American Outdoor Brands Corporation

American Outdoor Brands Corporation, formerly known as Smith & Wesson Holding Corporation until 2016, is an American manufacturer of firearms and outdoor sports and recreation products.[2] It owns 18 brands. Its principal brand is Smith & Wesson firearms.[3]

American Outdoor Brands Corporation
Formerly
Smith & Wesson Holding Corporation (2002–2016)
Public
Traded asNASDAQ: SWBI
Russell 2000 Component
ISINUS02874P1030 
IndustryFirearms, outdoor products
FoundedFebruary 15, 2002 (2002-02-15)
Headquarters
Springfield, Hampden County, Massachusetts
,
United States
Area served
worldwide
Key people
Mark P. Smith & Brian D. Murphy (co-presidents & co-CEOs)[1]
ProductsFirearms, Ammunitions, Accessories, Optoelectronics
SubsidiariesSmith & Wesson
Battenfeld Technologies
Crimson Trace
Websitewww.aob.com

History

On May 11, 2001, Saf-T-Hammer Corporation acquired Smith & Wesson Corporation from Tomkins plc for US$15 million.[4] Saf-T-Hammer assumed US$30 million in debt, bringing the total purchase price to US$45 million.[5][6] Saf-T-Hammer, a manufacturer of firearms locks and other safety products, purchased the company with the intention of incorporating its line of security products into all Smith & Wesson firearms in compliance with the 2000 agreement. On February 15, 2002, the name of the newly formed entity was changed to Smith & Wesson Holding Corporation.[7]

Smith & Wesson Holding Corporation announced in December 2014 that it was paying $130.5 million for Battenfeld Technologies, a Columbia, Missouri-based designer and distributor of hunting and shooting accessories. The company made the acquisition with the eventual intent to merge all its existing Smith & Wesson, M&P and Thompson Center Arms accessories into a single division.[8]

In August 2016, Smith & Wesson Holding Corporation bought Crimson Trace, a laser-sight manufacturer, for $95 million and Taylor Brands, a tool and knife maker, for $85 million. In November of that same year, the company bought UST Brands, a survival equipment maker, for $32.3 million.

The company had diversified from firearms into sporting goods and outdoor gear, the rugged outdoors business being a larger market than firearms, in hopes of insulating Smith & Wesson from the stock price volatility caused by the unpredictability of the gun business.[9] This culminated in the decision to change the company's name, and on November 7, 2016, Smith & Wesson Holding Corporation announced that it would change its name to American Outdoor Brands Corporation.[10] The name change took effect on the first business day of 2017.[11] The change occurred at a time when the firearms industry was receiving backlash over gun violence in America, and so was also seen as an attempt to disassociate itself from the negative repercussions surrounding the issue.[12]

In 2017, firearms accounted for 86% of American Outdoor Brands's revenues, and the company shipped 420,000 long guns.[13] American Outdoor Brands also owns Battenfeld Technologies,[14] Taylor Brands (a knife and tool maker bought in August 2016 for $95 million), and Crimson Trace (an electro-optics business which it bought in August 2016 for $85 million).[15]

On November 13, 2019, American Outdoor Brands Corp. said it would split into two companies: Smith & Wesson Brands Inc., which would retain gun sales, and American Outdoor Brands Inc. The transaction was expected to be finalized in the second half of 2020. The company cited changes in political climate and economic, investing and insurance markets.[16]

In January 2020, American Outdoor Brands replaced CEO P. James Debney following allegations of misconduct. The company named Mark Smith and Brian Murphy as joint CEOs.[17][18]

Brands

American Outdoor Brands owns 18 brands specializing in firearms, firearms accessories, and other outdoor goods. Among these brands are[19]:

Firearms

Electro-Optics
  • Crimson Trace -Flashlight, Weapon light, and aiming device manufacturer

Outdoor Goods and Accessories
  • Bog -Manufactures tripods and shooting rests
  • Caldwell -Manufactures targets and shooting rests
  • Frankford Arsenal -Manufactures reloading tools
  • Golden Rod -Manufactures dehumidifiers and moisture sensors for safes and lock boxes
  • Hooyman -Manufactures Landscaping tools and portable power saws
  • Imperial -Manufactures fixed and folding blade knives
  • Lockdown -Manufactures gun safes, lock boxes, gun locks, and accessories
  • M&P Accessories -Manufactures firearm accessories
  • Old Timer -Manufactures fixed and folding blade knives as well as accessories
  • Schrade -Manufactures fixed and folding blade knives as well as accessories
  • Smith & Wesson Accessories -Manufactures firearm accessories
  • Thompson/Center Accessories -Manufactures firearm accessories
  • Tipton -Manufactures firearm cleaning accessories
  • Uncle Henry -Manufactures fixed and folding blade knives as well as accessories
  • Wheeler Engineering -Manufactures gunsmithing tools
  • Bubba -Manufactures knives, tools, and accessories for fishing

Manufacturing Services

References
  1. Kinney, Jim (February 28, 2020). "Ousted Smith & Wesson CEO P. James Debney gets more than $1 million in severance". masslive.com. Retrieved March 1, 2020.
  2. "American Outdoor Brands". aob.com.
  3. American Outdoor Brands Corporation. "Our Brands - American Outdoor Brands". Retrieved January 21, 2017.
  4. Sweeney 2004, p. 22.
  5. MCM staff (May 16, 2001). "Smith & Wesson Sold". Multichannel merchant. Retrieved November 10, 2015.
  6. Wagner, Eileen Brill (May 14, 2001). "Saf-T-Hammer buys Smith & Wesson". Phoenix Business Journal. Retrieved November 11, 2015.
  7. Smith & Wesson Holding Corporation (July 29, 2002). "Form 10-KSB". sec.gov. U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. p. 2. Retrieved August 20, 2015.
  8. Stice, Alicia (December 6, 2014). "Smith & Wesson buys Battenfeld Technologies". Columbia Daily Tribune. Columbia, Missouri. Retrieved December 6, 2014.
  9. Fuscaldo, Donna (14 December 2016). "Don't Bring Your Guns to Town: Smith & Wesson to Change Name (SWHC)". Investopedia. Retrieved 12 March 2018.
  10. Handley, Lucy (December 13, 2016). "Gun maker Smith & Wesson to change name to American Outdoor Brands Corp". CNBC. Archived from the original on December 16, 2016. Retrieved January 1, 2017.
  11. "American Outdoor Brands Corporation Completes Holding Company Name Change and Commences Trading Under NASDAQ Symbol "SWBI"" (Press release). American Outdoor Brands Corporation. January 3, 2017. Retrieved February 14, 2017.
  12. Duprey, Rich. "Why Smith & Wesson Changed to American Outdoor Brands". The Motley Fool. Retrieved 2018-02-16.
  13. "Where Do All The Assault Rifles Come From?". Priceonomics. Retrieved 3 April 2018.
  14. "American Outdoor Brands". aob.com.
  15. CNBC, Lucy Handley, special to (December 13, 2016). "Gun maker Smith & Wesson to change name to American Outdoor Brands Corp". CNBC.
  16. Cameron, Doug. "Smith & Wesson Parent Plans Split". WSJ. Retrieved 2019-11-14.
  17. Siegel, Rachel (January 16, 2020). "CEO of Smith & Wesson owner out after misconduct allegations". The Washington Post. Retrieved 2020-02-28.
  18. Manskar, Noah (2020-01-16). "Smith & Wesson CEO James Debney mysteriously ousted". New York Post. Retrieved 2020-02-28.
  19. "American Outdoor Brands". www.aob.com. Retrieved 2019-11-16.
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