CAVALIER HOMES INC
S-3/A, 1996-12-03
MOBILE HOMES
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    As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on December 2, 1996
    


                           Registration No. 333-00607
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D. C. 20549
                             ----------------------
    
   
                                 AMENDMENT NO. 2
                                   TO FORM S-3
    

                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                    UNDER THE
                             SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
                            ----------------------

                              CAVALIER HOMES, INC.
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

                Delaware                                     63-0949734
     (State or other jurisdiction of                     (I.R.S. employer
      incorporation or organization)                  identification number)
                            ----------------------
                       Highway 41 North and Cavalier Road
                             Addison, Alabama 35540
                                 (205) 747-1575
          (Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including
             area code, of registrant's principal executive offices)
                            ----------------------
                                Barry B. Donnell
                           719 Scott Avenue, Suite 600
                           Wichita Falls, Texas 76307
                                 (817) 723-5523
            (Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number,
                   including area code, of agent for service)
                            ----------------------
                                   Copies to:

   
                              John B. Grenier, Esq.
                          BRADLEY, ARANT, ROSE & WHITE
                                 2001 Park Place
                                   Suite 1400
                            Birmingham, Alabama 35203
                                 (205) 521-8000
                            ----------------------
    

Approximate  date of commencement  of proposed sale to the public:  From time to
time after this Registration Statement becomes effective.

   
If the only securities  being registered on this form are being offered pursuant
to dividend or interest reinvestment plans, please check the following box. |_|
    
   
If any of the  securities  being  registered on this form are to be offered on a
delayed or continuous  basis  pursuant to Rule 415 under the  Securities  Act of
1933, other than securities offered only in connection with dividend or interest
reinvestment plans, check the following box. :|X|
    
   
If this form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant
to Rule 462(b) under the  Securities  Act,  check the following box and list the
Securities  Act  registration   statement   number  of  the  earlier   effective
registration statement for the same offering. |_|
    
   
If this form is a  post-effective  amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under
the  Securities  Act,  check  the  following  box and  list the  Securities  Act
registration  statement number of the earlier effective  registration  statement
for the same offering. |_|
    
   
If delivery  of the  prospectus  is  expected  to be made  pursuant to Rule 434,
please check the following box.|_|
    


<PAGE>









                         CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

   
NOTE:  The  55,596  shares  included  in  the   Registration  Statement as filed
with the  Commission  on February 1, 1996,  were  previously  adjusted to 83,394
shares,  as reflected in Amendment No. 1 to the Registration  Statement as filed
with the Commission on March 14, 1996, in order to reflect a three-for-two stock
split  effected  as a 50% stock  dividend on February  15,  1996,  and have been
further  adjusted to 104,241  shares in order to reflect a  five-for-four  stock
split effected as a 25% stock  dividend on November 15, 1996.  The  registration
fee, which was paid at the time of the filing of the Registration Statement, was
calculated  on the basis of the  average of the high and low prices  reported on
January  29,  1996 on the New York Stock  Exchange,  which price was $19.563 per
share.
    







                                       1
<PAGE>



                              CAVALIER HOMES, INC.


         CROSS REFERENCE SHEET PURSUANT TO ITEM 501(b) OF REGULATION S-K



Item                                                 Location in Prospectus

   
1.  Forepart of the Registration          Forepart of the Registration Statement
    Statement and Outside Front           and outside front cover page of
    Cover Page of Prospectus              Prospectus. 

2.  Inside Front and Outside Back         Available Information; Incorporation
    Cover pages of Prospectus             of Certain Documents by Reference; 
                                          Outside back cover page of Prospectus

3.  Summary Information, Risk             The Company; Risk Factors; Outside 
    Factors and Ratio of Earnings         back cover page of Prospectus
    to Fixed Charges
    

4.  Use of Proceeds                       Outside front cover page of 
                                          Prospectus; Plan of Distribution

5.  Determination of Offering Price       Not Applicable

6.  Dilution                              Not Applicable

7.  Selling Security Holders              Selling Stockholders

8.  Plan of Distribution                  Outside front cover page of 
                                          Prospectus; Plan of Distribution

9.  Description of Securities to be       Incorporation of Certain Documents
    Registered                            by Reference

10. Interests of Named Experts and        Not Applicable
    Counsel

11. Material Changes                      The Company

   
12. Incorporation of Certain              Incorporation of Certain Documents 
    Information by Reference              by Reference
    


13. Disclosure of Commission Position     Not Applicable
    on Indemnification for Securities
    Act Liabilities



                                       2
<PAGE>



PROSPECTUS


                              CAVALIER HOMES, INC.


   
                         104,241 Shares of Common Stock


         The shares  offered  hereby are shares of the common  stock,  par value
$0.10 per share (the  "Common  Stock"),  of  Cavalier  Homes,  Inc.,  a Delaware
corporation (the "Company"). This Prospectus is to be used by each of the former
stockholders  of  Riverchase  Homes,   Inc.,   formerly  known  as  Wheel  House
Structures,  Inc. ("Wheel House") named herein (the "Selling  Stockholders")  to
sell (i) up to an  aggregate  of 104,241  shares of Common Stock of the Company,
which shares were issued to the Selling  Stockholders  pursuant to the terms and
conditions of an Option and Stock Exchange  Agreement  dated August 28, 1995, by
and  among  Wheel  House,   the  Selling   Stockholders  and  the  Company  (the
"Agreement") and (ii) such additional shares of Common Stock which may be issued
to the Selling  Stockholders  pursuant to the Agreement in  connection  with the
purchase price formula contained  therein.  All proceeds from the sale of shares
of Common  Stock  pursuant to this  Prospectus  will inure to the benefit of the
Selling Stockholders,  and the Company will not receive any part of the proceeds
from the sale of the shares of Common Stock offered hereby.

         The  Common  Stock  offered  hereby  may be  offered  for resale by the
Selling  Stockholders,   in  their  sole  discretion,   from  time  to  time  in
transactions  (which  may  include  block  transactions)  on the New York  Stock
Exchange,  Inc. (the "NYSE"),  in negotiated  transactions,  or a combination of
such methods of sale,  at fixed prices  which may be changed,  at market  prices
prevailing  at the time of sale,  at prices  related to such  prevailing  market
prices or at negotiated  prices. No underwriter is being utilized by the Selling
Stockholders in connection with the offer and sale of the shares of Common Stock
offered hereby. The Selling Stockholders may effect transactions by selling such
shares of Common Stock to or through broker-dealers, and such broker-dealers may
receive  compensation in the form of discounts,  concessions or commissions from
the  Selling   Stockholders   or  the   purchasers   of  shares  for  whom  such
broker-dealers  may act as agent or to whom they may sell as  principal  or both
(which  compensation,  as to a particular  broker-dealer,  might be in excess of
customary commissions). See "Selling Stockholders" and "Plan of Distribution."
    

         The Company will bear all expenses  (other than selling  discounts  and
commissions  and fees and  expenses of counsel or other  advisors to the Selling
Stockholders)  in  connection  with the  registration  of the Common Stock being
offered by the Selling Stockholders. See "Plan of Distribution."

   
         The  Common  Stock is  listed  on the NYSE  under the  symbol  CAV.  On
November 25, 1996, the last sale price reported by the NYSE for the Common Stock
was $13.00 per share.
    

       See "Risk Factors" for certain factors that should be considered by
                 purchasers of the Common Stock offered hereby.


            THESE SECURITIES HAVE NOT BEEN APPROVED OR DISAPPROVED BY
               THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION OR ANY STATE
                 SECURITIES COMMISSION NOR HAS THE COMMISSION OR
                   ANY STATE SECURITIES COMMISSION PASSED UPON
                      THE ACCURACY OR ADEQUACY OF THIS PRO-
                         SPECTUS. ANY REPRESENTATION TO
                            THE CONTRARY IS A CRIMI-
                                  NAL OFFENSE.



   
                 The date of this Prospectus is December 2, 1996
    

                                       1
<PAGE>


                              AVAILABLE INFORMATION


   
         The  Company  is  subject  to  the  informational  requirements  of the
Securities  Exchange  Act of 1934,  as amended  (the  "Exchange  Act"),  and, in
accordance  therewith,  files reports and other  information with the Securities
and Exchange Commission (the "Commission").  Such reports,  proxy statements and
other information filed by the Company may be inspected and copied at the public
reference  facilities  maintained  by the  Commission  at Room  1024,  450 Fifth
Street, N.W.,  Washington,  D.C. 20549, and at the Commission's regional offices
at the following  addresses:  Midwest  Regional Office,  Citicorp Center,  Suite
1400,  500 West Madison  Street,  Chicago,  Illinois  60661-2511;  and Northeast
Regional  Office,  7 World Trade Center,  Suite 1300,  New York, New York 10048.
Copies of such material can be obtained from the Public Reference Section of the
Commission  at Room 1024,  450 Fifth Street,  N.W.,  Washington,  D.C.  20549 at
prescribed rates. The Commission also maintains a Website that contains reports,
proxy and information  statements and other information  regarding  registrants,
such as the Company,  that file electronically with the Commission.  The address
of Website  is  http://www.sec.gov.  The Common  Stock is listed on the NYSE and
reports and other information regarding the Company can also be inspected at the
offices of the New York Stock  Exchange,  Inc., 20 Broad Street,  New York,  New
York 10005.
    

         The Company has filed with the Commission a  registration  statement on
Form S-3 (the  "Registration  Statement")  under the  Securities Act of 1933, as
amended (the "Securities Act"), with respect to the Common Stock offered hereby.
This Prospectus  constitutes a part of the  Registration  Statement and does not
contain all of the information and  undertakings  set forth in the  Registration
Statement and the exhibits thereto.  Statements  contained in this Prospectus as
to the  contents of any  document  are not  necessarily  complete,  and, in each
instance,  reference is made to the copy of such document filed as an exhibit to
the  Registration  Statement or  incorporated  therein by  reference.  Each such
statement  is  qualified  in  its  entirety  by  such  reference.   For  further
information,  reference  is hereby made to the  Registration  Statement  and the
exhibits  thereto.  The  Registration  Statement  and  exhibits  thereto  may be
inspected  without  charge at the  Commission's  office at Room 1024,  450 Fifth
Street,  N.W.,  Washington,  D.C. 20549, and copies thereof may be obtained from
the Public  Reference  Section of the  Commission  at such address at prescribed
rates.


                 INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE


         The  following  documents  filed by the  Company  with  the  Commission
(Commission File No. 1-9792) are incorporated herein by reference:

   
         (i) The  Company's  Annual  Report  on Form  10-K  for the  year  ended
December 31, 1995;

         (ii) The  Company's  Quarterly  Reports  on Form 10-Q for the  quarters
ended March 29, 1996, June 28, 1996 and September 27, 1996;

         (iii)  The  Company's  Current  Report  on  Form  8-K  filed  with  the
Commission on October 30, 1996; and

         (iv) The  description  of the Common Stock  contained in the  Company's
Registration  Statement on Form 8-A filed with the Commission under the Exchange
Act on December 9, 1987, as amended by the Company's  Form 8 dated  December 16,
1987, and as updated (A) in the  Registration  Statement on Form S-3,  effective
June 23, 1993  (Commission  File No.  33-63060),  to reflect the increase of the
number of shares of authorized  Common Stock from 5,000,000 shares to 15,000,000
shares  and  (B) by the  Registration  Statement  on Form  8-A  filed  with  the
Commission under the Exchange Act on December 2, 1994, reflecting the listing of
the Common Stock on the NYSE.
    

         All documents filed by the Company  pursuant to Sections 13(a),  13(c),
14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act after the date of this  Prospectus  and prior to
the  termination  of the  offering of the Common Stock  offered  hereby shall be
deemed to be  incorporated  by reference and to be a part of the Prospectus from
the date of the filing of such documents.  Any statement contained in a document
incorporated  by  reference  herein or  contained  herein  shall be deemed to be
modified or  superseded  to the extent that a statement  herein or in a document
subsequently  incorporated  by reference  herein shall modify or supersede  such
statement.  Any statement so modified or superseded shall not be deemed,  except
as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part of this Prospectus.

         The Company  undertakes  to provide,  without  charge to each person to
whom this  Prospectus  is  delivered,  and upon  written or oral request of such
person, a copy of any and all of the information  that has been  incorporated by
reference in this Prospectus (not including  exhibits to the information that is
incorporated by reference unless such exhibits are specifically  incorporated by
reference  into the  information  that  this  Prospectus  incorporates).  Such a
request is to be directed to Mr. Mike Brinkley,  Cavalier Homes, Inc., 719 Scott
Avenue, Suite 600, P. 0. Box 5003, Wichita Falls, Texas 76307 (telephone number:
(817) 723-5523).

                                       2
<PAGE>

         No person has been  authorized to give any  information  or to make any
representations  other than those contained or incorporated by reference in this
Prospectus in connection  with any offer to sell or sale of the securities  with
respect  to which  this  Prospectus  is  issued  and,  if  given  or made,  such
information or representation must not be relied upon as having been authorized.
The delivery of this  Prospectus at any time does not imply that the information
herein is correct as of any time  subsequent  to its date or that there has been
no change in the  business  or affairs  of the  Company  since  such date.  This
Prospectus does not constitute an offer to sell to or a solicitation of an offer
to buy from any  person  in any state in which  any such  offer or  solicitation
would be unlawful.


                                   THE COMPANY


General Description

   
         The Company is a Delaware  corporation  incorporated  in 1985, with its
principal  executive  offices  located at Highway  41 North and  Cavalier  Road,
Addison,  Alabama 35540 (telephone  number:  (205)  747-1575).  The Company also
maintains  administrative offices at 719 Scott Avenue, Suite 600, Wichita Falls,
Texas 76301 (telephone number:  (817) 723-5523).  Unless otherwise  indicated by
the context,  references  to the  "Company" or to  "Cavalier"  include  Cavalier
Homes, Inc., its subsidiaries and their respective predecessors, if any.

         The  Company  designs  and  manufactures  a wide range of high  quality
manufactured  homes and markets its homes primarily in the southeast,  southwest
and  midwest  regions of the United  States,  with a focus on serving the low-to
medium-price  manufactured housing market. During 1995, approximately 77% of the
Company's  revenues  were  generated  from sales in its core markets of Alabama,
North Carolina,  Texas,  South  Carolina,  Mississippi,  Louisiana,  Georgia and
Tennessee.  The  Company,  through  its  wholly  owned  subsidiaries,  currently
operates 13 manufacturing  facilities, 7 of which are located in Alabama, 2 each
in North Carolina and Texas and 1 each in Georgia and Pennsylvania.

         The Company's homes are sold under the Cavalier, Pacesetter, Brigadier,
Knox, Buccaneer,  Challenger,  Parkwood, Mansion, Olympic,  Plantation, Town and
Country,  Astro and various  other brand names.  As of December  31,  1995,  the
Company's  homes  were  sold  through   approximately  475  independent  dealers
(including 93 independent exclusive dealers) operating  approximately 575 retail
sales centers. The Company's homes normally include furniture and appliances and
are comprised of one or more floor sections.  Single-section homes range in size
from  550 to  1,248  square  feet and are sold at  retail  prices  ranging  from
approximately $13,000 to $30,000.  Multi-section homes range in size from 880 to
2,128  square  feet and are sold at retail  prices  ranging  from  approximately
$20,000 to $75,000.

         The Company began offering retail  installment  sale financing in March
1992 through Cavalier Acceptance Corporation ("CAC"), the Company's wholly owned
finance  subsidiary,  for  homes  sold to  qualifying  retail  customers  of the
Company's  independent  exclusive  dealers.  During 1995 the  Company  adopted a
dealer  stock  option  program  that grants to  exclusive  dealers  whose retail
customers finance their home purchase through CAC, options to purchase shares of
the Company's  common stock.  The Company  believes  that  it  is one of the few
major  manufactured home producers in the United States offering retail consumer
financing through  independent dealers and the only company that offers a dealer
stock option program to those dealers. CAC currently offers various conventional
loan programs for use by dealerships,  which programs  require a down payment by
the  consumer  ranging from 0% to 20% of the  purchase  price in cash,  trade-in
value of a previously  owned  manufactured  home or appraised value of equity in
any real property  pledged as collateral.  Repayment  terms range from 84 to 240
months,  depending upon the amount financed,  the amount of the down payment and
the customer's  creditworthiness.  The loans typically are secured by a purchase
money security  interest in the manufactured home and, in certain  instances,  a
mortgage on real property pledged as additional collateral.  Loans purchased and
originated  by CAC normally  provide a fixed rate of interest with equal monthly
payments and are non-recourse to the dealer.
CAC currently  operates in 15 states and serves all of the  Company's  exclusive
dealerships.

         For a more detailed  description of the Company,  including audited and
unaudited  financial  information,  reference  is made to the  Company's  Annual
Report on Form  10-K for the year  ended  December  31,  1994 and the  Company's
Quarterly  Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended March 29, 1996,  June 28,
1996 and September 27, 1996, which are incorporated herein by reference.
    




                                       3
<PAGE>


                                  RISK FACTORS


         In addition to the other information in this Prospectus,  the following
factors should be considered  carefully by prospective  purchasers of the Common
Stock offered hereby.

Manufactured Housing Industry

   
         The manufactured  housing  industry  historically has been cyclical and
seasonal and has experienced  wide  fluctuations in aggregate sales in the past,
resulting  in the  failure  of  many  manufacturing  concerns.  The  market  for
manufactured  homes  is  affected  by many of the  same  national  and  regional
economic and demographic factors that affect the broader housing industry. Sales
in the manufactured housing industry are seasonal in nature, with sales of homes
traditionally being weaker in the winter months.  Historically,  most sectors of
the housing industry,  including the manufactured  housing  industry,  have been
affected  by,  among  other  things,  changes  in general  economic  conditions,
inflation, levels of consumer confidence,  employment and income levels, housing
demand, availability of alternative forms of housing,  availability of financing
and the  level  and  stability  of  interest  rates.  The  Manufactured  Housing
Institute  ("MHI") reported that during the period from 1983 to 1991,  aggregate
domestic  shipments of  manufactured  homes declined 42.1% from 295,079 homes to
170,713 homes. The Company believes that the factors responsible for the decline
nationally  during  this  period  included,  among other  things,  the  economic
weakness  and  resulting  unemployment  in the  oil,  manufacturing  and  mining
industries,  the high levels of repossessed inventory of manufactured homes, the
availability of apartment and other rental housing and the severe contraction in
availability of retail  financing  caused by the decline of the savings and loan
industry. According to industry statistics, after a ten-year low in shipments of
homes in 1991, the industry has recovered  significantly,  posting  increases in
shipments of 24%, 21%, 20% and 12% for 1992, 1993, 1994 and 1995,  respectively,
as compared to the prior year.  Industry statistics for the first nine months of
1996  indicate a continued  trend in the  increase of  shipments,  although at a
slower  pace than  previous  years.  The  Company  attributes  the upturn in the
industry to increased  consumer  confidence,  wider  acceptance of  manufactured
housing,  a reduction in the  availability  of  alternative  housing,  increased
availability  of consumer  financing and an improvement in the overall  economy.
However,  there can be no assurance that the manufactured  housing industry will
continue its upward growth trend or that it will not experience future declines.
There also can be no  assurance  that the Company  will be able to sustain  past
levels of sales or to continue its recent sales growth or profitability.
    

Availability of Consumer and Dealer Financing

         Consumer  and dealer  financing  for  manufactured  home  purchases  is
generally  provided  by  third-party  lenders.  The  availability  and  cost  of
financing  for  manufactured  home  purchasers  and dealers are important to the
Company's sales and are dependent on financial  institutions' lending practices,
the strength of the credit markets  generally,  governmental  policies and other
conditions,  all of which are beyond the Company's control. In addition, in most
states,  manufactured  homes are classified legally and by taxing authorities as
personal  property  rather  than real  estate.  As a result,  financing  for the
purchase of manufactured  homes is  characterized by shorter loan maturities and
higher interest  rates,  and in certain periods such financing is more difficult
to obtain than conventional  home mortgages.  Although the Company believes that
the  business of CAC  ultimately  may lessen the impact of these  factors on the
Company's  business,  there can be no assurance to this effect,  and unfavorable
changes in these  factors may have a material  adverse  effect on the  Company's
results of operations or financial condition.

Finance Subsidiary's Limited Operating History

   
         CAC funded its first loan in March 1992.  CAC  purchased  approximately
$10.7 million of retail installment sales contracts covering the Company's homes
during  1995,  and  approximately  $2.6  million  and  $7.3  million  of  retail
installment  sales  contracts  covering  the  Company's  homes in 1993 and 1994,
respectively.  The Company  establishes a reserve for losses on such  contracts;
however,  the establishment of appropriate  reserves is an inherently  uncertain
process,  and there can be no assurance that the ultimate losses realized by CAC
will not exceed the Company's  loss reserves and have a material  adverse effect
on the  Company's  results of  operations or financial  condition.  Further,  an
expansion  of the  business  and  operations  of CAC will  increase  the working
capital  requirements  of the Company.  In  addition,  although the Company will
attempt  to  match  liabilities  and  assets  of CAC both as to term and rate to
reduce loss exposure from interest rate fluctuations,  there can be no assurance
that interest rate fluctuations will not have a material adverse effect upon the
Company's results of operations or financial condition.
    

         CAC's  prospects  for success must be considered in light of the risks,
uncertainties,   expenses  and  difficulties   frequently   encountered  in  the
establishment  of a new  business  in the  highly  competitive  retail  consumer
finance  industry.  The success of CAC's  operations will also depend to a great
extent on its management. Although the Company plans to expand the operations of
CAC,  due to CAC's  limited  operating  history and the  cyclical  nature of the
manufactured  housing  industry,  CAC's  specific  business plans are subject to
change and refinement as the  circumstances  require.  There can be no assurance
that CAC will continue to generate  sufficient  revenues to maintain  profitable
operations.  The  Company  cannot  predict  whether  CAC will be able to  expand
successfully, or to what extent and when, if at all, CAC will be able to develop
a sizeable  portfolio of high quality loans.  Further,  if CAC's  operations are
unsuccessful,  there can be no assurance that such lack of success will not have
a material adverse effect upon the Company's  results of operations or financial
condition.

                                       4
<PAGE>

Availability and Pricing of Raw Materials

         The  Company's  operating  costs may be  significantly  affected by the
availability and pricing of certain raw materials,  particularly lumber, gypsum,
particle board and insulation. Sudden increases in demand for these construction
materials  caused by  natural  disasters  or other  market  forces  can  greatly
increase  the costs of materials or limit the  availability  of such  materials.
Increases in such costs cannot always be reflected  immediately in the Company's
prices and,  consequently,  may adversely  impact the  Company's  profitability.
Further,  a reduction in the  availability  of raw materials also may affect the
Company's ability to meet or maintain production requirements.

Growth Strategy

         The  Company's  growth  strategies  are to  (i)  expand  the  financing
activities of CAC, (ii) develop the Company's network of exclusive  dealerships,
(iii) expand its geographic presence and increase its manufacturing capacity and
(iv) develop the production and distribution of component parts for manufactured
homes. Since 1991, the Company has expanded  manufacturing  capacity to meet the
increase in demand for its homes. If the manufactured housing industry suffers a
downturn, or the Company otherwise experiences a decline in the demand or growth
in demand for its homes,  such a downturn or decline could result in the Company
having  significant  excess  manufacturing  capacity  and could  have a material
adverse  effect on the Company's  results of operations or financial  condition.
The Company's  ability to execute its growth  strategies will depend on a number
of factors,  including general economic and industry conditions,  the ability to
sell to additional independent dealers, the availability of semi-skilled workers
in the areas in which the Company's  manufacturing  facilities are located,  the
ability of CAC to be competitive and other factors, many of which are beyond the
control of the Company.  There can be no  assurance  that the  Company's  growth
strategies will be successful. 

Contingent Repurchase Obligations

   
         In  accordance  with  customary  practice in the  manufactured  housing
industry,  the Company has entered into repurchase and other recourse agreements
with various  financial  institutions and other credit sources pursuant to which
the Company has agreed, under certain circumstances, to repurchase homes sold to
independent  dealers in the event of a default by a dealer in its  obligation to
such credit sources.  The risk of loss under repurchase  agreements is mitigated
by the fact that (i) sales of  manufactured  homes are spread over a  relatively
large number of independent dealers,  (ii) the repurchase  obligation expires on
individual  homes after a reasonable  period of time  (generally 12 to 18 months
from invoice date) and also declines  during such period based on  predetermined
amounts  and  (iii)  the  Company  has been  able in most  cases  to sell  homes
repurchased  from credit  sources in the  ordinary  course of  business  without
incurring significant losses. As of September 27, 1996, the Company's contingent
liability under these  arrangements  was an amount estimated to be approximately
$78 million,  based on historical  dealer  turnover of  inventory.  Although the
Company  has   established,   based  on  prior  experience  and  current  market
conditions, a reserve for possible repurchase losses of $800,000 as of September
27, 1996,  there can be no assurance  that the ultimate  losses  realized by the
Company will not exceed the Company's  loss reserve and have a material  adverse
effect on the Company's results of operations or financial condition.
    

Competition

   
         The   manufactured   housing   industry  is  highly   competitive   and
characterized by low barriers to entry and severe price competition. Competition
is based  primarily  on price,  product  features and  quality,  reputation  for
quality and service, depth of field inventory,  delivery capabilities,  warranty
repair service, dealer promotions,  merchandising and terms of dealer and retail
consumer financing.  In addition, the Company competes with other manufacturers,
some of which maintain their own retail sales centers,  for quality  independent
dealers. According to MHI, as of September, 1996, there were 98 companies in the
United  States  producing  manufactured  homes  from 307  facilities.  There are
numerous  manufacturers  that  compete  directly  with the Company in the states
where the Company's  homes are sold. A number of these firms have been operating
longer and have substantially  greater financial  resources than the Company. In
addition,  manufactured  homes  compete  with other forms of  low-cost  housing,
including site-built,  prefabricated and modular homes,  apartments,  townhouses
and condominiums.  As a result of these competitive conditions,  the Company may
not be able to sustain  past  levels of sales or to  continue  its recent  sales
growth or profitability.
    

Reliance on Key Personnel

         The  success of the  Company's  business is highly  dependent  upon the
personal efforts and abilities of its current  executive  officers and other key
personnel.  The loss of the services of one or more of these  individuals  could
have a material adverse effect upon the Company's business. The Company does not
have  employment  or  non-competition  agreements  with  any  of  its  executive
officers. In addition,  the Company's continued growth,  including the expansion
of CAC's business, will depend upon its ability to attract and retain additional
experienced management personnel.

                                       5
<PAGE>

Dependence on Independent Dealers

         The Company depends on independent dealers for substantially all retail
sales of its manufactured homes. Typically only one dealer within a given market
area  distributes  a particular  product line of the Company.  While the Company
believes that its relations with its independent  dealers are generally good and
that its network of  exclusive  dealerships  has  contributed  to the  Company's
recent  performance,  there can be no assurance that the Company will be able to
maintain these relations, that these dealers will continue to sell the Company's
homes or that the Company will be able to attract and retain quality independent
dealers.

Potential Environmental Liability and Compliance with Regulations

         The Company's  operations are subject to federal,  state and local laws
and  regulations  relating  to  the  generation,  storage,  handling,  emission,
transportation,  disposal  and  discharge  of  materials  into the  environment.
Governmental  authorities  have  the  power to  enforce  compliance  with  their
regulations,  and  violations may result in the payment of fines or the entry of
injunctions,  or both. Furthermore,  the requirements of such environmental laws
and enforcement  policies have generally  become  stricter in recent years.  The
Company   currently  does  not  believe  it  will  be  required  under  existing
environmental laws and enforcement  policies to expend amounts which will have a
material  adverse  effect on its results of operations  or financial  condition.
However,  the Company is unable to make any assurance  that the ultimate cost of
compliance  with  environmental  laws and  enforcement  policies will not have a
material  adverse  effect on the  Company's  results of  operation  or financial
condition.

Regulation

         The  Company is subject to a variety of  federal,  state and local laws
and  regulations  affecting the  production,  sale and financing of manufactured
housing. The National Manufactured Home Construction and Safety Standards Act of
1974, and  regulations  promulgated by the U.S.  Department of Housing and Urban
Development  ("HUD")  thereunder,  impose  comprehensive  national  construction
standards  for  manufactured  homes  and  preempt  conflicting  state  and local
regulations. Failure by the Company to comply with such regulations could expose
the Company to a wide variety of sanctions, including closing one or more of the
Company's  manufacturing  facilities.  Certain HUD  regulations  with respect to
structural   design   specifications   relating  to  wind  load   capacities  of
manufactured  housing  located or sold in areas prone to  hurricane-force  winds
became  effective  in  July  1994.  These  regulations  require  homes  sold  in
hurricane-prone  areas to be able to  withstand  110 miles per hour  winds.  The
Company currently sells homes in locations that are subject to the HUD wind load
regulations. Additional HUD regulations, which became effective in October 1994,
require  manufactured homes to meet certain insulation  requirements  related to
energy efficiency  levels.  The Company does not believe that the increased cost
associated  with these  regulations  has had a material  effect on the Company's
operations to date;  however,  there can be no assurance that such cost will not
increase  significantly  in the future.  HUD is also reviewing the existing wind
load  capacity  regulations  for all other areas of the United  States,  and the
Company cannot predict if additional  regulations  will be adopted or the effect
such regulations would have on the Company or the manufactured  housing industry
as a whole. In addition, certain components of manufactured homes are subject to
regulation by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. Further, a variety of
other  federal,  state  and local  laws and  regulations  apply to the  Company,
including,   but  not   limited   to,   laws   and   regulations   relating   to
truth-in-lending,  disclosure  requirements  for consumers,  zoning and housing,
non-discrimination,  warranties  and warranty  claims,  the  protection of human
health and safety and the environment and debt collection techniques, as well as
laws and regulations  governing credit transactions in general.  There can be no
assurance that the Company will not be adversely affected by a failure to comply
with any laws or regulations applicable to or affecting the Company.  

Volatility of Stock Price

         The Company's  Common Stock is traded on the NYSE.  The market price of
the Common  Stock may be subject to  significant  fluctuations  in  response  to
variations in the Company's  operating  results and other factors  affecting the
Company  specifically and the stock market and the manufactured housing industry
generally.


                              SELLING STOCKHOLDERS


The following  table sets forth  certain  information  regarding the  beneficial
ownership by the Selling Stockholders of the Common Stock of the Company and the
relationship of the Selling  Stockholders with Wheel House as of the date of the
Agreement.  Effective  August 28,  1995,  Mr.  Masdon  resigned  his position as
president of Wheel House,  and  effective  January 2, 1996,  he resigned as sole
director thereof.


                                       6
<PAGE>
   
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                   Relationship                 No. of Shares                                        No. of shares
                                    With Wheel                  beneficially                                         beneficially
                                       House                    Owned before                No. of shares             owned after
          Name                     as of 8/28/95                  offering                     offered                 offering
<S>                          <C>                                <C>                         <C>
James Masdon                 President, Director                    42,547                      42,547                     0
                              and Shareholder
Max Burleson                 Shareholder                            47,512                      47,512                     0
Max Sanders                  Shareholder                            14,182                      14,182                     0

</TABLE>
    
   
         The Selling Stockholders  received 104,241 shares of Common Stock being
offered  by  this  Prospectus  in  connection   with  the  execution,   and  the
consummation  of the  transactions  contemplated by the terms, of the Agreement.
Pursuant  to the  terms of the  Agreement,  on  August  28,  1995,  the  Company
delivered to the Selling  Stockholders 50,625 shares of Common Stock in exchange
for an option to acquire all of the outstanding capital stock of Wheel House not
already owned by the Company.  Effective  January 2, 1996, the Company exercised
such option and acquired all of the outstanding  capital stock of Wheel House in
consideration  for the issuance of 32,769  additional  shares of Common Stock to
the Selling  Stockholders.  In addition the foregoing, the Selling  Stockholders
received  additional  shares of Common Stock in  connection  with the  Company's
five-for-four  stock split in the form of a 25% stock  dividend paid on November
15, 1996 to stockholders of record on the close of business on October 31, 1996.
The terms of the Agreement provide that the Company,  at its own expense,  would
register for resale under the  Securities Act such shares of Common Stock issued
to the Selling Stockholders. The Agreement also provides that if, within 90 days
following  the  effective  date of the  Registration  Statement  of  which  this
Prospectus is a part, any Selling  Stockholder sells any Common Stock at a price
lower than a certain  measuring  price  specified in the Agreement,  the Company
will issue additional shares to such Selling  Stockholder  pursuant to a pricing
formula contained therein.
    

         Each Selling  Stockholder is offering all of the shares of Common Stock
beneficially  owned by such Selling  Stockholder as of the date hereof.  Because
the Selling  Stockholders may sell all or only a portion of the shares of Common
Stock offered hereby, and because this offering is not being  underwritten,  the
number of  shares  of Common  Stock  that may be owned  after the  offering,  as
reflected in the foregoing  table,  assumes that the Selling  Stockholders  will
offer and sell all the Common  Stock  offered  hereby and will not  acquire  any
other shares of Common Stock.




                                       7
<PAGE>


                              PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION


         The purpose of this Prospectus is to permit the Selling Stockholders to
offer  for sale and to sell  shares  of  Common  Stock at such  time and at such
prices as they, in their sole  discretion,  may determine.  The Company will not
receive any proceeds from the sale of the Common Stock offered hereby.

         The  Common  Stock is listed on the NYSE under the  symbol  CAV.  It is
expected that sales of the shares of Common Stock of the Company  hereunder will
be made  principally in transactions  (which may include block  transactions) on
the NYSE, at the market price then  prevailing,  although sales also may be made
in privately negotiated transactions,  or a combination of such methods of sale,
and may also be made at fixed prices which may be changed,  at prices related to
such prevailing market prices, or at negotiated prices. The Company  understands
that  the  shares  of  Common  Stock  being  offered  and  sold  by the  Selling
Stockholders  will not be  offered or sold  through  any  underwriter.  Sales of
shares of Common  Stock  effected on the NYSE may be effected  through  licensed
broker-dealers  who  will  act as  agent  for  the  Selling  Stockholders.  Such
broker-dealers may receive compensation in the form of discounts, concessions or
commissions  from the Selling  Stockholders or the purchasers of shares for whom
such  broker-dealers  may act as agent or to whom they may sell as  principal or
both (which compensation,  as to a particular broker-dealer,  might be in excess
of customary commissions).

         One or more  supplemental  prospectuses  will be filed pursuant to Rule
424 under the Securities Act to describe any material  arrangements for the sale
of Common Stock by the Selling  Stockholders,  if and when such arrangements are
entered into by the Selling Stockholders and any broker-dealers that participate
in the distribution of the Common Stock offered hereby.

         The Company is paying all of the expenses of registering  the shares of
Common Stock of the Company  offered hereby under the Securities Act (other than
selling discounts,  concessions and commissions and fees and expenses of counsel
and other advisors to the Selling  Stockholders),  including  filing,  printing,
legal, accounting and miscellaneous expenses in connection with this offering.

         The Selling  Stockholders  and any broker  executing  selling orders on
behalf of the Selling Stockholders may be deemed to be "underwriters" within the
meaning of the Securities Act, in which event  commissions  received by any such
broker may be deemed to be underwriting commissions under the Securities Act. To
the Company's knowledge, there are no agreements, arrangements or understandings
between the Selling  Stockholders  and any broker or dealer with  respect to the
sale of the Common Stock offered hereby.

         Under  applicable  rules and  regulations of the  Commission  under the
Exchange  Act,  any  person  engaged in a  distribution  of  securities  may not
simultaneously   engage  in  market  making  activities  with  respect  to  such
securities  for  certain  time  periods  prior  to  the   commencement  of  such
distribution.  In  addition  and without  limiting  the  foregoing,  the Selling
Stockholders  and any person  participating in the distribution of the shares of
Common Stock  offered  hereby will be subject to  applicable  provisions  of the
Exchange  Act  and the  rules  and  regulations  of the  Commission  thereunder,
including without  limitation Rules 10b-6 and 10b-7,  which provisions may limit
the  timing of  purchases  and sales of  shares of Common  Stock by the  Selling
Stockholders. All of the foregoing may affect the marketability of such shares.


                                  LEGAL MATTERS

   
         The  validity  of the shares of Common  Stock  offered  hereby has been
passed  upon by  Bradley,  Arant,  Rose & White,  2001 Park  Place,  Suite 1400,
Birmingham, Alabama 35203.
    


                                     EXPERTS

   
         The financial  statements and the related financial  statement schedule
incorporated in this Prospectus by reference from the Company's Annual Report on
Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 1995,  have been audited by Deloitte &
Touche  LLP,  independent   auditors,  as  stated  in  their  report,  which  is
incorporated herein by reference, and have been so incorporated in reliance upon
the report of such firm given upon their  authority as experts in accounting and
auditing.
    




                                       8
<PAGE>



No  dealer,  salesman  or any  other  person  has  been  authorized  to give any
information or to make any  representations,  other than those contained in this
Prospectus,  and, if given or made,  such other  information or  representations
must  not be  relied  upon  as  having  been  authorized  by the  Company.  This
Prospectus  does not  constitute an offer or  solicitation  (i) by anyone in any
state in which such offer or  solicitation  is not  authorized,  or in which the
person  making the offer or  solicitation  is not qualified to do so, or (ii) to
any  person to whom it is  unlawful  to make  such  offer or  solicitation.  The
delivery  of this  Prospectus  at any time does not imply  that the  information
herein is correct as of any time subsequent to its date.











                                       9
<PAGE>


                                TABLE OF CONTENTS

   
                                                                          Page

Available Information                                                       2
Incorporation of Certain                                                    2
       Documents by Reference
The Company                                                                 3
Risk Factors                                                                4
Selling Stockholders                                                        6
Plan of Distribution                                                        8
Legal Matters                                                               8
Experts                                                                     8
    




















                              CAVALIER HOMES, INC.




   
                                 104,241 Shares
    
                                  Common Stock
                                 $0.10 Par Value







                                   PROSPECTUS

   
                                December 2, 1996
    






                                       10
<PAGE>







                                      II-1

                                     PART II

                     INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS


Item 14. Other Expenses of Issuance and Distribution

         The following table sets forth the various expenses,  all of which will
be borne by the Company,  in connection with the  distribution of the securities
being  registered.  All  amounts  shown  are  estimates  except  the  Commission
registration fee.

    Item                                                      Amount

    SEC Registration fee                          $            375.03
    Printing expenses                                          250.00
    Legal fees and expenses                                  2,500.00
    Accounting fees and expenses                             1,000.00
    Miscellaneous                                              374.97
                                                     -----------------
    Total                                         $          4,500.00
                                                     =================


Item 15. Indemnification of Directors and Officers

         (a)  Article  VII  of  the  By-laws  of  the  Registrant  provides  for
indemnification of directors and officers, in certain instances.  The provisions
of said Article are as follows:

SECTION 1.  Indemnification  in Actions  Arising  Out of  Capacity  as  Officer,
Director,  Employee or Agent. The corporation shall indemnify any person who was
or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending, or
completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or
investigative  (other than an action by or in the right of the  corporation)  by
reason of the fact that he is or was a director,  officer,  employee or agent of
the  corporation,  or is or was serving at the request of the  corporation  as a
director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation,  partnership, joint
venture,  trust or other  enterprise,  against  expenses  (including  attorneys'
fees),  judgments,  fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably
incurred by him in connection  with such action,  suit or proceeding if he acted
in good faith and in a manner he reasonably  believed to be in or not opposed to
the best interests of the corporation,  and, with respect to any criminal action
or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe his conduct was unlawful.

The  termination  of  any  action,  suit  or  proceeding  by  judgment,   order,
settlement,  conviction,  or upon a plea of nolo  contendere or its  equivalent,
shall not, of itself,  create a presumption  that the person did not act in good
faith and in a manner  which he  reasonably  believed to be in or not opposed to
the best interests of the corporation,  and, with respect to any criminal action
or proceeding, had reasonable cause to believe that his conduct was unlawful.

SECTION  2.  Indemnification  in  Actions  by or in  Right of  Corporation.  The
corporation shall indemnify any person who was or is a party or is threatened to
be made a party to any threatened,  pending or completed action or suit by or in
the right of the corporation to procure a judgment in its favor by reason of the
fact  that  he  is or  was  a  director,  officer,  employee  or  agent  of  the
corporation,  or is or was  serving  at the  request  of  the  corporation  as a
director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation,  partnership, joint
venture,  trust or other enterprise against expenses (including attorneys' fees)
actually  and  reasonably  incurred  by him in  connection  with the  defense or
settlement  of such  action or suit if he acted in good faith and in a manner he
reasonably  believed  to be in or not  opposed  to  the  best  interests  of the
corporation and except that no  indemnification  shall be made in respect to any
claim,  issue or matter as to which such person  shall have been  adjudged to be
liable  for  negligence  or  misconduct  in the  performance  of his duty to the
corporation unless and only to the extent that the Delaware Court of Chancery or
the  court  in which  such  action  or suit was  brought  shall  determine  upon
application  that,  despite the adjudication of liability but in view of all the
circumstances  of the case,  such  person is fairly and  reasonably  entitled to
indemnity for such expenses which such court shall deem proper.

SECTION 3. Indemnification When Successful on Merits or Otherwise. To the extent
that a  director,  officer,  employee  or  agent  of the  corporation  has  been
successful  on the  merits  or  otherwise  in  defense  of any  action,  suit or
proceeding referred to in Sections 1 and 2 of this Article VII, or in defense of
any claim issue or matter  therein,  he shall be  indemnified  against  expenses
(including   attorneys'  fees)  actually  and  reasonably  incurred  by  him  in
connection therewith.

SECTION 4. Determination of Meeting  Applicable  Standard.  Any  indemnification
under Sections I and 2 of this Article VII (unless  ordered by a court) shall be
made  by the  corporation  only  as  authorized  in  the  specific  case  upon a
determination that indemnification of the director,  officer,  employee or agent
is proper in the  circumstances  because he has met the  applicable  standard of
conduct set forth in Sections I and 2 of this  Article VII.  Such  determination
shall be made (a) by a majority  vote of the  directors  who were not parties to
such action, suit or proceeding, even though less than a quorum, or (b) if there
are no such  directors,  or if such directors so direct,  by  independent  legal
counsel in a written opinion, or (c) by the stockholders.

SECTION 5.  Payment of Expenses in Advance of  Disposition  of Action.  Expenses
incurred  by an officer or director  in  defending  a civil or criminal  action,
suit,  or  proceeding  may be paid by the  corporation  in  advance of the final
disposition  of such action,  suit,  or proceeding as authorized by the board of
directors in the specific case upon receipt of an undertaking by or on behalf of
such  director or officer to repay such  amount  unless it shall  ultimately  be
determined  that  he is  entitled  to  be  indemnified  by  the  corporation  as
authorized in this Article VII. Such  expenses  incurred by other  employees and
agents may be so paid upon such terms and  conditions,  if any,  as the board of
directors deems appropriate.

                                      II-1
<PAGE>

SECTION 6.  Nonexclusivity  of  Article.  The  indemnification  provided by this
Article  VII shall not be deemed  exclusive  of any other  rights to which those
seeking  indemnification  may be entitled under any by-law,  agreement,  vote of
stockholders or disinterested  directors or otherwise,  both as to action in his
official  capacity  and as to action in  another  capacity  while  holding  such
office,  and shall  continue  as to a person  who has  ceased to be a  director,
officer,  employee  or agent  and  shall  inure  to the  benefit  of the  heirs,
executors and administrators of such a person. The  indemnification  provided by
this  Article VII shall not be exclusive of any powers,  rights,  agreements  or
undertakings  which may be legally  permissible  or  authorized  by or under any
applicable law but,  notwithstanding  any other  provisions of this Article VII,
the  indemnification  authorized  and  provided  by this  Article  VII  shall be
applicable  only to the extent  that such  indemnification  shall not  duplicate
indemnity  or  reimbursement  which such person has  received  or shall  receive
otherwise than under this Article VII.

SECTION 7. Insurance.  The  corporation  may purchase and maintain  insurance on
behalf of any person who is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the
corporation,  or is or was  serving  at the  request  of  the  corporation  as a
director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation,  partnership, joint
venture,  trust or other enterprise  against any liability  asserted against him
and incurred by him in any such capacity,  or arising out of his status as such,
whether or not the  corporation  would have the power to  indemnify  him against
such liability under the provisions of this Article VII or otherwise.

SECTION  8.  Constituent  Corporations.   For  purposes  of  this  Article  VII,
references to "the corporation" shall include,  in addition to this corporation,
any  constituent  corporation  (including  any  constituent  of  a  constituent)
absorbed by this corporation in a consolidation or merger which, if its separate
existence  had  continued,  would have had power and  authority to indemnify its
directors, officers, and employees or agents, so that any person who is or was a
director,  officer, employee or agent of such constituent corporation,  or is or
was  serving  at the  request of such  constituent  corporation  as a  director,
officer, employee or agent of another corporation,  partnership,  joint venture,
trust or other enterprise, shall stand in the same position under the provisions
of this Article VII with respect to the resulting or surviving corporation as he
would  have  with  respect  to  such  constituent  corporation  if its  separate
existence had continued.

SECTION 9.  Definitions.  For purposes of this  Article VII, the phrases  "other
enterprises,"  "fines,"  "serving  at the request of the  corporation"  and "not
opposed to the best  interests  of the  corporation"  shall,  in addition to the
normal meanings of said phrases,  be deemed to include the meanings  ascribed to
said phrases in Section  145(i) of the General  Corporation  Law of the State of
Delaware or any successor provision thereto.

         (b)  In  addition  to the  foregoing  provisions  of  the  Registrant's
By-laws,  directors,  officers and controlling  persons of the Registrant may be
indemnified by the  Registrant  pursuant to the provisions of Section 145 of the
Delaware General Corporation Law.

         (c)  The  Registrant   maintains  officers'  and  directors'  liability
insurance.


Item 16. Exhibits

         The  following  is a list  of all  exhibits  filed  as a part  of  this
Registration  Statement,  including  those  which  are  incorporated  herein  by
reference.

         Exhibit     Description

         2(a)        Option  and  Stock  Exchange  Agreement by and  Among Wheel
                     House  Structures ,  Inc. ,  Shareholders  of  Wheel  House
                     Structures, Inc.  and Cavalier Homes, Inc. dated August 28,
                     1995***

                                      II-2
<PAGE>

NOTE:  The  Registrant  hereby  undertakes  to  furnish  supplementally  to  the
Commission a copy of any of the schedules to the foregoing agreement,  which are
identified  on the list  attached  to said  agreement,  but which are omitted in
accordance with Item 601 of Regulation S-K.

         4(a)        Articles four, six,  seven  and  eight of  the Registrant's
                     Restated  Certificate  of  Incorporation  (incorporated  by
                     reference to Exhibit  3(a)  to  the   Registrant's   Annual
                     Report on Form 10-K for the  year ended December 31, 1993)*

         4(b)        Article  II, Sections 1 through  11; Article III,  Sections
                     1 and 2; Article IV, Sections 1 and 2; ArticleVI,  Sections
                     1 through 6;  Article VIII,  Sections 1 through 3;  Article
                     IX,  Section  1 of  the  Registrant's By-Laws (incorporated
                     by reference to Exhibit  3(b) to  the   Registrant's Annual
                     Report on Form  10-K for the year ended December 31, 1993)*

   
         5           Opinion of Bradley, Arant, Rose & White**
    

         23(a)       Consent of Deloitte & Touche LLP **

   
         23(b)       Consent  of  Bradley,  Arant,  Rose &  White  (included  in
                     Exhibit 5)**
    


- ------------------------
         *                        Incorporated herein by reference as indicated.
         **                       Filed herewith.
         ***                      Previously filed.



Item 17.          Undertakings


         (a) The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes:

                  (1) To file,  during any  period in which  offers or sales are
being made, a post-effective amendment to this Registration Statement;

                           (i) To include  any prospectus  required  by  Section
10(a)(3) of the Securities Act of 1933;

                           (ii) To reflect in the Prospectus any facts or events
arising after the  effective  date  of  this Registration Statement (or the most
recent post-effective amendment thereof)which, individually or in the aggregate,
represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in this Registration
Statement;

                           (iii)  To  include  any  material   information  with
respect  to   the  plan   of  distribution  not  previously  disclosed  in  this
Registration  Statement  or  any  material change  to such  information  in this
Registration Statement;

provided,  however,  that  paragraphs  (i) and (ii) above shall not apply if the
information  required  to be  included  in a  post-effective  amendment  by such
paragraphs is contained in periodic reports filed by the Registrant  pursuant to
Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that are incorporated
by reference in this Registration Statement;

                  (2) That, for the purpose of determining  any liability  under
the Securities Act of 1933, each such  post-effective  amendment shall be deemed
to be a new registration  statement  relating to the securities offered therein,
and the  offering  of such  securities  at that  time  shall be deemed to be the
initial bona fide offering thereof.

                  (3) To remove from  registration by means of a  post-effective
amendment  any of the  securities  being  registered  which remain unsold at the
termination of the offering.

         (b) The undersigned  Registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of
determining  any liability  under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the
Registrant's  annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934 (and, where applicable,  each filing of an employee benefit
plan's annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934) that is incorporated by reference in this Registration  Statement shall be
deemed to be a new  registration  statement  relating to the securities  offered
therein,  and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be
the initial bona fide offering thereof.

                                      II-3
<PAGE>

         (c)  Insofar  as  indemnification  for  liabilities  arising  under the
Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors,  officers and  controlling
persons of the undersigned  Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions,  or
otherwise,  the  undersigned  Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of
the Securities and Exchange  Commission such  indemnification  is against public
policy as expressed in the Act and is,  therefore,  unenforceable.  In the event
that a claim  for  indemnification  against  such  liabilities  (other  than the
payment by the Registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or
controlling  person of the Registrant in the  successful  defense of any action,
suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director,  officer or controlling person
in connection with the securities being registered,  the Registrant will, unless
in the opinion of counsel the matter has been settled by controlling  precedent,
submit  to a  court  of  appropriate  jurisdiction  the  question  whether  such
indemnification  by it is against public policy as expressed in the Act and will
be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.




                                      II-4
<PAGE>


                                   SIGNATURES


   
         Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended,
the Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets
all of the  requirements  for  filing  on  Form  S-3 and has  duly  caused  this
Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned,  thereunto
duly authorized, in the City of Addison, State of Alabama, on December 2, 1996.
    


                                        CAVALIER HOMES, INC.



   
                                       By: /s/DAVID A. ROBERSON
                                          ------------------------
                                           David A. Roberson
                                           President and Chief
                                              Executive Officer
    



         Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended,
this  Registration  Statement on Form S-3 has been signed below by the following
persons, in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

Signature                         Title                         Date


   
/s/ BARRY B. DONNELL              Chairman of the Board         December 2, 1996
- ------------------------------       and Director
Barry B. Donnell                                  


/s/ DAVID A. ROBERSON             President, Chief Executive    December 2, 1996
- ------------------------------       Officer and Director
David A. Roberson                    (Principal executive officer)


/s/ MICHAEL R. MURPHY             Chief Financial Officer       December 2, 1996
- ------------------------------       (Principal financial and
Michael R. Murphy                    accounting officer)


/s/ THOMAS A. BROUGHTON, III      Director                      December 2, 1996
- ------------------------------
Thomas A. Broughton, III


/s/ JOHN W LOWE                   Director                      December 2, 1996
- ------------------------------
John W Lowe


/s/ LEE ROY JORDAN                Director                      December 2, 1996
- ------------------------------
Lee Roy Jordan


/s/ GERALD W. MOORE               Director                      December 2, 1996
- ------------------------------
Gerald W. Moore
    



                                      II-5
<PAGE>









   
                                INDEX TO EXHIBITS

                                                                   Sequentially
Exhibit                                                              Numbered
Number                              Exhibit                            Page

5      )  Opinion of Bradley, Arant, Rose & White                       20

23(a)  )  Consent of Deloitte & Touche L.L.P.                           23

23(b)  )  Consent of Bradley, Arant, Rose & White (
          included in Exhibit 5)

    











   
                                    EXHIBIT 5
    


<PAGE>










   
                          BRADLEY, ARANT, ROSE & WHITE
                           2001 Park Place, Suite 1400
                            Birmingham, Alabama 35203

                                December 2, 1996



Board of Directors
Cavalier Homes, Inc.
Highway 41 North and Cavalier Road
Addison, Alabama  35540

Gentlemen:

                  In our  capacity  as  counsel  for  Cavalier  Homes,  Inc.,  a
Delaware  corporation  (the  "Company"),  we have examined (i) the  Registration
Statement  on  Form  S-3  (Registraiton   No.   333-00607)  (the   "Registration
Statement")  concerning  the  registration  by the  Company of 55,596  shares of
Common Stock, par value $0.10 per share (the "Common  Stock"),  in form as filed
by the Company with the Securities and Exchange  Commission  (the  "Commission")
under the provisions of the  Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Act"),  on
January 31, 1996, (ii) Amendment No. 1 to the Registration  Statement in form as
filed by the Company  with the  Commission  on March 15,  1996,  concerning  the
adjustment  of the 55,596  shares of Common  Stock to 83,394  shares in order to
reflect a three-for-two stock split effected as a 50% stock dividend on February
15, 1996,  and (iii)  Amendment No. 2 to the  Registration  Statement in form as
proposed  to be filed by the  Company  with the  Commission  on December 2, 1996
relating to the further  adjustment of the shares  reflected in the Registration
Statement  to 104,241  shares in order to reflect a  five-for-four  stock  split
effected as a 25% stock  dividend on November  15,  1996.  This opinion is being
delivered to you pursuant to item 601(b)(5) of Regulation S-K promulgated by the
Commission under the Act. In connection with our delivery of this opinion letter
to you, we have also examined  originals or copies of such  records,  documents,
proceedings and other instruments,  and of certificates or comparable  documents
of public officials and of officers or other representatives of the Company, and
we have made such  inquiry  of such  officers  and  representatives,  as we have
deemed relevant and necessary for the purposes of the opinion set forth herein.

                  Upon the basis of the  foregoing,  we are of the opinion  that
the  shares  of  Common  Stock  referred  to  above  to  be  offered  under  the
Registration  Statement  have been duly and validly  authorized  and  constitute
validly  issued,  fully  paid and  nonassessable  shares of Common  Stock of the
Company.

                  We  hereby  consent  to the  filing of this  opinion  with the
Commission as an Exhibit to the Registration  Statement.  In addition, we hereby
consent to the inclusion of the  statements  made in reference to our firm under
the caption "LEGAL MATTERS" in the prospectus  which is part of the Registration
Statement.

                  This  opinion  is  being  rendered   solely  for  the  purpose
described  above and is not to be used or relied  upon by any other  person and,
except as provided in the preceding  paragraph,  may not be  disclosed,  quoted,
filed with any governmental  agency or otherwise referred to without our written
consent.


Very truly yours,




BRADLEY, ARANT, ROSE & WHITE
    




















                                  EXHIBIT 23(a)






<PAGE>















INDEPENDENT AUDITORS' CONSENT


   
         We consent to the incorporation by reference in this Amendment No. 2 to
Registration   Statement  No.  333-00607  of  Cavalier  Homes,  Inc. on Form S-3
of our  report dated  March 1,  1996  (March 14, 1996 as to the amendment to the
Credit  Facility  described  in  Note  5),  appearing  in  the  Annual Report on
Form 10-K of Cavalier  Homes,  Inc. for the year ended December 31, 1995, and to
the  reference to  us under the heading  "Experts" in the  Prospectus,  which is
part of this Registration Statement.
    


Deloitte & Touche LLP



   
Birmingham, Alabama
December 2, 1996
    



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