States. In recent years we have become more assertive in registering and defending copyrights for popular fabric patterns and taking steps to discourage the illegal copying of our proprietary designs.

Distribution

Mattress Fabrics Segment

Most of our mattress fabrics shipments originate from our facilities in Stokesdale, North Carolina, and we currently have additional distribution capabilities in Canada, China, Haiti, and Turkey. Following the Fiscal 2025 restructuring, distribution from Canada will be eliminated.

Through arrangements with major customers and in accordance with industry practice, we maintain a significant inventory of mattress fabrics at our distribution facility in Stokesdale (“make to stock”), so that products may be shipped to customers with short lead times and on a “just in time” basis.

Upholstery Fabrics Segment

A majority of our upholstery fabrics are marketed on a “make to order” basis and are shipped directly from our distribution facilities in Burlington, North Carolina, and Shanghai, China. We also have distribution capabilities in Vietnam and Turkey. In addition to “make to order” distribution, an inventory of select fabric patterns is held at our distribution facilities in Burlington and Shanghai from which our customers can obtain quick delivery of sourced fabrics through a program known as “Culp Express.” We also currently have distribution capabilities for our “Culp Express” program to local customers in Canada through our mattress fabrics distribution facility in Quebec, Canada. However, following the Fiscal 2025 restructuring, distribution capabilities from Canada will be eliminated.

Window treatment products sold through our Read Window Products business are done on a “job order” basis, with manufactured products shipped directly from Read's manufacturing facility in Knoxville, Tennessee to the job installation site.

Sources and Availability of Raw Materials

Mattress Fabrics Segment

Raw materials account for approximately 60%-70% of mattress fabric production costs. The mattress fabrics segment purchases primarily synthetic yarns (polyester, polypropylene, and rayon), certain greige (unfinished) goods, glue adhesives, laminates, dyes, and other chemicals. Most of these materials are available from several suppliers, and prices fluctuate based on supply and demand and the general rate of inflation. Additionally, because many of our basic raw materials are produced from petrochemical products, our costs are highly sensitive to the underlying price of oil.

The mattress fabrics segment has generally not had significant difficulty in obtaining raw materials, apart from some delays experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic, which have since subsided. However, our use of outside suppliers to source materials makes the mattress fabrics segment vulnerable to price increases, delays, or production interruptions caused by problems within businesses that we do not control.

Upholstery Fabrics Segment

The upholstery fabrics segment generally does not purchase raw materials directly, but raw materials, particularly synthetic yarns (polyester, acrylic, rayon, and polypropylene) and dyes, are important to our suppliers of finished and unfinished fabrics. Raw materials account for approximately 60%-70% of upholstery fabric manufacturing costs for products the company manufactures. As with our mattress fabrics, our costs fluctuate with the price of oil.

Increased reliance by both our U.S. and China upholstery operations on outside suppliers for basic production needs such as base fabrics, yarns, and finishing services has caused the upholstery fabrics segment to become more vulnerable to price increases, delays, or production interruptions caused by problems within businesses that we do not control.

Seasonality

Overall, demand for our products generally depends upon consumer demand for furniture and bedding products, which reflects sensitivity to overall economic conditions, including consumer confidence, unemployment rates, and housing market conditions.

Mattress Fabrics Segment

The mattress fabrics business and the bedding industry in general are slightly seasonal, with sales being the highest in early spring and late summer, with another peak in mid-winter. In the U.S., customers often purchase mattresses during major U.S. holidays, in conjunction with retail store promotional events. However, these seasonality trends relate more to in-store retail sales. Online sales, which have grown in recent years, are less affected by in-store seasonality trends.

Upholstery Fabrics Segment

The upholstery fabrics business has some seasonality, which is tied to the timing of holidays in our manufacturing facilities. Our manufacturing facilities in China close during Chinese National Holiday (in October) and the Chinese New Year (which occurs in January or February each year), often causing sales to be higher in advance of these Chinese holiday periods and sometimes lower during or immediately following the same periods.

Competition

Competition for our products is high and is based primarily on price, design, quality, product performance, timing of delivery, and service.

Mattress Fabrics Segment

The mattress fabrics market is concentrated in a few relatively large suppliers, as well as some niche producers focusing mainly on knitted products. We believe our principal mattress fabric and mattress cover competitors are BekaertDeslee Textiles (fabric and mattress cover producer), Global Textile Alliance (fabric and mattress cover producer), and several smaller companies producing knitted fabrics, sewn covers, and other fabric, including companies in China supplying fabric and cover products to sub-contract manufacturers in the U.S. In addition, our bedding customers continue to face increasing competition from imports of finished beds, which indirectly compete with our mattress fabrics as import producers generally do not purchase our fabrics.

Upholstery Fabrics Segment

In the upholstery fabrics market, we compete against a large number of companies, ranging from a few large manufacturers comparable in size to Culp to small producers and converters (companies who buy and re-sell fabrics, but have no manufacturing). We believe our principal upholstery fabric competitors are Dorell Fabrics Co., Morgan Fabrics, Richloom Fabrics, Specialty Textile, Inc. (or STI), and ZhongWang Fabrics, plus a large number of smaller competitors (both manufacturers and converters).

The trend in the upholstery fabrics industry to greater overseas competition and the entry of more converters has caused the upholstery fabrics industry to become substantially more fragmented in recent years, with lower barriers to entry. This has resulted in a larger number of competitors selling upholstery fabrics, with an increase in competition based on price.

Environmental and Other Regulations

We are subject to various federal and state laws and regulations, including the Occupational Safety and Health Act (“OSHA”) and federal and state environmental laws, as well as similar laws governing our manufacturing facilities in China, Canada, and Haiti. We periodically review our compliance with these laws and regulations in an attempt to minimize the risk of violations.

Our operations involve a variety of materials and processes that are subject to environmental regulation. Under current law, environmental liability can arise from previously owned properties, leased properties, and properties owned by third parties, as well as from properties currently owned and leased by the company. Environmental liabilities can also be asserted by adjacent landowners or other third parties in toxic tort litigation.

In addition, under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980, as amended (“CERCLA”), and analogous state statutes, liability can be imposed for the disposal of waste at sites targeted for cleanup by federal and state regulatory authorities. Liability under CERCLA is strict as well as joint and several.

Domestic and foreign laws and regulations, as well as international agreements, may result in new regulations on greenhouse gas emissions. It is uncertain if, when, and in what form, a mandatory carbon dioxide emissions reduction program may be enacted either through legislation or regulation. However, if enacted, this type of program could materially increase our operating costs, including costs of raw materials, transportation, and electricity. It is difficult to predict the extent to which any new rules or regulations would affect our business, but we would expect the effect on our operations to be similar to that for other manufacturers, particularly those in our industry.

We are periodically involved in environmental claims or litigation and requests for information from environmental regulators. Each of these matters is carefully evaluated, and the company provides for environmental matters based on information presently available. Based on this information, we do not currently believe that environmental matters will have a material adverse effect on either the company’s financial condition or results of operations. However, there can be no assurance that the costs associated with environmental matters will not increase in the future.

Human Capital

Our Employees

As of the end of fiscal 2024, we employed 1,000 people, a decrease of 333 employees as compared to the end of the prior fiscal year. The mattress fabrics segments employed 663 people at fiscal year-end, a decrease of 96 employees from the prior year, while the upholstery segment employed 305 people, a decrease of 238 employees from the prior year. The remaining employees comprise the company’s shared services functions.

The decrease in the number of employees in the mattress fabrics segment in fiscal 2024, as compared to the prior year, was associated with rationalization within our Haiti sewn cover operation to align capacity and costs with reduced demand. The decrease in the number of employees in the upholstery fabrics segment in fiscal 2024, as compared to the prior year, was primarily associated with the discontinuation of our Haiti cut and sew operation during the first quarter of fiscal 2024.

Approximately 486 employees work in the United States, and 514 are employed in international locations. We employ the vast majority of our employees on a full-time basis.

The hourly employees at our manufacturing facility in Canada (approximately 14% of our workforce) are represented by a local, unaffiliated union. The collective bargaining agreement for these employees expires on February 1, 2026. We are not aware of any efforts to organize any more of our employees, and we believe our employee relations are very good with both our unionized and non-unionized workforce. Our company-wide annual employee turnover rate was approximately 43.5% during the past fiscal year, compared to approximately 42% in the prior year. The annual employee turnover in fiscal 2024 and fiscal 2023 has been higher than recent historical trends, driven mostly by the rationalization and restructuring of our upholstery fabrics cut and sew operations in China and Haiti during fiscal 2023; the rationalization of our mattress fabrics cut and sew operation in the U.S. during fiscal 2023 and in Haiti during fiscal 2024; and the discontinuation of our upholstery fabrics cut and sew operation in Haiti during the first quarter of fiscal 2024.

In fiscal 2025, as part of the Fiscal 2025 restructuring, we plan to reduce the number of employees in our mattress fabrics segment by approximately 240 people, representing close to 35% of the segment's total workforce at the end of fiscal 2024. See “—Fiscal 2025 Restructuring” for further details regarding the Fiscal 2025 restructuring.

Mission Statement and Values

Our human resources department has adopted a mission statement that embodies our values and goals in the company’s relationships with our employees. The mission statement is as follows:

Culp HR Services is committed to providing outstanding employee support in a mutually respectful, safe, diverse, and collaborative environment through innovative programming that engages our associates and promotes the success of Culp, Inc.

We strive to maintain a welcoming and inclusive workplace. Discrimination on the basis of race, ethnicity, sex, age, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, genetic information, disability, veteran status, or other status protected by law, as well as sexual harassment or harassment of any kind, are not tolerated in our workplaces. Employees have multiple avenues available to report inappropriate behavior, including a dedicated “HR Connection” phone line. All reports of inappropriate behavior are promptly investigated and appropriate action is taken to prevent their recurrence. We also prohibit retaliation against individuals who, in good faith, report any violation of company policies, including unlawful discrimination or harassment.

Along with our mission statement and values, we act in accordance with our Code of Business Conduct and Ethics (“Code of Conduct”), which sets forth expectations and guidance for employees to make appropriate decisions. Our Code of Conduct covers topics such as conflicts of interest, fair dealing, protecting confidential information, appropriate use of company assets, compliance with laws (including, without limitation, anti-corruption and antitrust laws), workplace safety and environmental stewardship, and reporting Code of Conduct violations. The Code of Conduct reflects our commitment to operating in a fair, honest, ethical, and responsible manner, and also provides direction for reporting complaints in the event of alleged violations of our policies. Our executive officers and supervisors maintain “open door” policies, and any form of retaliation is strictly prohibited.

We also conduct regular training programs with our management and employee leaders to inform and refresh their knowledge about company policies and procedures pertaining to employment and human capital.

Employee Recruitment, Development, Engagement, and Wellness

We strive to attract, recruit, and retain employees through competitive compensation and benefit programs that are aligned with those of comparable industries and in the geographic areas where our facilities are located, and in compliance with local regulatory requirements. We also provide development opportunities that support career growth and maintain a wide variety of programs to engage

with our employees and promote overall wellness. We believe these efforts support all of our personnel in the workplace and elsewhere in their lives, which in turn promotes employee satisfaction and retention.

For example, the “CULPgrow” program was launched in 2021 to provide employees with skills assessment and education assistance, such as GED, ESOL (English to Speakers of Other Languages), and computer literacy programs. The purpose of CULPgrow is to provide a workplace where every employee has the key resources they need to grow, develop, and reach their career goals. The program focuses on identifying the skills and goals of each employee, as well as ways the company can invest in their future and provide tools and resources that support their career advancement. It also provides resources such as financial educational assistance, as well as mentorship opportunities where employees can be matched with a company mentor and guided through pathways for success within the company.

Additionally, in fiscal 2022, Culp began its first company-wide global giving initiative, with a program called “Share the Love.” The program involved employees in each of our geographic locations choosing a charitable endeavor to support, based on their knowledge of local cultural considerations and areas of need. In fiscal 2024, our U.S. locations held food drives for donations to local food banks, while Culp China’s facilities contributed to help a cancer patient and employees in Haiti donated toys to a local daycare facility.

Other examples of employee engagement initiatives include:

These engagement efforts and programs are continually refined and updated to meet the evolving needs of our workforce.

Safety and Health

The safety and health of our employees is a fundamental priority at Culp. We maintain comprehensive safety monitoring and training programs, with regular reports to senior management on these topics. Our Behavior Based Safety initiative combines awareness programs, observation, and training to enhance continued compliance with safe and healthy practices in our facilities.

Customers and Sales

Mattress Fabrics Segment

Major customers for our mattress fabrics include leading bedding manufacturers such as Serta-Simmons Bedding (SSB), Tempur + Sealy International (TSI), Casper, Corsicana, Sleep Number, and Ashley Furniture. Our largest customer in the mattress fabrics segment is Serta Simmons Holdings, LLC, accounting for approximately 13% of the company’s consolidated sales in fiscal 2024. These sales include sales to customers who are also subcontractors for Serta Simmons Holdings, LLC. Our mattress fabrics customers also include many small and medium-size bedding manufacturers.

Upholstery Fabrics Segment

Our major customers for upholstery fabrics are leading manufacturers of upholstered furniture, including Ashley Furniture, Flexsteel Home, Jonathan Louis, La-Z-Boy (La-Z-Boy Residential and England), Southern Furniture Industries (Fusion and Southern Motion), and Sudair Manufacturing. Major customers for the company’s fabrics for commercial furniture include Exemplis, HNI Corporation, Holiday Inn Club Vacations, and Marriott. Our largest customer in the upholstery fabrics segment is La-Z-Boy Incorporated, which accounted for approximately 12% of the company’s consolidated sales in fiscal 2024.

The following table sets forth our net sales by geographic area by amount and percentage of total net sales for the three most recent fiscal years.

Net Sales by Geographic Area

(dollars in thousands)

Sales attributed to individual countries are based upon the location that the company ships its products to for delivery to customers.

For additional segment information, including the geographic location of long-lived assets, see Note 17 in the consolidated financial statements.

Backlog

Mattress Fabrics Segment

The backlog for the mattress fabric segment is not a reliable predictor of future shipments because the majority of sales for the mattress fabrics segment are on a just in time basis.

Upholstery Fabrics Segment

Although it is difficult to predict the amount of backlog that is “firm,” we have reported the portion of the upholstery fabric backlog from customers with confirmed shipping dates within five weeks of the end of the fiscal year. On April 28, 2024, the portion of the upholstery fabric backlog with confirmed shipping dates prior to June 3, 2024, was $11.7 million, compared with $10.6 million as of the end of fiscal 2023 (for confirmed shipping dates prior to June 5, 2023).

Intellectual Property

We currently hold, or have registration applications pending for, numerous trademarks and copyrights for various product and trade names, logos, and fabric designs in the United States and certain foreign countries. We view such intellectual property, along with any unregistered copyrights, trademarks, service marks, trade names, domain names, trade dress, trade secrets, and proprietary technologies, as an important part of our business, and we seek to diligently protect, monitor, and defend, through appropriate action, against their unauthorized use.

ITEM 1A. RISK FACTORS

Our business is subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties. In addition to the matters described above under “Cautionary Statement Concerning Forward-Looking Information,” set forth below are some of the risks and uncertainties that could cause a material adverse change in our results of operations, financial condition, or future prospects. The risks described below should be carefully considered, together with other information provided in this report, including Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations and our financial statements, including the related notes. The risks discussed below are not the only risks we face. Additional risks and uncertainties not presently known to us or not presently deemed material by us also may materially adversely affect our business, financial condition, or results of operations in future periods.

Macroeconomic, Market, and Strategic Risks

Continued economic and industry uncertainty could negatively affect our sales and earnings.

Overall demand for our products depends upon consumer demand for furniture and bedding products, which is subject to cyclical variations in the general economy, including current inflationary pressures affecting consumer spending, declines in overall consumer confidence, recession and fears of recession, and other geopolitical events, such as the ongoing Russia/Ukraine war and the armed conflict in the Middle East. Because purchases of furniture and bedding products may be considered discretionary purchases for most individuals and businesses, demand for these products are heavily influenced by economic trends. Economic downturns, increases in unemployment rates, persistent inflation, and uncertainty about future health and economic prospects can affect consumer spending habits and demand for discretionary items, including home furnishings, which reduces the demand for our products and therefore can cause a decline in our sales and earnings. In addition, the level of housing starts, sales of existing homes, declines in office occupancy rates, trends in disposable income, changes in interest rates (particularly home mortgage rates), and availability of consumer credit, can also affect our business.

While we saw an adverse impact from some of these factors due to the COVID-19 pandemic at the end of fiscal 2020 and the beginning of fiscal 2021, we experienced increased demand in our mattress fabrics segment and in the residential side of our upholstery fabrics segment for most of fiscal 2021, driven by greater consumer focus on the home environment and more discretionary spending being allocated to home furnishings in the face of travel restrictions and other pandemic-related factors. However, this trend began to reverse during fiscal 2022, particularly during the second half of the year, as COVID-related travel and mask restrictions were lifted and consumers began to resume travel and leisure activities. We believe the trend of increased consumer discretionary spending on travel, leisure, and entertainment, and away from home goods, continued throughout fiscal 2023 and 2024. Inflationary pressures also began to affect consumer spending during the second half of fiscal 2022 and continued throughout fiscal 2023 and 2024. In addition, declines in the U.S. housing and commercial real estate markets in fiscal 2024 negatively impacted demand for furniture and bedding, reducing demand for our upholstery and mattress fabric products. We are unable to predict how long these trends will last, or to what extent macroeconomic or other geopolitical events may affect the purchasing cycle for home furnishing products. Demand for our products—and our results of operations—may be materially and adversely affected by macroeconomic trends that are beyond our control.

Partly in response to certain of these trends, in May 2024, we announced the implementation of a restructuring of our business pursuant to which we intend to consolidate our North American mattress fabrics operations and our sewn cover operation in Haiti in an effort to align capacity and cost structure with demand. However, we can offer no assurance that these efforts will achieve their intended effect or that the cost savings and other benefits we anticipate will be realized on the expected timeframe or at all.

Loss of market share due to competition may result in declines in sales and could result in losses or decreases in earnings.

Our business is highly competitive and fragmented, and we face significant competition from many competitors, both foreign and domestic. We compete with many other manufacturers of fabric, as well as converters who source fabrics from various producers and market them to manufacturers of furniture and bedding. In many cases, these fabrics are sourced from foreign suppliers who have a lower cost structure than the company. The highly competitive nature of our business in each of our segments means we are constantly subject to the risk of losing market share, which would likely result in a decrease in our future sales and earnings. In particular, in recent years the U.S. bedding industry—on which the mattress fabrics segment relies—has seen significant increases in competition from low-cost foreign producers, which has adversely affected demand for our products.

As a result of increased competition, there have been deflationary pressures on the prices for many of our products, which make it more difficult to pass along increased operating costs such as raw materials, shipping, energy, foreign currency fluctuations, or labor in the form of price increases, which puts downward pressure on our profit margins. Also, the wide range of product offerings in our business can make it more difficult to differentiate our products through design, styling, finish, and other techniques.

Our operations are subject to risks of unsettled political conditions, civil unrest or instability, public health concerns or pandemics, natural or man-made disasters, acts of war, terrorism, and the effects of climate change, any one of which could adversely affect our business and results of operations.

Our domestic and foreign operations are subject to risks of unsettled political conditions, civil unrest or instability in countries in which we operate, natural or man-made disasters, acts of war, and terrorism. As an example, we maintain an active production facility in Ouanaminthe, Haiti. Severe political instability in Haiti, along with recent natural disasters, has created a crisis in the country, subjecting our operations there to heightened risk. While operations at our production facility have not been directly affected, ongoing political and civil unrest in Haiti could cause manufacturing disruptions at our Haiti facility.

In addition, public health concerns and pandemics have in the past, and may again disrupt our business. For example, during the COVID-19 pandemic, we temporarily shut down certain of our facilities, as did certain of our sourcing partners and customers, which prevented us from shipping goods in both our residential upholstery fabrics business and our sewn mattress cover business.

Moreover, the effects of climate change and actions taken to combat climate change could exacerbate these risks, including by increasing the likelihood and severity of extreme weather events. Civil instability, public health concerns, natural disasters, acts of war, terrorism or other adverse events could cause disruption at our manufacturing or distribution facilities, or at the facilities of our suppliers and distribution channels. The materialization of any of these risks could result in additional expense to us, limit our supply of necessary goods and raw materials, and otherwise affect our ability to meet the needs of our customers, and our results of operations may be materially adversely affected as a result.

Our future success depends in part on our ability to successfully implement our strategic plan, including the Fiscal 2025 restructuring, and achieve our business strategies.

We continue to focus on strategic initiatives designed improve our business and our results of operations. On May 1, 2024, we announced a significant restructuring plan designed to reduce costs, improve asset utilization, and drive performance and profitable growth. This plan, which is being implemented primarily in the company’s mattress fabrics segment and, to a lesser extent, in its upholstery fabrics segment, includes consolidating operations, restructuring operations, and reducing expenses. See “Item 1. Business—Fiscal 2025 Restructuring.” There can be no assurance that these or other future strategic initiatives will be successful to the extent we expect, or at all. Additionally, we are investing resources in these initiatives and the costs of the initiatives may outweigh their benefits. If we miscalculate the resources we need to complete these strategic initiatives or fail to implement them effectively, our business and operating results could be adversely affected.

Operational Risks

Our business may be adversely affected by increased tariffs or other changes in U.S. trade policy related to imported products, as well as violations of existing trade policies.

Many of our products are manufactured or sourced outside of the United States. The U.S. government has imposed certain tariffs on imports from various countries, including China, where a significant amount of our products is produced. In the future, the U.S. Government may consider imposing additional tariffs or extending the timeline for continuation of existing tariffs. Any tariffs that result in increased costs of imported products and materials could require us to increase prices to our domestic customers. If we are unable to pass along these additional costs, our gross margins on products sold may be adversely affected. As a result, the tariffs could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations.

In addition to tariffs, the U.S. government considers other proposals for substantial changes to its trade and tax policies, which could include import restrictions, changes to or withdrawal from existing trade agreements, and border-adjustment taxes, among other possible measures. Material changes in these policies could increase our tax obligations, require us to source materials from different regions, or increase prices to customers, which could adversely affect sales. Any significant change in U.S. trade or tax policy related to imported products could have a material adverse effect on our business and financial results.

There are also a number of trade regulations and duties currently in place to protect the U.S. textile industry against competition from low-priced foreign producers, such as those in China and Vietnam, but violations of these trade regulations and duties by foreign producers has had, and may in the future have, a material adverse effect on our operations. In May of 2019, the U.S. Department of Commerce imposed punitive anti-dumping measures against China mattress imports to address violations of trade regulations. Despite the imposition of these duties, if China producers move their production out of China, which we believe has already occurred, they may continue to engage in unfair competition in violation of trade regulations between the U.S. and other countries, or there may be a potential risk of illegal transshipments of mattress products into the United States, which involves circumventing the imposed duties by falsely claiming that mattresses are products of a particular country of origin to avoid paying higher duties. In response to low-priced mattress imports that moved out of China to other countries in an effort to circumvent U.S. duties, the U.S. Department of Commerce has imposed

anti-dumping duties on mattress imports from countries other than China. While we believe the domestic mattress industry and, in turn, our business, began to realize some benefits from these duties starting in 2021, low-priced imports continue to adversely affect our sales. We can offer no assurance that such trends will abate, nor can we offer assurance that the U.S. Department of Commerce can effectively limit the dumping of low-priced imports into the U.S. market.

If supply chains are moved out of China to countries without anti-dumping duties and producers continue to supply low-priced imports in violation of U.S. trade laws, and if illegal transshipments are not monitored and enforcement is not effective to limit them, these shipments could have a material adverse effect on the company’s business, financial condition, results of operations or cash flows.

Greater reliance on offshore operations and foreign sources of products or raw materials increases the likelihood of disruptions to our supply chain or our ability to deliver products to our customers on a timely basis.

We rely significantly on operations in distant locations, especially China. In addition, we have been purchasing a significant share of our products and raw materials from offshore sources, particularly Asia and Turkey. At the same time, our domestic manufacturing capacity for the upholstery fabrics segment continues to decline. These changes have caused us to rely on an extended supply chain and on a larger number of suppliers that we do not control, subjecting us to greater risks of delay or disruption. In addition, operations and sourcing in foreign areas are subject to the risk of changing local governmental rules, taxes, changes in import rules or customs, import restrictions, tariffs, shipping rates, potential political unrest and instability, coronavirus or other pandemic-related closure rules, or other threats that could disrupt or increase the costs of operating in foreign areas or sourcing products overseas. Any of the risks associated with foreign operations and sources could cause unanticipated increases in operating costs or disruptions in business, which could have a negative impact on our ultimate financial results.

Recently, a confluence of factors has caused disruptions to international shipping, increasing costs and delaying shipments. Attacks on ships entering the Red Sea en route to the Suez Canal, an important waterway for vessels moving between Asia and the United States, by Houthi rebels in Yemen has forced ships to take longer routes. In addition, labor disputes at major ports and railways throughout the world, along with weather-related disruptions, such as droughts in Panama reducing capacity in the Panama Canal, have further impacted the global supply chain. These factors began to affect the availability of containers and space for shipments from our China operations beginning in the second half of fiscal 2024, and shipping costs have been rising since that time. Additionally, the change in global routes due to the Suez and Panama Canal disruptions has caused transit times to be extended by approximately two weeks. If any of these or other factors were to worsen, we may be unable to timely ship our products or receive the materials we need to produce our products, or our shipping costs may further increase. We may be unable to pass along such costs to our customers, or may have difficulty meeting our customers’ demands, each of which may materially and adversely affect our results of operations.

In addition, with respect to sourcing products and raw materials from third-party suppliers in China, our ability to timely or successfully import such products or those made with such raw materials may be adversely affected by changes in U.S. laws. For example, certain recently enacted laws and regulations impose a presumptive ban on the import of goods to the U.S. that are made, wholly or in part, in certain defined areas or by certain restricted persons or entities. These laws and regulations specifically target cotton and the apparel and textile industries as high-priority sectors for enforcement. None of our Chinese suppliers are located in the region targeted or are identified as restricted entities under these laws and regulations, and we prohibit our suppliers from doing business with or sourcing inputs from any company or entity that is in the region targeted or that restricted under U.S. or other applicable law. However, as a result of these laws and regulations, products we import into the U.S. could be held for inspection by U.S. customs and border patrol based on a suspicion of noncompliance. During fiscal 2023 and early in fiscal 2024, we were subjected to a limited number of such detentions and were successful in submitting satisfactory supply chain evidence to result in the release of all such detained goods. These detentions did not resulted in any material impact on our business, supply chain, customer relationships, or reputation, and we did not have any further detentions in fiscal 2024. However, future detentions could result in unexpected (i) delays or rejections of products scheduled for delivery to us, which could in turn affect the timing or our ability to deliver products to our customers; (ii) supply chain disruptions and increased operating costs; (iii) damage to our customer relationships; and/or (iv) negative publicity that harms our reputation, any of which could have a material impact on our business and negatively affect our ultimate financial results.

Our business faces several risks associated with doing business in China

We source a variety of fabrics, as well as cut and sewn upholstery kits and sewn mattress covers, from a limited number of strategic suppliers in China. We also operate four facilities in Shanghai, China. The Chinese economy is characterized by extensive state ownership, control, and regulation, and the political, legal, and economic climate in China is fluid and unpredictable. Therefore, our business is continually subject to the risk of changes in Chinese laws and regulations that could have an adverse effect on our suppliers and manufacturing operations. Any changes in policies governing tariffs, imports and exports, taxation, inflation, economic sanctions and export controls, environmental regulations, foreign currency exchange rates, the labor market, property, network security, intellectual property, and financial regulations could have an adverse effect on our business. Further, the Chinese legal system is continuing to develop and evolve, and the enforcement of rules and regulations is not always consistent or uniform. Moreover, any potential civil unrest, natural disasters, or other threats could disrupt or increase the costs of operating in China. The Chinese economy poses additional risks to our business, including fluctuating rates of inflation and currency exchange rates, a declining labor force

participation rate, and rising employee wages. In addition, changes in the political climate or trade policy of the United States, such as increased duties, tariffs, or U.S. restrictions on Chinese imports, may adversely affect our business. Our ability to operate in China has also been adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, and may in the future be negatively affected by additional surges in the coronavirus or other diseases. For example, during the COVID-19 pandemic, China from time to time enforced broad lock-downs which affected our ability to timely produce and ship products and affected the ability of our third-party suppliers and their supply chain to timely deliver products and materials. Any of the risks associated with our Chinese operations and sources could cause unanticipated increases in operating costs or disruptions in business, which could negatively affect our ultimate financial results.

Because a significant portion of our operations are located outside the U.S., we may be adversely affected by changes in the value of the U.S. dollar.

Changes in the value of the U.S. dollar versus other currencies can affect our financial results because a significant portion of our operations are located outside the United States. We manage various operating activities at the local level and net sales, costs, assets and liabilities are denominated in both the local currency and the U.S. dollar. Our results of operations and assets and liabilities are reported in U.S. dollars and thus will fluctuate with changes in applicable exchange rates, affecting our reported results and the comparability of our results of operations and cash flows between periods.

Further, strengthening of the U.S. dollar against other currencies could make our products less competitive on the basis of price in markets outside the United States, and strengthening of currencies in Canada and China could have a negative impact on our sales of products produced in those places.

We may have difficulty managing the outsourcing arrangements being used for products and services.

We rely on outside sources for various products and services, including yarn and other raw materials, greige (unfinished) fabrics, finished fabrics, cut and sewn upholstery kits, sewn mattress covers, and services such as weaving and finishing. Increased reliance on outsourcing lowers our capital investment and fixed costs, but it decreases the amount of control that we have over certain elements of our production capacity. Interruptions in our ability to obtain raw materials or other required products or services from our outside suppliers on a timely and cost-effective basis, especially if alternative suppliers cannot be immediately obtained, could disrupt our production and damage our financial results.

Write-offs or write-downs of assets would result in a decrease in our earnings and shareholders’ equity.

The company has assets, primarily consisting of property, plant and equipment, right of use assets, inventory, and intangible assets, that may be subject to write-offs or write-downs. ASC Topic 360 establishes an impairment accounting model for long-lived assets, including property, plant, and equipment, right of use assets, and finite-lived intangible assets such as customer relationships and our non-compete agreement. It requires the company to assess these assets for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying value of the asset may not be recovered. In accordance with ASC Topic 330, management continuously examines inventory to determine if there are indicators that the carrying value exceeds its net realizable value. Experience has shown that the most significant of such indicators are the age of the inventory and planned discontinuances of certain patterns. ASC Topic 350 establishes an impairment model for indefinite-lived intangible assets, such as our tradename, which must be tested at least annually for impairment or whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying value of the asset may not be recovered.

Identifying and assessing whether impairment indicators exist, or if events or changes in circumstances have occurred, including market conditions, operating results, competition, and general economic conditions, requires significant judgment. Any of such future actions could result in charges that could have an adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations, and there is no assurance that future write-downs of fixed assets or other intangible assets will not occur if business conditions were to deteriorate.

As a result of inventory assessments, we incurred non-cash inventory charges during fiscal years 2024, 2023, and 2022 totaling $40,000, $5.8 million, and $1.9 million, respectively. The $40,000 charge incurred during fiscal 2024 is related to markdowns of inventory in the upholstery fabrics segment associated with the discontinuation of production of cut and sewn upholstery kits at the company's facility in Ouanaminthe, Haiti. The $5.8 million charge incurred in fiscal 2023 represents a $2.9 million impairment charge associated with our mattress fabrics segment; a total of $2.8 million related to markdowns of inventory in both segments that were estimated based on our policy for aged inventory; and $98,000 for the loss on disposal and markdowns of inventory related to the exit of our cut and sewn upholstery fabrics operation located in Shanghai, China. The $1.9 million charge in fiscal 2022 represents inventory markdowns in both segments that were based on our policy of aged inventory. See Notes 4, 6, and 8 of the consolidated financial statements for further details of our assessments of impairment, conclusions reached, and the performance of our quantitative tests.

As part of the Fiscal 2025 restructuring, we expect to incur a non-cash charge of approximately $2.1 million associated with write-downs and other inventory related adjustments; a non-cash charge of approximately $650,000 associated with accelerated rent

amortization for a leased building in Haiti; and a non-cash charge of approximately $2.3 million associated with accelerated depreciation and losses on the sale of equipment. Actual write-downs and non-cash charges may exceed these amounts.

Write-offs and write-downs of our assets, including inventory, result in an immediate charge to our earnings, and can have a material adverse effect on our operating results and financial condition.

Changes in the price, availability, and quality of raw materials could increase our costs or cause production delays and sales interruptions, which would result in decreased earnings.

We depend upon outside suppliers for most of our raw material needs, and we rely upon outside suppliers for component materials such as yarn, unfinished fabrics, and cut and sewn upholstery kits and mattress covers, as well as for certain services such as finishing and weaving. Fluctuations in the price, availability, and quality of these goods and services have had, and could continue to have, a negative effect on our production costs and ability to meet the demands of our customers, which can affect our ability to generate sales and earnings. In many cases, we are not able to pass through increased costs of raw materials or increased production costs to our customers through price increases. In particular, many of our basic raw materials are petrochemical products or are produced from such products. For this reason, our material costs are especially sensitive to changes in prices for petrochemicals and the underlying price of oil. Increases in prices for oil, petrochemical products or other raw materials and services provided by outside suppliers can significantly increase our costs and negatively affect our profit margins and earnings.

Rising oil prices, a higher demand environment, and labor shortages during fiscal 2022 caused raw material prices to increase, particularly during the second half of the year. During fiscal 2023 and fiscal 2024, the cost of raw materials declined due to lower oil prices and slowing global demand, but the higher costs and lower availability of labor remained challenging in both years. While the cost of raw materials and labor costs were relatively stable during fiscal 2024, the factors listed above, among other factors, may drive future increases in raw material prices, which may harm our results of operation.

Increases in energy costs increase our operating costs and could adversely affect earnings.

Higher prices for electricity, natural gas, and fuel increase our production and shipping costs. A significant shortage, increased prices, or interruptions in the availability of these energy sources would increase the costs of producing and delivering products to our customers and would be likely to adversely affect our earnings. In many cases, we are not able to pass along the full extent of increases in our production costs to customers through price increases. Energy costs have varied significantly during recent fiscal years and remain a volatile element of our costs. Increases in energy costs could have a negative effect on our earnings.

Business difficulties or failures of large customers could result in a decrease in our sales and earnings.

We currently have several customers that account for a substantial portion of our sales. In the mattress fabrics segment, several large bedding manufacturers have large market shares and comprise a significant portion of our mattress fabric sales, with Serta Simmons Holdings, LLC and its subcontractors accounting for approximately 13% of consolidated net sales in fiscal 2024. In the upholstery fabrics segment, La-Z-Boy Incorporated accounted for approximately 12% of consolidated net sales during fiscal 2024, and several other large furniture manufacturers comprised a significant portion of sales. A business failure or other significant financial difficulty by one or more of our major customers, or the loss of one or more of these customers, could cause a significant loss in sales, an adverse effect on our earnings, and difficulty in collection of our trade accounts receivable. For example, in recent years, two of our major customers associated with our mattress fabrics segment filed voluntary petitions for reorganization under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code. Although we did not record any credit losses and have received payment in full regarding all outstanding accounts receivable with respect to each of these customers, a business failure or loss of either such customer and its affiliates, or a business failure or loss of one or more other major customers, could cause a decrease in our sales and an adverse effect on our earnings.

Unforeseen events may adversely affect our customers, causing them to delay, or cease, payments to us. For example, during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, some customers experienced cash flow challenges and requested extended payment terms. While we perform credit evaluations of our customers, those evaluations may not prevent uncollectible trade accounts receivable. Credit evaluations involve significant management diligence and judgment, especially in the current environment. If more customers than we anticipate experience liquidity issues, if payments are not received on a timely basis, or if a customer declares bankruptcy, we may have difficulty collecting amounts owed to us by these customers, which could adversely affect our sales, earnings, financial condition, and liquidity.

If we fail to anticipate and respond to changes in consumer tastes and fashion trends, our sales and earnings may decline.

Demand for various types of upholstery fabrics and mattress coverings changes over time due to fashion trends and changing consumer tastes for furniture and bedding. Our success in marketing our fabrics depends upon our ability to anticipate and respond in a timely manner to fashion trends in home furnishings. If we fail to identify and respond to these changes, our sales of these products may decline.

In addition, incorrect projections about the demand for certain products could cause the accumulation of excess raw material or finished goods inventory, which could lead to inventory mark-downs and decreases in earnings.

Increasing dependence on information technology systems comes with specific risks, including cybersecurity breaches and data leaks, which could have an adverse effect on our business.

We increasingly rely on technology systems and infrastructure. Additionally, we rely on third-party service providers in connection with the maintenance thereof and the execution of certain business processes. Greater dependence on technology systems heightens the risk of potential vulnerabilities from system failure and malfunction, breakdowns due to natural disasters, human error, unauthorized access, power loss, and other unforeseen events. Data privacy breaches by employees and others with or without authorized access to our systems poses risks that sensitive data may be permanently lost or leaked to the public or other unauthorized persons. With the growing use and rapid evolution of technology, including artificial intelligence and machine learning, cloud-based computing and mobile devices, there are additional risks of unintentional data leaks. There is also the risk of our exposure to theft of confidential information, intentional vandalism, industrial espionage, and a variety of cyber-attacks, including phishing attempts, covertly introducing malware to our computers and networks (or the computers and networks of our third-party providers), and impersonating authorized users, among other types of cyber-attacks, that could compromise our internal technology system, infrastructure, or result in data leakage in-house or at our third-party providers and business partners. Moreover, we may face increased exposure to these threats as a result of allowing certain of our employees to work remotely from time-to-time. Attempts to gain unauthorized access to our information technology systems have become increasingly more sophisticated over time, and while we seek to detect and investigate all security incidents and to prevent their recurrence, in some cases we might be unaware of an incident or its magnitude and effect. Failures of technology or related systems, cybersecurity incidents, or improper release of confidential information, could damage our business or subject us to unexpected liabilities, expenditures, and recovery time.

Additionally, the devotion of additional resources to the security of our information technology systems in the future could significantly increase our operating costs or otherwise adversely affect our financial results. We continue to balance the risk of an electronic security breach resulting in the unauthorized release of confidential information with the cost to protect us against such a breach, and we have taken steps to obtain insurance coverage for potential losses arising from a breach, although the costs, potential monetary damages, and operational consequences of responding to cyber incidents and implementing remediation measures may be in excess of our insurance coverage or not covered at all by our insurance. Losses in excess of our insurance coverage or outside the scope of our coverage could have a material adverse effect on our operations and financial results. In addition to direct financial losses, cybersecurity incidents may adversely impact our relationships with our customers or our business reputation, which may cause long term damage to our business. We have been a target of cybersecurity attacks in the past, and while such attacks have not resulted in a material impact on our operations, business, customer relationships, or reputation, we can provide no assurance that cybersecurity attacks or other cybersecurity related incidents will not have a material adverse impact on our business in the future.

Actions of activist shareholders could be disruptive and potentially costly and the possibility that activist shareholders may seek changes that conflict with our strategic direction could cause uncertainty about the strategic direction of our business.

In July 2024, we entered into an agreement with an activist investor, 22NW, LP, and various of its affiliates (collectively, “22NW”) that had filed a Schedule 13D with the SEC with respect to us, where we agreed to appoint a representative of 22NW to our board of directors and nominate that representative for election at our 2024 annual meeting in return for certain customary confidentiality and standstill provisions. 22NW remains a greater than 5% owner of Culp stock.

Activist investors may attempt to effect changes in our strategic direction and how we are governed, or to acquire control over us. Some investors seek to increase short-term shareholder value by advocating corporate actions, such as financial restructuring, increased borrowing, special dividends, stock repurchases, or even sales of assets or the entire company. While we welcome varying opinions from all shareholders, activist campaigns that contest or conflict with our strategic direction could have an adverse effect on our results of operations and financial condition, as responding to proxy contests and other actions by activist shareholders can disrupt our operations, be costly and time-consuming, and divert the attention of our board of directors and senior management from the pursuit of business strategies. In addition, perceived uncertainties as to our future direction as a result of changes to the composition of our board may lead to the perception of a change in the direction of the business, instability or lack of continuity, which may be exploited by our competitors, may cause concern to our current or potential customers, may result in the loss of potential business opportunities and may make it more difficult to attract and retain qualified personnel and business partners. These types of actions could cause significant fluctuations in our stock price based on temporary or speculative market perceptions or other factors that do not necessarily reflect the underlying fundamentals and prospects of our business.

We may not be able to recruit and retain key employees and skilled workers in a competitive labor market.

If we cannot successfully recruit and retain key employees and skilled workers or if we experience the unexpected loss of those employees, our operations may be negatively affected. A shortage of qualified personnel, along with cost inflation, may require us to enhance our compensation in order to compete effectively in the hiring and retention of qualified employees.

In addition, we are and will continue to be dependent upon our senior management team and other key personnel. Losing the services of one or more key members of our management team or other key personnel could adversely affect our operations.

Our intellectual property rights may not prevent others from using our copyrights or trademarks in connection with the sale of competitive products. We may be subject to claims that our products or trademarks infringe intellectual property rights of others.

We currently hold, or have registration applications pending for, numerous trademarks and copyrights for various product and trade names, logos, and fabric designs in the United States and certain foreign countries. We view such intellectual property, along with any unregistered copyrights, trademarks, service marks, trade names, domain names, trade dress, trade secrets, and proprietary technologies, as an important part of our business. These intellectual property rights may not provide adequate protection against infringement or piracy, may not prevent competitors from developing and marketing products that are similar or competitive with our fabric designs or other products, and may be costly and time-consuming to protect and enforce. In addition, the laws of some foreign countries may not protect our intellectual property rights and confidential information to the same extent as the laws of the United States. If we are unable to protect and enforce our intellectual property, we may be unable to prevent other companies from using our fabric designs or trademarks in connection with competitive products, which could adversely affect our sales, profitability, cash flows and financial condition.

We may be subject to claims that our products, advertising, or trademarks infringe the intellectual property rights of others. The defense of these claims, even if we are ultimately successful, may result in costly litigation, and if we are not successful in our defense, we could be subject to injunctions and liability for damages or royalty obligations, and our sales, profitability, cash flows and financial condition could be adversely affected.

We have made and expect to continue to make acquisitions, which could involve certain risks and uncertainties.

Acquisitions have been and may continue to be an important element of our business strategy. Acquisitions involve numerous inherent challenges, such as properly evaluating acquisition opportunities, properly evaluating risks and other diligence matters, ensuring adequate capital availability, and balancing other resource constraints. There are risks and uncertainties related to acquisitions, including difficulties integrating acquired operations, technology, personnel, and financial and other systems; unrealized sales expectations from the acquired business; unrealized synergies and cost-savings; unknown or underestimated liabilities; diversion of management attention from running our existing businesses; and potential loss of key management employees of the acquired business. In addition, internal control over financial reporting of acquired companies may not be up to required standards. Our integration activities may place substantial demand on our management, operational resources, and financial and internal control systems. Customer dissatisfaction or performance problems with an acquired business, technology, service, or product could also have a material adverse effect on our reputation and business.

Risks Related to Financing Our Operations

We may require funding from external sources, which may not be available at the levels we require or may cost more than we expect. As a result, our expenses and operating results could be negatively affected.

We regularly review and evaluate our liquidity and capital needs. Our available cash, cash equivalents, and cash flow from operations have been adequate to finance our operations and capital requirements in recent years. However, if we experience a sustained decline in revenue, there may be periods in which we may require additional external funding to support our operations. Also, market interest rates have increased significantly since the beginning of fiscal 2023. If we have a need to incur debt under our credit facilities, the cost of borrowing could increase substantially over debt costs that we have previously incurred.

As of April 28, 2024, we had approximately $32.5 million in combined total borrowing availability under our domestic credit facility and our China credit line. In January 2023, we entered into a Second Amended and Restated Credit Agreement with respect to our domestic credit facility, which provides for a revolving credit facility up to a maximum principal amount of $35.0 million, secured by a lien on the company's assets. The amount available under this facility is limited by a borrowing base consisting of certain eligible accounts receivable and inventory of the company. In the event we require additional liquidity from our lenders that exceeds the availability under our credit facilities at such time, such funds may not be available to us. In addition, in the event we draw on any of our credit facilities, outstanding amounts may become immediately due and payable upon certain events of default, including a failure to comply with the financial covenants or certain other affirmative and negative covenants in the credit agreements. If we are unable to

access additional credit at the levels we require, or the cost of credit is greater than expected, it could adversely affect our operating results or financial condition.

Legal and Regulatory Risks

We are subject to litigation and environmental regulations that could adversely affect our sales and earnings.

We have been, and in the future may be, a party to legal proceedings and claims, including environmental matters, product liability, and employment disputes, some of which claim significant damages. We face the continual business risk of exposure to claims that our operations have caused personal injury or property damage, including the related risk of damage to our brand and reputation in conjunction with such claims. We maintain insurance against product liability claims and, in some cases, have indemnification agreements with regard to environmental claims, but there can be no assurance that these arrangements will continue to be available on acceptable terms or that such arrangements will be adequate for liabilities actually incurred. Given the inherent uncertainty of litigation, there can be no assurance that claims against the company will not have a material adverse impact on our earnings or financial condition. We are also subject to various laws and regulations in our business, including those relating to environmental protection and the discharge of materials into the environment. We could incur substantial costs as a result of noncompliance with or liability for cleanup or other costs or damages under environmental laws or other regulations.

We must comply with many governmental regulations applicable to our business, and changes in those regulations could adversely affect our business.

Our products and raw materials are and will continue to be subject to regulation in the United States by various federal, state, and local regulatory authorities. In addition, other governments and agencies in other jurisdictions regulate the manufacture, sale, and distribution of our products and raw materials. Also, rules and restrictions regarding the importation of fabrics and other materials, including custom duties, tariffs, import restrictions (including, without limitation, the recent enactment of the UFLPA), quotas, banned substances, and other regulations, are continually changing. Environmental laws, labor laws, tax laws and regulations (including, without limitation, the Global Intangible Low Taxed Income (“GILTI”) tax provisions), data privacy laws, and other regulations continually affect our business. These rules and regulations can and do change from time to time, which can increase our costs and our taxes, or can require us to make changes in our manufacturing processes, product mix, sources of products and raw materials, or distribution. Changes in the rules and regulations applicable to our business may negatively affect our sales and earnings.

ITEM 1B. UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS

None.

ITEM 1C. CYBERSECURITY

Our Board of Directors (the “Board”) recognizes the importance of cybersecurity and safeguarding our information systems and data assets. It is imperative that we maintain the trust and confidence of our customers, business partners and employees. Protecting our data and the data of our customers, business partners and employees is critical to maintaining that trust. As such, the Board is actively involved in overseeing our cybersecurity risk management program.

Risk Management and Strategy

We manage cybersecurity risks as part of our broader enterprise risk management framework, which allows us to leverage existing, robust processes for assessing the effectiveness and coverage of our controls.

Our cybersecurity policies, standards, processes and practices are based on recognized frameworks established by the National Institute of Standards and Technology, the International Organization for Standardization and other applicable industry standards. We seek to address cybersecurity risks through a comprehensive, cross-functional approach that is focused on preserving the confidentiality, security, and availability of the information we collect and store, including information regarding our customers, suppliers and employees. As part of our enterprise risk management program, we actively work to identify, prevent, and mitigate cybersecurity threats, and take steps to be prepared to effectively respond to cybersecurity incidents when they occur. Our approach includes using select third-party resources, including external cybersecurity consultants, auditors, and technologies, along with our internal staff, to

benchmark, measure, and improve our cybersecurity risk management systems and processes, and ensure alignment with industry best practices.

We have established a robust cybersecurity governance framework to manage and mitigate risk. Our approach includes:

Through the aforementioned processes, we did not identify risks from current or past cybersecurity threats or cybersecurity incidents that have materially affected or are reasonably likely to materially affect our business strategy, results of operations, or financial condition. However, we face ongoing risks from certain cybersecurity threats that, if realized, are reasonably likely to materially affect business strategy, results of operations, or financial condition. See “Risk Factors—Increasing dependence on information technology systems comes with specific risks, including cybersecurity breaches and data leaks, which could have an adverse effect on our business.”

Governance

Our Board of Directors has delegated to its Audit Committee primary responsibility for overseeing our management of risks arising from cybersecurity threats. The Audit Committee receives quarterly presentations on our cybersecurity program, including regular presentations regarding our cybersecurity risks; our efforts to address evolving standards; vulnerability assessments, including results of third-party penetration testing; and external audits of our cybersecurity IT controls. Management and the Board also receive prompt and timely information regarding any significant or potentially significant cybersecurity incident and our remediation efforts.

Our Vice President of Information Technology and our Director of Technical Infrastructure, in coordination with management, work to implement our program to protect the Company’s information systems from cybersecurity threats. These individuals work to promptly evaluate and address any cybersecurity incidents, and work with management to assess the impact and any necessary remediation efforts following a cybersecurity incident. In addition, the Vice President of Information Technology provides updates to the Audit Committee and the Board on a regular basis and as needed in response to specific incidents. To facilitate the success of our cybersecurity risk management program, we have assigned our Director of Technical Infrastructure and his team to monitor the prevention, detection, mitigation and remediation of cybersecurity threats and incidents in real time and provide reports to management.

Our Vice President of Information Technology and Director of Technical Infrastructure have a combined 65 years of experience designing, implementing, and supporting information technology systems with a security-first mindset. In particular, prior to joining Culp, our Director of Technical Infrastructure gained experience leading cybersecurity teams at a managed security service provider, where he provided cybersecurity support to outside organizations.

ITEM 2. PROPERTIES

As of the end of fiscal 2024 (April 28, 2024), we leased our corporate headquarters and a design and innovation campus located in High Point, North Carolina. In addition, we owned or leased thirteen facilities associated with our mattress and upholstery fabrics operations. The following is a list of our administrative and production facilities. Our facilities listed below are organized by business segment.

We believe that our facilities are in good condition, well-maintained, suitable, and adequate for present utilization. In the upholstery fabrics segment, we have the ability to source upholstery fabric from outside suppliers to meet current and expected demand trends and further increase our output of finished goods. This ability to source upholstery fabric is part of our long-term strategy to have a low-cost platform that is scalable, but not capital intensive. In the mattress fabrics segment, we believe we have sufficient capacity to meet current

and expected demand trends. We also have the ability to source additional mattress fabrics from outside suppliers to further increase our ultimate output of finished goods.

ITEM 3. LEGAL PROCEEDINGS

There are no legal proceedings to which the company, or its subsidiaries, is a party to or of which any of their property is the subject that are required to be disclosed under this item.

ITEM 4. MINE SAFETY DISCLOSURE

Not applicable.

PART II

ITEM 5. MARKET FOR THE REGISTRANT’S COMMON EQUITY, RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS, AND ISSUER PURCHASES OF EQUITY SECURITIES

Registrar and Transfer Agent

Computershare Trust Company, N.A.

Correspondence should be mailed to:

Computershare

P.O. Box 43006

Providence, RI 02940-3078

Overnight correspondence should be sent to:

Computershare

150 Royall St.

Canton, MA 02021

(800) 254-5196

(781) 575-2879 (Foreign shareholders)

www.computershare.com/investor

Stock Listing

Culp, Inc. common stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) under the symbol CULP. As of April 28, 2024, Culp, Inc. had approximately 2,682 shareholders based on the number of holders of record and an estimate of individual participants represented by security position listings.

Analyst Coverage

The following analyst covers Culp, Inc.:

Water Tower Research – Budd Bugatch, CFA

Dividends and Share Repurchases; Sales of Unregistered Securities

Share Repurchases

ISSUER PURCHASES OF EQUITY SECURITIES

Dividends

On June 29, 2022 (fiscal 2023), our board of directors announced the decision to suspend the company’s quarterly cash dividend. We believed that preserving capital and managing our liquidity was in the company’s best interest to support future growth and the long-term interests of our shareholders. Accordingly, we did not make any dividend payments during fiscal 2024 or fiscal 2023.

During fiscal 2022, dividend payments totaled $5.5 million, which represented quarterly dividend payments ranging from $0.11 per share to $0.115 per share.

Our board of directors has sole authority to determine if and when we will declare future dividends, and on what terms. We will continue to reassess our dividend policy each quarter. Future dividend payments will depend on earnings, capital requirements, financial condition, excess availability under our lines of credit, market and economic conditions, and other factors, including alternative investment opportunities.

Sales of Unregistered Securities

There were no sales of unregistered securities during fiscal 2024, 2023, or 2022.