ATLANTA — Havertys had nearly flat sales in November, with total volume up 1% from the same month a year earlier to


$78.6 million but same-store sales down 1.2%, the 120-store Atlanta-based furniture retailer reported today.

For the first 11 months of the year, sales were up 4.9% to $785.2 million, and same-store sales rose 3%.

“Our November sales bounced back after an unusually weak October (when total sales were down 7.6% and same-store volume fell 10.1%),” said President and CEO Clarence Smith.

“As expected, our fourth quarter gross profit margins are running ahead of last year,” he added. “The outlook for home furnishings remains somewhat tenuous given the current economic environment, and specifically the slowdown in the housing industry.”