Tempur-pedic International (NYSE: TPX) manufacturers and sells visco-elastic (or memory foam) mattresses, pillows, and a variety of other cushions and comfort items. The company charges a price premium for its high-tech foam compared to traditional innerspring mattresses (the foam is even certified by NASA). Tempur-Pedic distributes its premium bedding products in 80 different countries through bedding specialty stores, which represent 84.5% of net sales, and also sells directly to customers, healthcare providers, and others.

The company will likely benefit from the aging of baby boomers, many of whom are willing to pay premiums to ease the pains of growing older and sleep more comfortably. Already, consumers such as these have made the specialty sleep market the fastest growing segment of the $6 billion U.S. bedding market. However, a slowdown in the U.S. housing market could decrease the number of upgrades to larger homes (with more bedrooms) and second home purchases, both which directly drive mattress sales. Tempur-Pedic competes largely with traditional innerspring mattress companies such as Select Comfort (SCSS), Sealy (ZZ), Serta, and Simmons in addition to a rising number of memory foam imitators. In addition, a sluggish US economy means weakened demand for Tempur-pedic's mattresses. In 2009, the company's net sales fell 10.4%.^[1]

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