Sportsman’s Warehouse: Gun sales booming thanks to corporate backlash

By Christen Smith

CEO Jon Barker said customers are flocking to the store to after major competitors imposed new restrictions on gun sales. (Photo: Sportsman’s Warehouse/Facebook)
Sportman’s Warehouse, a notable hold-out in the corporate backlash against modern sporting rifles, reported booming firearm sales this week.
Top executives for the outdoor retailer told investors Thursday policy changes from competitors drove more customers into their stores, spiking gun sales 15 percent during its first quarter ending May 5.
“We have a diverse mix of product and the recent changes in the competitive landscape are driving more customers into Sportsman’s Warehouse,” said Jon Barker, chief executive officer, during a conference call with shareholders Thursday. “This is creating market share opportunities by allowing us to engage with a broad range of customers from first-time users to seasoned hunters and shooters.”
The company’s net sales increased nearly 15 percent, raking in $180.1 million during the quarter. Barker called the results “exciting” after an uncertain year for the gun industry. No one at the company, however, can predict how long the bump in market share — combined with a boost in sales post-Parkland — will last.
“There is clearly a combination of pull forward that happened in quarter one and market share gains,” said

Source: Guns.com