Exhibit 99.2
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
FURNITURE BRANDS INTERNATIONAL AUTHORIZES
ADDITIONAL COMMON STOCK REPURCHASES
COMPANY ALSO DECLARES
QUARTERLY DIVIDEND OF $0.15 PER COMMON SHARE
St. Louis, Missouri, July 28, 2005 - The Board of Directors of Furniture Brands International, Inc. (NYSE:FBN) announced today that it has authorized the repurchase of an additional $100 million of its outstanding common stock over the next twelve months. This new authority is in addition to the existing authority to repurchase $50 million of the company’s outstanding common stock, which authority is set to expire on July 29, 2005. Approximately $20 million of that original authority has not yet been used.
The timing and amounts of purchases will depend on market conditions. Repurchases will be effected from time to time in open market or privately negotiated transactions. The shares of common stock repurchased will be kept as treasury shares and will be used for general corporate purposes.
The Furniture Brands Board of Directors also declared today a quarterly dividend of $0.15 per common share payable August 26, 2005 to shareholders of record at the close of business on August 8, 2005.
Furniture Brands International is America’s largest home furnishings manufacturer, manufacturing and sourcing its products under six of the best-known brand names in the industry - Broyhill, Lane, Thomasville, Henredon, Drexel Heritage and Maitland-Smith. The company markets its products across a broad spectrum of price categories and distributes its products through an extensive system of independently owned national, regional and local retailers.
