From Ruger
Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. (NYSE: RGR) announced today that for 2020 the Company reported net sales of $568.9 million and diluted earnings of $5.09 per share, compared with net sales of $410.5 million and diluted earnings of $1.82 per share in 2019.
For the fourth quarter of 2020, net sales were $169.3 million and diluted earnings were $1.78 per share. For the corresponding period in 2019, net sales were $105.1 million and diluted earnings were 46¢ per share.
The Company also announced today that its Board of Directors declared a dividend of 71¢ per share for the fourth quarter for stockholders of record as of March 12, 2021, payable on March 26, 2021. 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 reflected on the strong financial results for the year, “Our tremendous sales growth and profitability in 2020 was driven by the historic surge in consumer demand that began late in the first quarter and continued throughout the year. But that is only part of the story. Our ability to capitalize on this opportunity was only possible through the efforts of our remarkable workforce of 1,800 dedicated employees. I would be remiss if I did not mention the extraordinary work of our COVID-19 Task Force and our leadership teams at all of our facilities. They have risen to the daily challenges posed by the pandemic and have worked tirelessly, keeping our folks healthy and our facilities sanitized. I could not be prouder of everyone’s performance. It truly was a team effort.”
Mr. Killoy commented on 2021, “I am excited as we head into 2021. Our workforce has been strengthened by 250 folks since the middle of 2020, which drove a 30% increase in production during the latter half of the year. We look forward to launching new products that are sure to create excitement among shooters and we are hard at work getting the Marlin manufacturing cells established and look forward to broadening our catalog of rugged, reliable, and exciting products with the addition of Marlin lever action rifles in late 2021. And as a result of the unprecedented demand in 2020, inventories remain depleted throughout the channel, so inventory replenishment provides further opportunity.”
Mr. Killoy made the following observations related to the Company’s 2020 performance:
- In 2020, sales increased 39% from 2019 and the estimated unit sell-through of the Company’s products from the independent distributors to retailers increased 44% from 2019. For the same period, the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (“NICS”) background checks (as adjusted by the National Shooting Sports Foundation) increased 60%. These substantial increases are attributable to increased consumer demand for firearms in 2020, and have likely been constrained due to limited available inventory in the distribution channel.
- Sales of new products, including the Wrangler revolver, the Ruger-57 pistol, the LCP II in .22 LR pistol, the PC Charger, and the AR-556 pistol, represented $111 million or 22% of firearm sales in 2020. New product sales include only major new products that were introduced in the past two years.
- In 2020, the Company’s finished goods inventory decreased 58,600 units and distributor inventories of the Company’s products decreased 231,200 units. In the aggregate, total Company and distributor inventories decreased 86% in 2020.
- Cash provided by operations during 2020 was $143.8 million. At December 31, 2020, our cash and short-term investments totaled $141.2 million. Our current ratio is 2.9 to 1 and we have no debt.
- In 2020, capital expenditures totaled $24.2 million. In addition, the Company acquired substantially all of the Marlin Firearms assets for $28.3 million in November 2020. We expect our 2021 capital expenditures to total approximately $20 million, most of which relate to new product introductions. Our ability to shift manufacturing equipment between cells, and between facilities, improves overall utilization and allows for reduced capital investment.
- In 2020, the Company returned $113.9 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 December 31, 2020, stockholders’ equity was $264.7 million, which equates to a book value of $15.13 per share, of which $8.07 per share was cash and short-term investments.
Today, the Company filed its Annual Report on Form 10-K for 2020. The financial statements included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K are attached to this press release. – View Release
Thursday, February 18, 2021, Sturm, Ruger will host a webcast at 9:00 a.m. ET to discuss the 2020 operating results. Interested parties can access the webcast at Ruger.com/corporate or by dialing 855-871-7398, participant code 7579785.
The Annual Report on Form 10-K for 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 Annual Report on Form 10-K 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.