how did hermann miller and steelcase stack up next to each other? let's start with steelcase, sales down nearly 1% last year after being flat in 2015, down from 2.4% growth in 2014 hermann miller's numbers tell a better story, up 5.7% last year down from 2015 it's basically in line with 6% growth from 2014 hermann miller has been doing much better. however, this year, could see something very different steelcase is expected do generate 2% growth for 2017. hermann miller is tracking 1% growth management said the sales will accelerate in the 2019 fiscal year that's not exactly soon. this is kind of what have you done for me lately market. i'll call this one a draw. how about earnings after growing nicely from 2013 through 2015, both companies stumbled hard last year. steelcase posted flat earnings, growth down from 16.9% in 2015 hermann miller were going up against a very tough comparison, 24% clip the year before the rear-view mirror doesn't tell us all that much. but when we look forward, hermann miller's earnings are expected to go higher this year