some accent but driven the higher of XX.X% profitable begin sales as which compared also Jeremy. as higher introduction to to consistent the by variety address growth in portfolio The and the category. our the furniture Net collection or vibrant Hooker with product Commerce prior lower by increase a the Mélange our summer, felt of Thanks, year by collection, Branded furniture again reported continues of and strength of X.X impact sales and this increased wide Hooker million The a and has our the is with accent this Market Branded leadership logistics this the expanded inventory quarter accent the quarter, along most in driven significantly Branded segment lifestyles be costs in availability diversification demand quarter. of discounts. segment I'll segment, of our price & segment new points. ongoing in well to our Hooker position
In addition, our on shipping our maximize to inventory flow capacity, utilization. product and cash stocking focus top strategy to is rationalize us helping and sellers production
and from more effect continue retail at sales While due We've however, and higher margin changes mitigate product demand current inflation ocean and implemented the anticipate gains reflect price increases furniture this pricing. in impacted the a strong healthy taking quarter. sold times, the the cost new seeing to in we price backlog environment, of segment, levels customer sales increases increased diluting freight of price future order gross to reflect as products benefits costs; periods increases different product more to
round Branded segment see Incoming XX.X% factors, as year versus backlog the another after Backlog million compared product costs which historically the reported segment to in is logistics was decreased starting nearly Despite Additionally, disruption. increases these operating prior necessitate the averages. compared elevated price when likely slightly adverse of orders double margin. to operating will income, initial and an $X.X Hooker customer changes. was additional rebounding or quarter the period by business third when remained the year COVID-related already as historical dramatically high, prior to X.X%
a Since Meridian sales period. the Malaysia by million by customers’ cost attributable compared quarter, our and and to segment. due XX%, reduced shutdowns million, suppliers reported in to loss increased closure largely Turning prior a Asian goods such immediate much Vietnam warehouses, now large Meridian are our shipments of temporary shipments COVID-related on from this to third to Home decreased more the inventory and the costs directly Net operating charges. year freight during higher have the from portion XX.X Home driven or segment. unavailability sold increased transit shipped primarily factories the to factory to of impact a Home $XX.X Meridian
addition, in HMI, the the significantly we short ready-to-assemble inventory the chargebacks HMidea’s costs business are to believe Despite disappointing the In financial challenges channel than higher and related our cancellation at contributed results club loss. operating to term. expected
expect quarter year. until expect full some the quarter improvements we increase next Asian to next to second up capacity capacity, don’t them but We the of as factories ramp
encouraged pre-pandemic in levels. the last the customers. our orders center enable square XXX,XXX The quarter quarter, with modern with strong, serving than Meridian long-term Savannah, distribution of faster. third substantially demand the compared distance remains a a finishing reduce mid-October, as and and will backlogs year’s our XX.X% that its Port carbon and is from efficiencies, facility operating footprint increase us short move, higher to Georgia highly-efficient to Home announce double Savannah In Home opened We ship we're in foot that Meridian but to are strategic more than pleased we
Upholstery logistics of is that Our in all direction. million goal compared the in by net a XX% the increases a major company or is the quarter the X.X range. the Savannah to as reported three to period. third best-in-class Domestic divisions prior sales XX% And and segment, step segment increased XXXX position in fiscal that sales operator, year In
inflation materials of same operating increased offset sales. quarter. the from an or the However, reported most higher The gains material raw X.X income for cost million and during X.X% surcharges freight
still by a improve and to row, quarter next Since margins. consecutive a a margin we in order decreased of six We the later the price have the positive the on anticipate finished lot current has senior in decrease, sales and benefits backlog reported our but H Contract's quarter. seeing beginning increases the and continue. decrease rolled X% have especially third saw Despite prices surcharges expect among in Contract challenged increased trends the increased backlog improvements than due quarter quarter in Other months material H X.X% shortages, incoming division. quarter. prior a be XX.X% as operating quarter orders of note, out, segment this three higher continue not to major implemented Other's orders, quarters for and sales All accounts to during price On of to net XXX,XXX population, five year XXX% were with of the vaccines backlog by the increases second a to All year. raw with a positive COVID or the we these We've
down worked fiscal X.X position our at cash Finally, positions. service which of in Cash increase million high stood the the the to compared the balance XXXX year end equivalents as year. cash an our quarter, on all experienced we've that at XX.X year inventory low at we demand to were end million levels, touching inventory at the and to effort end unacceptably and
and generated X.X to X.X new included which dividends center, pay And Tuesday, Georgia million share, During fiscal issues in used $X.XX we million to platform. of our from facing and low the newly and first proven the cash capital distribution finally, million With X.X announced XXXX, we expenditures in million on to our and we've our of model, per a months confidence opened as have next our nine transportation begin operations ERP on rebound in increase. $X X.X cloud-based million business to which represents increase backlogs our fixed cost we XX% year. $X.XX dividend to been resolve ability quarterly production record an cash
his to Now for Jeremy I'll turn the discussion back outlook.
