Furniture Brands International announced today it expects first quarter 2004 sales and earnings to be better than previously expected.

W.G. (Mickey) Holliman, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, said, "We have just completed routine on-site reviews at each of our operating companies. Additionally, we will be presenting at an analyst conference early next week. In anticipation of that presentation, it is appropriate for us to issue an update on our operating results and current expectations.

"In January, we said order trends had showed strength at each of our operating companies through the fourth quarter of 2003 and into January of this year. These trends have continued through the month of February, and it now appears the recovery in overall business will continue through the first quarter. We now expect overall sales growth in the first quarter to be up in the mid-single digits over sales in the first quarter of 2003."