STURM RUGER & CO INC - Quarter Report: 2023 July (Form 10-Q)

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-Q

(Mark One)

For the quarterly period ended July 1, 2023

or

For the transition period from_______________ to _______________

Commission file number 1-10435

(203) 259-7843

(Registrant's telephone number, including area code)

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such requirements for the past 90 days. Yes ☒   No ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files). Yes ☒   No ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer”, “accelerated filer”, “smaller reporting company”, and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act. Large accelerated filer ☒   Accelerated filer ☐   Non-accelerated filer ☐   Smaller reporting company ☐   Emerging growth company ☐

☐ If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act.

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act). Yes ☐   No ☒

The number of shares outstanding of the issuer's common stock as of July 15, 2023: 17,722,682

INDEX

STURM, RUGER & COMPANY, INC.

PART I. FINANCIAL INFORMATION

ITEM 1. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (UNAUDITED)

STURM, RUGER & COMPANY, INC.

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (UNAUDITED)

(Dollars in thousands)

Note:

The Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet at December 31, 2022 has been derived from the audited consolidated financial statements at that date but does not include all the information and footnotes required by accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America for complete financial statements.

See notes to condensed consolidated financial statements.

STURM, RUGER & COMPANY, INC.

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (UNAUDITED) (Continued)

(Dollars in thousands, except per share data)

Note:

The Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet at December 31, 2022 has been derived from the audited consolidated financial statements at that date but does not include all the information and footnotes required by accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America for complete financial statements.

See notes to condensed consolidated financial statements.

STURM, RUGER & COMPANY, INC.

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME AND COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (UNAUDITED)

(Dollars in thousands, except per share data)

See notes to condensed consolidated financial statements.

STURM, RUGER & COMPANY, INC.

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY (UNAUDITED)

(Dollars in thousands)

See notes to condensed consolidated financial statements.

STURM, RUGER & COMPANY, INC.

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS (UNAUDITED)

(Dollars in thousands)

See notes to condensed consolidated financial statements.

STURM, RUGER & COMPANY, INC.

NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (UNAUDITED)

(Dollars in thousands, except per share)

NOTE 1 - BASIS OF PRESENTATION

The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States for interim financial information and the instructions to Form 10-Q and Article 10 of Regulation S-X. Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and disclosures required by accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America for complete financial statements.

In the opinion of management, the accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements include all adjustments, consisting of normal recurring accruals, considered necessary for a fair presentation of the results of the interim periods. Operating results for the three and six months ended July 1, 2023 may not be indicative of the results to be expected for the full year ending December 31, 2023. These financial statements have been prepared on a basis that is substantially consistent with the accounting principles applied in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022.

NOTE 2 - SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

Organization:

Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. (the “Company”) is principally engaged in the design, manufacture, and sale of firearms to domestic customers. Approximately 99% of sales are from firearms. Export sales accounted for approximately 7% of total sales for the six month periods ended July 1, 2023 and July 2, 2022. The Company’s design and manufacturing operations are located in the United States and almost all product content is domestic. The Company’s firearms are sold through a select number of independent wholesale distributors, principally to the commercial sporting market.

The Company also manufactures investment castings made from steel alloys and metal injection molding (“MIM”) parts for internal use in its firearms and for sale to unaffiliated, third-party customers. Approximately 1% of sales are from the castings segment.

Principles of Consolidation:

The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and its wholly-owned subsidiary. All significant intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated.

Revenue Recognition:

The Company recognizes revenue in accordance with the provisions of Accounting Standards Codification Topic 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (“ASC 606”). Substantially all product sales are sold FOB (free on board) shipping point. Customary payment terms are 2% 30 days, net 40 days. Generally, all performance obligations are satisfied when product is shipped and the customer takes ownership and assumes the risk of loss. In some instances, sales include multiple performance obligations. The most common of these instances relates to sales promotion programs under which downstream customers are entitled to receive no charge products based on their purchases of certain of the Company’s products from the independent distributors. The fulfillment of these no charge products is the Company’s responsibility. In such instances, the Company allocates the revenue of the promotional sales based on the estimated level of participation in the sales promotional program and the timing of the shipment of all of the firearms included in the promotional program, including the no charge firearms. Revenue is recognized proportionally as each performance obligation is satisfied, based on the relative customary price of each product. Customary prices are generally determined based on the prices charged to the independent distributors. The net change in contract liabilities for a given period is reported as an increase or decrease to sales.

Fair Value of Financial Instruments:

The carrying amounts of financial instruments, including cash, short-term investments, accounts receivable, accounts payable and accrued liabilities, approximate fair value due to the short-term maturity of these items.

The Company’s short-term investments consist of United States Treasury instruments, which mature within one year, and investments in a bank-managed money market fund that invests exclusively in United States Treasury obligations and is valued at the net asset value ("NAV") daily closing price, as reported by the fund, based on the amortized cost of the fund’s securities. The NAV is used as a practical expedient to estimate fair value. This practical expedient is not used when it is determined to be probable that the fund will sell the investment for an amount different than the reported NAV.

Use of Estimates:

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the financial statements and accompanying notes. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

NOTE 3 - REVENUE RECOGNITION AND CONTRACTS WITH CUSTOMERS

The impact of ASC 606 on revenue recognized during the three and six months ended July 1, 2023 and July 2, 2022 is as follows:

As more fully described in the Revenue Recognition section of Note 2, the deferral of revenue and subsequent recognition thereof relates to certain of the Company’s sales promotion programs that include the future shipment of free products. The Company expects the remaining deferred revenue from this contract liability with customers to be recognized in the third quarter of 2023.

Practical Expedients and Exemptions

The Company has elected to account for shipping and handling activities that occur after control of the related product transfers to the customer as fulfillment activities that are recognized upon shipment of the goods.

NOTE 4 - INVENTORIES

Inventories are valued using the last-in, first-out (LIFO) method. An actual valuation of inventory under the LIFO method can be made only at the end of each year based on the inventory levels and costs existing at that time. Accordingly, interim LIFO calculations must necessarily be based on management's estimates of expected year-end inventory levels and costs. Because these are subject to many factors beyond management's control, interim results are subject to the final year-end LIFO inventory valuation.

Inventories consist of the following:

NOTE 5 - LEASED ASSETS

The Company leases certain of its real estate and equipment. The Company has evaluated all its leases and determined that all are operating leases under the definitions of the guidance of ASU 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842). The Company’s lease agreements generally do not require material variable lease payments, residual value guarantees or restrictive covenants.

Under the provisions of ASU 2016-02, the Company records right-of-use assets equal to the present value of the contractual liability for future lease payments. The table below presents the right-of-use assets and related lease liabilities recognized on the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet as of July 1, 2023:

The depreciable lives of right-of-use assets are limited by the lease term and are amortized on a straight line basis over the life of the lease.

The Company’s leases generally do not provide an implicit interest rate, and therefore the Company calculates an incremental borrowing rate to determine the present value of its operating lease liabilities. The following table reconciles the undiscounted future minimum lease payments to the total operating lease liabilities recognized on the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet as of July 1, 2023:

Certain of the Company’s lease agreements contain renewal options at the Company’s discretion. The Company does not recognize right-of-use assets or lease liabilities for leases of one year or less or for renewal periods unless it is reasonably certain that the Company will exercise the renewal option at the inception of the lease or when a triggering event occurs. The Company’s weighted average remaining lease term for operating leases as of July 1, 2023 is 8.4 years.

NOTE 6 - LINE OF CREDIT

On January 7, 2022, the Company entered into a $40 million unsecured revolving line of credit agreement with a bank that expires January 7, 2025. Borrowings under this new facility bear interest at either 1) the Bloomberg short-Term Bank Yield Index – 1 month plus 150 basis points, or 2) a fluctuating rate per annum equal to the greater of (i) the Bank’s prime rate or (ii) the federal funds rate plus 50 basis points. The Company is also charged one-quarter of a percent (0.25%) per year on the unused portion. At July 1, 2023, the Company was in compliance with the terms and covenants of the credit facility and the line of credit was unused.

NOTE 7 - EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLANS

The Company sponsors a 401(k) plan that covers substantially all employees. The Company matches a certain portion of employee contributions using the safe harbor guidelines contained in the Internal Revenue Code. Expenses related to these matching contributions totaled $1.0 million and $2.7 million for the three and six months ended July 1, 2023, respectively, and $0.9 million and $2.3 million for the three and six months ended July 2, 2022, respectively. The Company plans to contribute approximately $2.0 million to the plan in matching employee contributions during the remainder of 2023.

In addition, the Company provided supplemental discretionary contributions to the 401(k) plan totaling $1.6 million and $3.7 million for the three and six months ended July 1, 2023, respectively, and $1.5 million and $3.9 million for the three and six months ended July 2, 2022, respectively. The Company plans to contribute approximately $3.0 million in supplemental contributions to the plan during the remainder of 2023.

NOTE 8 - INCOME TAXES

The Company's 2023 and 2022 effective tax rates differ from the statutory federal tax rate due principally to the availability of research and development tax credits, state income taxes, and the nondeductibility of certain executive compensation. The Company’s effective income tax rate was 20.0% and 21.1% for the three and six months ended July 1, 2023, respectively. The Company’s effective income tax rate was 20.5% and 22.3% for the three and six months ended July 2, 2022, respectively.

Income tax payments for the three and six months ended July 1, 2023 totaled $13.5 million and $16.5 million, respectively. Income tax payments for the three and six months ended July 2, 2022 totaled $17.6 million and $20.7 million, respectively.

The Company files income tax returns in the U.S. federal jurisdiction and various state jurisdictions. With few exceptions, the Company is no longer subject to U.S. federal and state income tax examinations by tax authorities for years before 2017.

The Company does not believe it has included any “uncertain tax positions” in its federal income tax return or any of the state income tax returns it is currently filing. The Company has made an evaluation of the potential impact of additional state taxes being assessed by jurisdictions in which the Company does not currently consider itself liable. The Company does not anticipate that such additional taxes, if any, would result in a material change to its financial position.

NOTE 9 - EARNINGS PER SHARE

Set forth below is a reconciliation of the numerator and denominator for basic and diluted earnings per share calculations for the periods indicated:

The dilutive effect of outstanding options and restricted stock units is calculated using the treasury stock method. There were no stock options that were anti-dilutive and therefore not included in the diluted earnings per share calculation.

NOTE 10 - COMPENSATION PLANS

In May 2017, the Company’s shareholders approved the 2017 Stock Incentive Plan (the “2017 SIP”) under which employees, independent contractors, and non-employee directors may be granted stock options, restricted stock, deferred stock awards, and stock appreciation rights, any of which may or may not require the satisfaction of performance objectives. Vesting requirements are determined by the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors. The Company reserved 750,000 shares for issuance under the 2017 SIP.

In June 2023, the Company’s shareholders approved the Company’s 2023 Stock Incentive Plan (the “2023 SIP”) under which employees, independent contractors, and non-employee directors may be granted stock options, restricted stock, deferred stock awards, and stock appreciation rights, any of which may or may not require the satisfaction of performance objectives. Subject to the terms of the 2023 SIP, vesting requirements are determined by the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors. The Company reserved 1,000,000 new shares for issuance under the 2023 SIP and, further, any unused shares remaining from the 2017 SIP will also be available for future grants under the terms of the 2023 SIP. As of June 30, 2023, 121,034 shares remained unawarded from the 2017 SIP. Since the 2023 SIP was approved by the Company’s shareholders, no additional awards have been or will be granted under the 2017 SIP.  Previously granted and outstanding awards under the 2017 SIP will remain subject to the terms of the 2017 SIP.

Restricted Stock Units

The Company grants performance-based and retention-based restricted stock units to senior employees. The vesting of the performance-based awards is dependent on the achievement of corporate objectives established by the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors and a three-year vesting period. The retention-based awards are subject only to a three-year vesting period. There were 113,862 restricted stock units issued during the six months ended July 2, 2022. Total compensation costs related to these restricted stock units are $6.0 million.

Compensation costs related to all outstanding restricted stock units recognized in the statements of income aggregated $1.1 million and $3.4 million for the three and six months ended July 1, 2023, respectively, and $1.7 million and $3.4 million for the three and six months ended July 2, 2022, respectively.

NOTE 11 - OPERATING SEGMENT INFORMATION

The Company has two reportable segments: firearms and castings. The firearms segment manufactures and sells rifles, pistols, and revolvers principally to a select number of independent wholesale distributors primarily located in the United States. The castings segment manufactures and sells steel investment castings and metal injection molding parts.

Selected operating segment financial information follows:

NOTE 12 - RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS

The Company contracts with the National Rifle Association (“NRA”) for some of its promotional and advertising activities. Payments made to the NRA in the three and six months ended July 1, 2023 totaled $0.2 million and $0.3 million, respectively. Payments made to the NRA in the three and six months ended July 2, 2022 totaled $0.1 million and $0.2 million, respectively. One of the Company’s Directors also serves as a Director on the Board of the NRA.

The Company is a member of the National Shooting Sports Foundation (“NSSF”), the firearm industry trade association. Payments made to the NSSF totaled $0.1 million in both the three and six month periods ended July 1, 2023. Payments made to the NSSF totaled $0.1 million in both the three and six month periods ended July 2, 2022. One of the Company’s Directors also serves on the Board of the NSSF.

NOTE 13 - CONTINGENT LIABILITIES

As of July 1, 2023, the Company was a defendant in eight (8) lawsuits and is aware of certain other such claims. The lawsuits fall into three categories: municipal litigation, negligence, and unfair trade practices. Each is discussed in turn below.

Municipal Litigation

Municipal litigation generally includes those cases brought by cities or other governmental entities against firearms manufacturers, distributors and retailers seeking to recover damages allegedly arising out of the misuse of firearms by third parties. There are four lawsuits of this type: the City of Gary, filed in Indiana State Court in 1999: Estados Unidos Mexicanos v. Smith & Wesson, et al., filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts in August 2021; The City of Buffalo, filed in the Supreme Court of the State of New York for Erie County on December 20, 2022; and The City of Rochester, filed in the Supreme Court for the State of New York for Monroe County on December 21, 2022, each of which is described in more detail below.

The City of Gary Complaint seeks damages, among other things, for the costs of medical care, police and emergency services, public health services, and other services as well as punitive damages. In addition, nuisance abatement and/or injunctive relief is sought to change the design, manufacture, marketing and distribution practices of the various defendants. The suit alleges, among other claims, negligence in the design of products, public nuisance, negligent distribution and marketing, negligence per se and deceptive advertising. The case does not allege a specific injury to a specific individual as a result of the misuse or use of any of the Company's products. After a long procedural history, during the quarter ended April 3, 2021, the City initiated discovery and the manufacturer defendants reciprocated. Discovery is ongoing.

Estados Unidos Mexicanos v. Smith & Wesson Brands, Inc., et al. was filed by the Country of Mexico and names seven defendants, mostly U.S.-based firearms manufacturers, including the Company. The Complaint advances a variety of legal theories including negligence, public nuisance, unjust enrichment, restitution, and others. Plaintiff essentially alleges that Defendants design, manufacture, distribute, market and sell firearms in a way that they know results in the illegal trafficking of firearms into Mexico, where they are used by Mexican drug cartels for criminal activities. Plaintiff seeks injunctive relief and monetary damages. On November 22, 2021, defendants filed a joint Rule 12(b)(6) motion to dismiss the Mexican Government’s complaint. On September 30, 2022, the court entered an order granting defendants’ motion. On October 26, 2022, plaintiff filed a Notice of Appeal and the matter is being briefed before the First Circuit Court of Appeals. Oral argument was held on July 24, 2023.

On December 20, 2022, the City of Buffalo, New York filed a lawsuit captioned The City of Buffalo v. Smith & Wesson Brands, Inc., et al. in the New York State Supreme Court for Erie County, New York. The suit names a number of firearm manufacturers, distributors, and retailers as defendants, including the Company, and purports to state causes of action for violations of Sections 898, 349 and 350 of the New York General Business Law, as well as common law public nuisance. Generally, plaintiff alleges that the criminal misuse of firearms in the City of Buffalo is the result of the manufacturing, sales, marketing, and distribution practices of the defendants. Defendants timely removed the matter to the U.S. District Court for the Western District of New York. The matter was transferred to the New York Supreme Court for Monroe County and consolidated with The City of Rochester v. Smith & Wesson Brands, Inc., et al., discussed below.

On December 21, 2022, the City of Rochester, New York filed a lawsuit captioned The City of Rochester v. Smith & Wesson Brands, Inc., et al. in the New York State Supreme Court for Monroe County, New York. The allegations essentially mirror those in The City of Buffalo, discussed in the preceding paragraph. Defendants timely removed the matter to the U.S. District Court for the Western District of New York and the matter was consolidated with The City of Buffalo.

Defendants moved to stay the consolidated Buffalo/Rochester case pending a decision by the Second Circuit Court of Appeals in National Shooting Sports Foundation, Inc. et al. v. James, which challenges the constitutionality of the recently enacted N.Y. Gen. Bus. Law §§ 898-a–e. On June 8, 2023, the court granted defendants’ motion and the matter is currently stayed.

Negligence

Rossiter v. Sturm, Ruger, et al. is a lawsuit arising out of a slip and fall accident by a contract security officer in December 2019. The Complaint was filed in the Superior Court for Sullivan County, New Hampshire on December 13, 2022 and names Pine Hill Construction, a snow removal contractor, as a co-defendant. The Company has tendered the defense of this matter to its insurance carrier and is assisting as required.

The Company was named in two purported class action lawsuits arising out of a data breach at Freestyle Solutions, Inc., the vendor who hosted the Company’s ShopRuger.com website at the time of the breach. Jones v. Sturm, Ruger & Co., was filed in the U.S. District Court for Connecticut on October 4, 2022 and Copeland v. Sturm, Ruger & Company, et al. was filed in the U.S. District Court for New Jersey on October 27, 2022. Copeland also named Freestyle Solutions, Inc. as a defendant. By agreement of the parties, Copeland was dismissed, without prejudice, and consolidated with Jones in the pending Connecticut case. On January 20, 2023, five plaintiffs filed an Amended Complaint naming the Company and Freestyle Software, Inc. as defendants. The Complaint alleges causes of action for negligence, breach of implied warranties, and unjust enrichment. The Company filed a Motion to Dismiss on a variety of grounds. And the matter has been fully briefed.

Unfair Trade Practices

Estate of Suzanne Fountain v. Sturm, Ruger & Co., Inc., was filed in the Connecticut Superior Court in Stamford and arises out of the criminal shootings at the King Soopers supermarket in Boulder, Colorado on March 22, 2021. On that date, plaintiff’s decedent, Suzanne Fountain, was murdered by 21-year-old Ahmad Al Aliwi Al-Issa. The Complaint alleges that the Company’s advertising and marketing of the Ruger AR-556 pistol involved in the criminal shootings violate the Connecticut Unfair Trade Practices Act and were a substantial factor in bringing about the wrongful death of Suzanne Fountain. On April 24, 2023, the Connecticut Superior Court in Stamford sua sponte transferred the case to the Connecticut Superior Court in Bridgeport.

Estate of Neven Stanisic et al. v. Sturm, Ruger & Co., Inc., was filed in the Connecticut Superior Court in Stamford on behalf of five plaintiffs. Like Estate of Suzanne Fountain, the claims arise from the criminal shootings at the King Soopers supermarket in Boulder, Colorado on March 22, 2021. Plaintiffs’ decedents were murdered by Ahmad Al Aliwi Al-Issa and plaintiffs allege that the Company’s advertising and marketing of the Ruger AR-556 pistol involved in the criminal shootings violate the Connecticut Unfair Trade Practices Act and were a substantial factor in causing the wrongful death of plaintiffs’ decedents.

The Fountain and Stanisic cases have been consolidated for discovery purposes only. The Company recently filed its Answer and Special Defenses to each of the Complaints.

Summary of Claimed Damages and Explanation of Product Liability Accruals

Punitive damages, as well as compensatory damages, are demanded in certain of the lawsuits and claims. In many instances, the plaintiff does not seek a specified amount of money, though aggregate amounts ultimately sought may exceed product liability accruals and applicable insurance coverage. For product liability claims made after July 10, 2000, coverage is provided on an annual basis for losses exceeding $5 million per claim, or an aggregate maximum loss of $10 million annually, except for certain new claims which might be brought by governments or municipalities after July 10, 2000, which are excluded from coverage.

The Company management monitors the status of known claims and the product liability accrual, which includes amounts for asserted and unasserted claims. While it is not possible to forecast the outcome of litigation or the timing of costs, in the opinion of management, after consultation with special and corporate counsel, it is not probable and is unlikely that litigation, including punitive damage claims, will have a material adverse effect on the financial position of the Company, but may have a material impact on the Company's financial results for a particular period.

Product liability claim payments are made when appropriate if, as, and when claimants and the Company reach agreement upon an amount to finally resolve all claims. Legal costs are paid as lawsuits and claims develop, the timing of which may vary greatly from case to case. A time schedule cannot be determined in advance with any reliability concerning when payments will be made in any given case.

Provision is made for product liability claims based upon many factors related to the severity of the alleged injury and potential liability exposure, based upon prior claim experience. Because the Company's experience in defending these lawsuits and claims is that unfavorable outcomes are typically not probable or estimable, only in rare cases is an accrual established for such costs.

In most cases, an accrual is established only for estimated legal defense costs. Product liability accruals are periodically reviewed to reflect then-current estimates of possible liabilities and expenses incurred to date and reasonably anticipated in the future. Threatened product liability claims are reflected in the Company's product liability accrual on the same basis as actual claims; i.e., an accrual is made for reasonably anticipated possible liability and claims handling expenses on an ongoing basis.

A range of reasonably possible losses relating to unfavorable outcomes cannot be made. However, in product liability cases in which a dollar amount of damages is claimed, the amount of damages claimed, which totaled $1.1 million at December 31, 2021, is set forth as an indication of possible maximum liability the Company might be required to incur in these cases (regardless of the likelihood or reasonable probability of any or all of this amount being awarded to claimants) as a result of adverse judgments that are sustained on appeal. At December 31, 2022, the total amount claimed specifically in these cases was de minimis.

NOTE 14 - SUBSEQUENT EVENTS

On August 1, 2023, the Board of Directors authorized a dividend of 36¢ per share, for shareholders of record as of August 15, 2023, payable on August 30, 2023.

The Company has evaluated events and transactions occurring subsequent to July 1, 2023 and determined that there were no other unreported events or transactions that would have a material impact on the Company’s results of operations or financial position.

Company Overview

Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. (the “Company”) is principally engaged in the design, manufacture, and sale of firearms to domestic customers. Approximately 99% of sales are from firearms. Export sales accounted for approximately 7% of total sales for the six month periods ended July 1, 2023 and July 2, 2022. The Company’s design and manufacturing operations are located in the United States and almost all product content is domestic. The Company’s firearms are sold through a select number of independent wholesale distributors, principally to the commercial sporting market.

The Company also manufactures investment castings made from steel alloys and metal injection molding (“MIM”) parts for internal use in its firearms and for sale to unaffiliated, third-party customers. Less than 1% of sales are from the castings segment.

Orders for many models of firearms from the independent distributors tend to be stronger in the first quarter of the year and weaker in the third quarter of the year. This is due in part to the timing of the distributor show season, which occurs during the first quarter.

Results of Operations

Demand

The estimated unit sell-through of the Company’s products from the independent distributors to retailers decreased 7% in the first half of 2023 compared to the prior year period. For the same period, NICS background checks (as adjusted by the National Shooting Sports Foundation (“NSSF”)) decreased 4%. Estimated sell-through from the independent distributors to retailers and total adjusted NICS background checks for the trailing six quarters follow:

The adjusted NICS data presented above was derived by the NSSF by subtracting out NICS checks that are not directly related to the sale of a firearm, including checks used for concealed carry (“CCW”) permit application checks as well as checks on active CCW permit databases. The adjusted NICS checks represent less than half of the total NICS checks.

Adjusted NICS data can be impacted by changes in state laws and regulations and any directives and interpretations issued by governmental agencies.

Orders Received and Ending Backlog

The Company uses the estimated unit sell-through of its products from the independent distributors to retailers, along with inventory levels at the independent distributors and at the Company, as the key metrics for planning production levels. The Company generally does not use the orders received or ending backlog for planning production levels.

The units ordered, value of orders received, average sales price of units ordered, and ending backlog for the trailing six quarters are as follows (dollars in millions, except average sales price):

(All amounts shown are net of Federal Excise Tax of 10% for handguns and 11% for long guns.)

Production

The Company reviews the estimated sell-through from the independent distributors to retailers, as well as inventory levels at the independent distributors and at the Company, semi-monthly to plan production levels. Consequently, the Company’s overall production in the first half of 2023 decreased by 19% from the first half of 2022.

Summary Unit Data

Firearms unit data for the trailing six quarters are as follows (dollar amounts shown are net of Federal Excise Tax of 10% for handguns and 11% for long guns):

Inventories

During the second quarter of 2023, the Company’s finished goods inventory increased by 51,100 units and distributor inventories of the Company’s products increased by 13,400 units.

Inventory unit data for the trailing six quarters follows:

Net Sales, Cost of Products Sold, and Gross Profit

Net sales, cost of products sold, and gross profit data for the three months ended (dollars in millions):

Sales of new products, including the LCP MAX pistol, Marlin lever-action rifles, LC Carbine, Small-Frame Autoloading Rifle, Super Wrangler revolver, and the Security-380 pistol, represented $33.3 million or 24.4% of firearm sales in the three months ended July 1, 2023. New product sales include only major new products that were introduced in the past two years.

The decreased gross profit for the three months ended July 1, 2023 is attributable to the inflationary cost increases in materials, commodities, services, energy, fuel and transportation, as well as increased promotional costs.

The decrease in gross margin for the three months ended July 1, 2023 is attributable to a product mix shift toward products with relatively lower margins that remain in relatively stronger demand. In addition to the shift in product mix, the aforementioned promotional and inflationary cost increases, partially offset by increased pricing, resulted in lower margins.

Net sales, cost of products sold, and gross profit data for the six months ended (dollars in millions):

The decrease in total consolidated net sales and net firearms sales for the three and six months ended July 1, 2023 is attributable to decreased consumer demand for firearms. Sales of new products, including the MAX-9 pistol (during the first quarter only), LCP MAX pistol, Marlin lever-action rifles, LC Carbine, Small-Frame Autoloading Rifle, Super Wrangler revolver, and the Security-380 pistol, represented $63.3 million or 22.6% of firearm sales in the first half of 2023. New product sales include only major new products that were introduced in the past two years.

The decreased gross profit for the six months ended July 1, 2023 is attributable to the decrease in sales and inflationary cost increases in materials, commodities, services, energy, fuel and transportation, as well as increased promotional costs.

The decrease in gross margin for the six months ended July 1, 2023 is attributable to a product mix shift toward products with relatively lower margins that remain in relatively stronger demand, unfavorable deleveraging of fixed costs, including depreciation, engineering and other indirect labor, resulting from decreased production, and decreased labor efficiencies. In addition to the shift in product mix and the unfavorable deleveraging of fixed costs, the aforementioned promotional and inflationary cost increases, partially offset by increased pricing, resulted in lower margins.

Selling and General and Administrative Expenses

Selling and general and administrative expenses data for the three months ended (dollars in millions):

The increase in selling expenses for the three months ended July 1, 2023 was primarily attributable to the resumption of trade show participation costs, travel expenditures, and advertising, some of which had been deferred in 2022 due to COVID-19 restrictions.

The increase in general, and administrative expenses for the three months ended July 1, 2023 was primarily attributable to increased professional service costs, partially offset by decreased incentive compensation expenses.

Selling and general and administrative expenses data for the six months ended (dollars in millions):

The increase in selling expenses for the six months ended July 1, 2023 was primarily attributable to the resumption of trade show participation costs, travel expenditures, and advertising, some of which had been deferred in 2022 due to COVID-19 restrictions, partially offset by decreased sales volume.

The increase in general, and administrative expenses for the six months ended July 1, 2023 was primarily attributable to increased professional service costs, partially offset by decreased incentive compensation expenses.

Other Income

Other income data for the three months ended (dollars in millions):

The increase in other income for the three months ended July 1, 2023 was the result of increases in interest income, partially offset by decreased royalty and miscellaneous income.

Other income data for the six months ended (dollars in millions):

The increase in other income for the six months ended July 1, 2023 was the result of increases in interest income, partially offset by decreased royalty and miscellaneous income.

The Company's 2023 and 2022 effective tax rates differ from the statutory federal tax rate due principally to research and development tax credits, state income taxes and the nondeductibility of certain executive compensation. The Company’s effective income tax rate was 20.0% and 21.1% for the three and six months ended July 1, 2023, respectively. The Company’s effective income tax rate was 20.5% and 22.3% for the three and six months ended July 1, 2022, respectively.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

In an effort to provide investors with additional information regarding its financial results, the Company refers to various United States generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) financial measures and two non-GAAP financial measures, EBITDA and EBITDA margin, which management believes provides useful information to investors. These non-GAAP financial measures may not be comparable to similarly titled financial measures being disclosed by other companies. In addition, the Company believes that the non-GAAP financial measures should be considered in addition to, and not in lieu of, GAAP financial measures. The Company believes that EBITDA and EBITDA margin are useful to understanding its operating results and the ongoing performance of its underlying business, as EBITDA provides information on the Company’s ability to meet its capital expenditure and working capital requirements, and is also an indicator of profitability. The Company believes that this reporting provides better transparency and comparability to its operating results. The Company uses both GAAP and non-GAAP financial measures to evaluate the Company’s financial performance.

EBITDA is defined as earnings before interest, taxes, and depreciation and amortization. The Company calculates this by adding the amount of interest expense, income tax expense, and depreciation and amortization expenses that have been deducted from net income back into net income, and subtracting the amount of interest income that was included in net income from net income to arrive at EBITDA. The Company calculates EBITDA margin by dividing EBITDA by total net sales.

EBITDA was $25.3 million for the three months ended July 1, 2023, a decrease of 22.5% from $32.6 million in the comparable prior year period.

For the six months ended July 1, 2023 EBITDA was $49.1 million, a decrease of 37.8% from $79.0 million in the comparable prior year period.

Non-GAAP Reconciliation – EBITDA

EBITDA

(Unaudited, dollars in thousands)

Financial Condition

Liquidity and Capital Resources

At the end of the second quarter of 2023, the Company’s cash and short-term investments totaled $137.7 million. Pre-LIFO working capital of $270.8 million, less the LIFO reserve of $62.6 million, resulted in working capital of $208.2 million and a current ratio of 4.5 to 1.

Operations

Cash provided by operating activities was $21.8 million for the six months ended July 1, 2023, compared to $32.4 million for the comparable prior year period. The decrease in cash provided in the six months ended July 1, 2023 is primarily attributable to the decrease in net income and the increase in prepaid expenses and other assets in the six months ended July 1, 2023, partially offset by the decrease in accounts receivable in the six months ended July 1, 2023 and the increase in inventory in the six months ended July 2, 2022.

Third parties supply the Company with various raw materials for its firearms and castings, such as steel, fabricated steel components, walnut, birch, beech, maple and laminated lumber for rifle stocks, wax, ceramic material, metal alloys, various synthetic products and other component parts. In the six months ended July 1, 2023, the Company’s manufacturing operations were impacted by limited deliveries of raw materials. A limited supply of these materials in the marketplace can result in increases to purchase prices and adversely affect production levels. If market conditions result in a significant prolonged inflation of certain prices or if adequate quantities of raw materials cannot be obtained, the Company’s manufacturing processes could be interrupted and the Company’s financial condition or results of operations could be materially adversely affected.

Investing and Financing

Capital expenditures for the six months ended July 1, 2023 totaled $4.9 million, a decrease from $14.3 million in the comparable prior year period. In 2023, the Company expects capital expenditures related to new product introductions and upgrades to our manufacturing equipment and facilities to total approximately $20 million. Due to market conditions and business circumstances, actual capital expenditures could vary significantly from the projected amount. The Company finances, and intends to continue to finance, all of these activities with funds provided by operations and current cash and cash equivalents.

Dividends of $101.4 million were paid during the six months ended July 1, 2023. This included $88.3 million paid in January 2023 for a $5.00 per share special dividend declared by the Board of Directors in November 2022. The Company has financed its dividends with cash provided by operations and current cash. The quarterly dividend varies every quarter because the Company pays a percentage of earnings rather than a fixed amount per share. The Company’s practice is to pay a dividend of approximately 40% of net income.

On August 1, 2023, the Company’s Board of Directors authorized a dividend of 36¢ per share to shareholders of record on August 15, 2023, payable on August 30, 2023. The payment of future dividends depends on many factors, including internal estimates of future performance, then-current cash and short-term investments, and the Company’s need for funds.

As of July 1, 2023, the Company had $118.0 million of United States Treasury instruments which mature within one year. The Company also invests available cash in a bank-managed money market fund that invests exclusively in United States Treasury instruments which mature within one year. At July 1, 2023, the Company’s investment in this money market fund totaled $8.2 million.

The Company did not purchase any shares of its common stock during the six months ended July 1, 2023. As of July 1, 2023, $86.6 million remained authorized for future stock repurchases.

Based on its unencumbered assets, the Company believes it has the ability to raise cash through the issuance of short-term or long-term debt. The Company’s unsecured $40 million credit facility, which expires on January 7, 2025, was unused at July 1, 2023.

Other Operational Matters

In the normal course of its manufacturing operations, the Company is subject to occasional governmental proceedings and orders pertaining to workplace safety, firearms serial number tracking and control, waste disposal, air emissions and water discharges into the environment. The Company believes that it is generally in compliance with applicable Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, environmental, and safety regulations and the outcome of any proceedings or orders will not have a material adverse effect on the financial position or results of operations of the Company. If these regulations become more stringent in the future and the Company is not able to comply with them, such noncompliance could have a material adverse impact on the Company.

The Company has 15 independent distributors that service the domestic commercial market. Additionally, the Company has 45 and 25 distributors servicing the export and law enforcement markets, respectively.

The Company self-insures a significant amount of its product liability, workers’ compensation, medical, and other insurance. It also carries significant deductible amounts on various insurance policies.

The Company expects to realize its deferred tax assets through tax deductions against future taxable income.

Impact of Covid-19

The global outbreak of the coronavirus disease 2019 (“COVID-19”) was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization and a national emergency by the U.S. Government in March 2020. The Company has taken many proactive steps to maintain the health and safety of its employees and to mitigate the impact on its business. During the six month period ended July 1, 2023, the Company did not experience a significant adverse impact on its business from COVID-19 or related government restrictions. The Company cannot predict the extent to which its business, results of operations, financial condition, or cash flows will ultimately be impacted by COVID-19.

Adjustments to Critical Accounting Policies

The Company has not made any adjustments to its critical accounting estimates and assumptions described in the Company’s 2022 Annual Report on Form 10-K filed on February 22, 2023, or the judgments affecting the application of those estimates and assumptions.

Forward-Looking Statements and Projections

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, the impact of COVID-19, 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.

The interest rate market risk implicit to the Company at any given time is typically low, as the Company does not have significant exposure to changing interest rates on invested cash. There has been no material change in the Company’s exposure to interest rate risks during the three months ended July 1, 2023.

Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures

The Company’s management, with the participation of the Company’s Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, has evaluated the effectiveness of the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures (the “Disclosure Controls and Procedures”), as such term is defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), as of July 1, 2023.

Based on that evaluation, the Company’s Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer have concluded that, as of July 1, 2023, such Disclosure Controls and Procedures are effective to ensure that information required to be disclosed in the Company’s periodic reports filed under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified by the Securities and Exchange Commission’s rules and forms and that such information is accumulated and communicated to the Company’s management, including its Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer or persons performing similar functions, as appropriate, to allow timely decisions regarding disclosure.

The Company’s Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer have further concluded that, as of July 1, 2023, there have been no material changes in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f) under the Exchange Act) during the quarter ended July 1, 2023 that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, its internal control over financial reporting.   The Company has not experienced any material impact to its internal controls over financial reporting as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The effectiveness of any system of internal controls and procedures is subject to certain limitations, and, as a result, there can be no assurance that the Disclosure Controls and Procedures will detect all errors or fraud. An internal control system, no matter how well conceived and operated, can provide only reasonable, not absolute, assurance that the objectives of the internal control system will be attained.

The nature of the legal proceedings against the Company is discussed at Note 13 to the financial statements, which are included in this Form 10-Q.

The Company has reported all cases instituted against it through April 1, 2023, and the results of those cases, where terminated, to the SEC on its previous Form 10-Q and 10-K reports, to which reference is hereby made.

There were no lawsuits formally instituted against the Company during the three months ending July 1, 2023.

During the three months ended July 1, 2023, there were no material changes in the Company’s risk factors from the information provided in Item 1A. Risk Factors included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022.

Not applicable

Not applicable

Not applicable

Rule 10b5-1 Trading Plans

The adoption or termination of contracts, instructions or written plans for the purchase and sale of the Company’s securities by our Section 16 officers and directors for the three months ended July 1, 2023, each of which is intended to satisfy the affirmative defense conditions of Rule 10b5-1(c) under the Exchange Act (“Rule 10b5-1 Plan”), were as follows:

None of the Company’s directors or Section 16 officers adopted or terminated a “non-Rule 10b5-1 trading arrangement” as defined in Item 408 of Regulation S-K during the three months ended July 1, 2023.

30 

Index 

STURM, RUGER & COMPANY, INC.

FORM 10-Q FOR THE THREE MONTHS ENDED JULY 1, 2023

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.