Derek Schmidt

President & Chief Executive Officer, Flexsteel

Search every verified Derek Schmidt interview, podcast appearance, and on-the-record quote — each transcript cross-checked by AI and human review to confirm speaker identity. Derek Schmidt, president and CEO of Flexsteel Industries, presented at the Lytham Partners Fall 2026 Investor Conference on October 2, 2026, where he outlined the company's investment thesis and strategy. He described Flexsteel as a values-driven company emphasizing consumer focus, agility, and innovation, and discussed four strategic pillars centered on understanding consumer needs. Schmidt cited an example of product development based on research indicating that 7% of US adults cannot consistently sleep in their beds, leading the company to design a chair specifically for comfortable sleep. He also mentioned the company's aspiration to grow sales to $750 million and achieve an adjusted operating margin of at least 8%, while noting that over $160 million had been returned to shareholders in the prior seven years. On August 19, 2026, Schmidt participated in Flexsteel's fourth quarter fiscal year 2026 earnings call, during which the company reported adjusted EPS of $1.33 and sales of $115.4 million. He acknowledged that pricing in the quarter was up approximately 10-11% year-over-year and expressed confidence in the company's ability to gain market share despite a challenging near-term environment. Schmidt stated that the company's strategy and priorities remain unchanged, emphasizing disciplined cost control, a strong balance sheet, and continued investment in long-term growth initiatives to create shareholder value.