From Ruger
Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. (NYSE: RGR) announced today that for the third quarter of 2020 the Company reported net sales of $145.7 million and diluted earnings of $1.39 per share, compared with net sales of $95.0 million and diluted earnings of 27¢ per share in the third quarter of 2019.
For the nine months ended September 26, 2020, net sales were $399.6 million and diluted earnings were $3.31 per share. For the corresponding period in 2019, net sales were $305.4 million and diluted earnings were $1.37 per share.
The Company also announced today that its Board of Directors declared a dividend of 56¢ per share for the third quarter for stockholders of record as of November 13, 2020, payable on November 27, 2020. This dividend varies every quarter because the Company pays a percentage of earnings rather than a fixed amount per share. This dividend is approximately 40% of net income.
Chief Executive Officer Christopher J. Killoy commented on the strong financial results for the third quarter of 2020, “Consumer demand showed no signs of letting up during the quarter as concerns about personal protection and home defense were stoked by civil unrest in some cities around the United States, the call, by some, for the reduction in funding and authority of law enforcement organizations, and the continuing COVID-19 pandemic. As a result of this unprecedented demand, inventories remained significantly reduced at all levels in the channel during the third quarter.”
Mr. Killoy reaffirmed the Company’s commitment to the health and safety of its employees, “We suspended hiring from the onset of COVID-19 in March until June when we resumed hiring at a modest, albeit growing, rate to ensure the health and safety of everyone involved. This action has hampered our ability to ramp production, but we know the long-term benefits of maintaining a healthy workforce and clean facilities are well worth any short-term, adverse impact on our operations. And I am happy to report that despite the self-imposed limits on the size of our current workforce, the hard work and commitment of our dedicated employees allowed us to increase production 15% from the prior quarter and 50% from the third quarter of 2019.”
Mr. Killoy provided an update on the Company’s recently announced approval to purchase substantially all of the Marlin firearms assets for $30 million, “We are excited to broaden our catalog of rugged, reliable, and exciting products with the addition of Marlin rifles, and the new product lines will be well-supported in our existing facilities. Customer response to our purchase has been overwhelmingly positive, reinforcing our assertion that the Marlin lineup is an excellent fit for Ruger. We anticipate closing on this purchase in the fourth quarter of 2020 and look forward to re-introducing shooters to Marlin rifles in the second half of 2021.”
Mr. Killoy made the following observations related to the Company’s third quarter 2020 performance:
- The estimated unit sell-through of the Company’s products from the independent distributors to retailers increased 50% in the first nine months of 2020 compared to the prior year period. For the same period, the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (“NICS”) background checks (as adjusted by the National Shooting Sports Foundation) increased 68%. These substantial increases are attributable to increased consumer demand for firearms in the first nine months of 2020, and have likely been constrained due to limited available inventory in the distribution channel.
- Sales of new products, including the Wrangler, the Ruger-57, the LCP II in .22 LR, the PC Charger, and the AR-556 pistol, represented $87.9 million or 24% of firearm sales in the first nine months of 2020. New product sales include only major new products that were introduced in the past two years.
- During the third quarter of 2020, the Company’s finished goods inventory remained near historic lows. Distributor inventories of the Company’s products decreased 26,700 units, or 31% during the quarter.
- Cash provided by operations during the first nine months of 2020 was $82.0 million. At September 26, 2020, our cash and short-term investments totaled $133.6 million. Our current ratio is 3.2 to 1 and we have no debt.
- In the first nine months of 2020, capital expenditures totaled $8.0 million. We expect our 2020 capital expenditures to total approximately $20 million, most of which relate to new product introductions.
- In the first nine months of 2020, the Company returned $104.1 million to its shareholders through the payment of dividends, reflecting the customary quarterly dividends and a special dividend of $5.00 per share that was paid in August.
- At September 26, 2020, stockholders’ equity was $241.3 million, which equates to a book value of $13.79 per share, of which $7.64 per share was cash and short-term investments.
Today, the Company filed its Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the third quarter of 2020. The financial statements included in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q are attached to this press release. – View Release.
Tomorrow, October 29, 2020, Sturm, Ruger will host a webcast at 9:00 a.m. ET to discuss the third quarter operating results. Interested parties can access the webcast at Ruger.com/corporate or by dialing 855-871-7398, participant code 7593918.
The Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the third quarter of 2020 is available on the SEC website at SEC.gov and the Ruger website at Ruger.com/corporate. Investors are urged to read the complete Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the third quarter of 2020 to ensure that they have adequate information to make informed investment judgments.
About Sturm, Ruger & Co., Inc.
Sturm, Ruger & Co., Inc. is one of the nation’s leading manufacturers of rugged, reliable firearms for the commercial sporting market. With products made in America, Ruger offers consumers almost 800 variations of more than 40 product lines. For more than 70 years, Ruger has been a model of corporate and community responsibility. Our motto, “Arms Makers for Responsible Citizens®,” echoes our commitment to these principles as we work hard to deliver quality and innovative firearms.
The Company may, from time to time, make forward-looking statements and projections concerning future expectations. Such statements are based on current expectations and are subject to certain qualifying risks and uncertainties, such as market demand, sales levels of firearms, anticipated castings sales and earnings, the need for external financing for operations or capital expenditures, the results of pending litigation against the Company, the impact of future firearms control and environmental legislation, and accounting estimates, any one or more of which could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date made. The Company undertakes no obligation to publish revised forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date such forward-looking statements are made or to reflect the occurrence of subsequent unanticipated events.
Sturm, Ruger & Co., Inc. “Arms Makers for Responsible Citizens”