Margin Expectations
Q: What's the outlook for margins in each segment this year?
A: In Bedding, margins are expected to be down about 200 basis points due to unfavorable sales mix. " Specialized Products margins are anticipated to be down slightly. " Furniture, Flooring, and Textile margins are projected to be flat. "

CapEx Guidance and Investments
Q: Why is CapEx spend increasing in Q4, and what projects are planned?
A: CapEx is expected to be around $40 million in Q4, focused on maintenance for the rod mill, growth initiatives in Bedding, and launching new Automotive programs. " Investments include a product line refresh in Bedding requiring new equipment, and efficiency improvements in U.S. Spring operations. "

Automotive Segment Challenges
Q: How are delays in new Automotive programs affecting performance, and what is the company doing to mitigate this?
A: New program launches have been delayed due to industry factors like slow EV adoption and affordability issues, impacting top-line by about 40% of expected growth. " To mitigate this, the company is resizing headcount, implementing automation, relocating programs closer to customers, focusing on raw material cost savings, and continuing routine VA/VE work to improve margins. "

Steel Rod Business Strategy
Q: Is the company changing pricing strategy to drive higher trade rod volumes?
A: The company is not lowering prices but is focusing on keeping the rod mill operating at full capacity by increasing trade rod sales, despite lower margins in this segment. " " This strategy helps maintain or lower scrap and conversion costs and retains a skilled workforce. "

Bedding Volume Decline and Impact of Imports
Q: How is the Bedding segment performing, considering consumption and imports?
A: Overall Bedding consumption was flat year-over-year, but domestic production was down high single digits due to increased imports. " " The U.S. market is expected to decline in Q4, with domestic production impacted more than overall consumption. "

Debt Paydown and Interest Savings
Q: What are the expected interest savings from debt paydown?
A: For every $100 million reduction in debt, the company expects to reduce expenses by about $5 million. "

EBITDA Margins in Specialized Products Segment
Q: How do the businesses in the Specialized Products segment rank in terms of EBITDA margins?
A: The ranking from highest to lowest EBITDA margins is: Automotive, Aerospace, then Hydraulics. "

Home Furniture Segment Decline
Q: What's causing the decline in the Home Furniture segment?
A: The industry is challenged due to retail bankruptcies and a soft market, leading to decreased sales and volumes. " There's also a comp issue due to inventory adjustments and shifts in production locations. "

Impact of Upcoming Election on Consumer Behavior
Q: How is the upcoming election affecting consumer behavior and sales?
A: Consumers are distracted ahead of the election, leading to softness in sales. " Higher advertising costs and customers watching inventories are also impacting demand. "

ComfortCore Performance
Q: How is the ComfortCore product performing compared to the market?
A: ComfortCore is performing slightly better than the market due to a shift from Open Coil to ComfortCore and favorable customer performance. "