INDEPENDENT AUDITORS' REPORT The Board of Directors LADD Furniture, Inc.: Under date of February 7, 1997, we reported on the consolidated balance sheets of LADD Furniture, Inc. and subsidiaries as of December 30, 1995 and December 28, 1996, and the related consolidated statements of operations, shareholders' equity and cash flows for each of the years in the three-year period ended December 28, 1996, as contained in the Appendix to the Proxy Statement for the 1997 Annual Shareholders Meeting. These consolidated financial statements and our report thereon are included in the annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 28, 1996, also contained in the Appendix to the Proxy Statement for the 1997 Annual Shareholders Meeting. In connection with our audits of the aforementioned consolidated financial statements, we also have audited the related financial statement schedule as listed in the accompanying index. This financial statement schedule is the responsibility of the company's management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on this financial statement schedule based on our audits. In our opinion, such financial statement schedule, when considered in relation to the basic consolidated financial statements taken as a whole, presents fairly, in all material respects, the information set forth therein. KPMG Peat Marwick LLP Greensboro, North Carolina February 7, 1997 F-1 LADD FURNITURE, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES Schedule II ------------------ Valuation and Qualifying Accounts and Reserves (dollar amounts in thousands) Charged Balance at (credited) Balance at beginning of to costs and Charged to Deductions end of Description year expenses other accounts (c) year - ------------------------------ --------- ---------- ------------ ------------- ------------ Year ended December 28, 1996 Doubtful receivables $2,553 3,308 (540)(a) (3,696) 1,625 Discounts 123 (40)(d) - - 83 Returns and allowances 1,381 (84)(d) - - 1,297 --------- ---------- ------------ ------------- ------------ $4,057 3,184 (540) (3,696) 3,005 ========= ========== ============ ============= ============ Year ended December 30, 1995 Doubtful receivables $2,832 2,898 (1,085)(a) (2,091) 2,553 Discounts 0 123 (d) - - 123 Returns and allowances 1,462 (36)(d) (45)(a) - 1,381 --------- ---------- ------------ ------------- ------------ $4,294 2,985 (1,130) (2,091) 4,057 ========= ========== ============ ============= ============ Year ended December 31, 1994 Doubtful receivables $3,316 1,521 338 (b) (2,343) 2,832 Returns and Allowances 862 294 (d) 306 (b) - 1,462 --------- ---------- ------------ ------------- ------------ $4,178 1,815 644 (2,343) 4,294 ========= ========== ============ ============= ============ Notes (a) Represents businesses divested or reclassified to businesses held for sale. (b) Represents initial reserves of acquired business. (c) Represents uncollectible receivables written-off, net of recoveries. (d) Represents net increase (decrease) in required reserve. F-2