MILLER HERMAN Stock Price, News & Analysis

Herman Miller, Inc. (historically trading under the Nasdaq ticker MLHR) was known as a globally recognized design company in the wood office furniture manufacturing segment of the broader manufacturing sector. According to company descriptions in its news releases, Herman Miller relied on innovative, problem-solving designs and furnishings intended to inspire people in environments where they live, work, learn, heal, and play. Over time, the business evolved into Herman Miller Group, a family of brands serving multiple interior environments and use cases.

In 2018, Herman Miller created Herman Miller Group, described in its releases as a purposefully selected, complementary family of brands. That group included Colebrook Bosson Saunders, Design Within Reach, Geiger, HAY, Maars Living Walls, Maharam, naughtone, and Nemschoff. These brands were positioned by the company as contributing to environments across residential, workplace, healthcare, and other settings, with Herman Miller emphasizing a shared purpose of "design for the good of humankind" and a focus on shaping places that matter for customers while contributing to a more equitable and sustainable future.

Herman Miller’s corporate narrative in its own communications highlights a founding date of 1905 and a long legacy of design, innovation, and social good. The company’s releases describe it as a global design leader and, in some communications, as a provider of furnishings and related technologies and services. Its stated emphasis has been on environments where people live, learn, work, heal, and play, reflecting a broad application of its design and furniture capabilities beyond traditional office settings.

Transition to MillerKnoll and ticker change

Based on the company’s news releases, Herman Miller completed the acquisition of Knoll, Inc. on July 19, 2021. Following that transaction, Herman Miller announced that the combined company would move forward under the name MillerKnoll. A subsequent release stated that Herman Miller, Inc. would officially change its name to MillerKnoll, Inc. on November 1, 2021, and that its Nasdaq ticker symbol would change from "MLHR" to "MLKN" at the open of market trading on that date. The company indicated that this new name and ticker were intended to reflect the combination of the Herman Miller and Knoll legacies.

In its own descriptions, MillerKnoll is characterized as a collective of dynamic brands that comes together to design the world people live in. The MillerKnoll brand roster, as listed in multiple releases, includes Herman Miller and Knoll, plus Colebrook Bosson Saunders, DatesWeiser, Design Within Reach, Edelman Leather, Fully, Geiger, HAY, Holly Hunt, KnollTextiles, Maars Living Walls, Maharam, Muuto, naughtone, and Spinneybeck|FilzFelt. The company’s communications describe MillerKnoll as one of the largest and most influential modern design companies in the world, built on a deep legacy of design, innovation, and social good.

Business focus and brand family

Across its news releases, Herman Miller and later MillerKnoll consistently emphasize design-led furnishings and related offerings. Herman Miller’s own "About" sections describe it as a globally recognized leader in design, with furnishings that are intended to support people wherever they live, work, learn, heal, and play. The Herman Miller Group and MillerKnoll brand families are presented as complementary, with each brand contributing specific design perspectives and product categories within the broader furnishings and interiors space.

Within this family, Geiger is described as a wholly owned subsidiary of Herman Miller, focused on quality through craft, elegant simplicity, and enduring design for work environments. Design Within Reach is described as a source for modern living, curating classics from design icons and cultivating next-generation talent, serving residential and commercial customers. Other brands such as HAY, Maars Living Walls, Maharam, naughtone, Nemschoff, and others are repeatedly cited as part of the group’s portfolio in Herman Miller and MillerKnoll releases.

Retail, digital, and small-business initiatives

Herman Miller’s communications also describe several initiatives that illustrate how the company approached its markets. One release announced the launch of Herman Miller Professional, an eCommerce experience built for small to mid-size businesses looking to purchase online to outfit or update offices. The company described this site as offering a curated set of products across Herman Miller’s family of brands, business pricing on hundreds of styles, project boards, and live chat support. The stated goal was to support business customers placing relatively simple orders without needing design services or a purchasing contract.

Another release described the opening of Herman Miller’s first experiential retail concept locations in Los Angeles and New York City. These Herman Miller Stores were characterized as brick-and-mortar locations dedicated to selling high-performance task chairs and products that support home office and small-business workers. The company framed these stores as a response to customer demand for in-person testing of products, with dedicated ergonomic specialists on hand and options for virtual visits via video chat.

Design heritage and archival projects

Herman Miller’s long design heritage is also highlighted in its communications about archival and graphic work. One release detailed the reintroduction of a collection of vintage Herman Miller posters, resurfaced from the company’s graphic art library. This collection included designs associated with George Nelson & Associates, Phillip Mitchell, Armin Hofmann, and Steve Frykholm, among others. The project emphasized careful referencing of archival examples, including color matching and material selection, to faithfully recreate the original pieces as art objects for homes and offices.

In another release, Geiger, described as a Herman Miller Group company, introduced the Mantle Collection seating line in partnership with BassamFellows. The collection was presented as offering lounge seating options suited to office environments while incorporating elements associated with comfortable, well-loved residential furniture. The description focused on design attributes such as modularity, detailing, and materiality, and connected the collection to Geiger’s standards of craftsmanship.

Research and ergonomics focus

Herman Miller also published survey-based insights related to workplace and home-office ergonomics. In one release, the company reported findings from a survey of office workers who had shifted to working from home. The survey indicated increased sitting time, widespread reports of physical discomfort, and a perception among respondents that better home office setups, including ergonomically designed chairs and other equipment, would improve comfort and productivity. Herman Miller used these findings to reinforce its longstanding focus on ergonomics and the role of seating and workspace design in supporting wellness.

Corporate governance and leadership

Herman Miller’s news releases also document changes and additions to its board of directors. For example, the company announced the appointment of Candace Matthews to its Board of Directors and Governance and Corporate Responsibility Committee, and separately, the appointment of Mike R. Smith to its Board and Audit Committee. In these communications, Herman Miller highlighted the appointees’ experience in areas such as financial management, corporate social responsibility, consumer marketing, and brand management, and connected that expertise to Herman Miller’s strategic priorities and growth objectives.

Status of the MLHR ticker

For investors researching the historical MLHR symbol, the company’s own releases state that Herman Miller, Inc. changed its corporate name to MillerKnoll, Inc. and its Nasdaq ticker symbol from MLHR to MLKN on November 1, 2021, following the acquisition of Knoll, Inc. As a result, the MLHR ticker represents the historical listing for Herman Miller prior to that name and ticker change. Subsequent company communications regarding earnings calls and other corporate matters refer to MillerKnoll, Inc., with the Nasdaq symbol MLHR cited in at least one transition-period release.

How Herman Miller fits the wood office furniture manufacturing industry

Within the wood office furniture manufacturing industry classification, Herman Miller’s own descriptions emphasize design-led furnishings and related technologies and services. The company’s communications focus on furniture and interior solutions for offices, homes, healthcare facilities, and other environments, aligning with its manufacturing-sector classification while underscoring a strong design and brand-driven identity. The evolution into Herman Miller Group and then into MillerKnoll reflects an expansion from a single furniture manufacturer into a broader collective of design-focused brands.

Key historical points

• Herman Miller traces its inception to 1905, according to its own "About" sections.
• The company is repeatedly described in its releases as a globally recognized leader in design and as a provider of furnishings and related technologies and services.
• In 2018, Herman Miller created Herman Miller Group, bringing together brands such as Colebrook Bosson Saunders, Design Within Reach, Geiger, HAY, Maars Living Walls, Maharam, naughtone, and Nemschoff.
• In 2021, Herman Miller acquired Knoll, Inc. and announced that the combined organization would operate as MillerKnoll.
• On November 1, 2021, Herman Miller, Inc. changed its name to MillerKnoll, Inc. and its Nasdaq ticker from MLHR to MLKN, as stated in the company’s own news release.

Investor perspective on MLHR

For those examining the historical MLHR stock, it is important to recognize that the symbol corresponds to Herman Miller, Inc. prior to the corporate name and ticker change described in the company’s releases. Subsequent corporate reporting and branding occur under the MillerKnoll name and the MLKN ticker. Historical information about Herman Miller’s operations, design heritage, and brand family remains relevant for understanding the origins and evolution of MillerKnoll as described in the company’s own communications.