Vista Outdoor: ‘We must act quickly to stabilize the company’

By Christen Smith

Vista Outdoor announced big changes for the company Thursday amid dismal second quarter financial results. (Photo: Daniel Terrill/Guns.com)
Vista Outdoor’s new top executive wasted no time this week announcing major shake-ups in staff, inventory and product offerings as the company reports its second double digit earnings slide so far this year.
Chief Executive Officer Chris Metz, former president of Arctic Cat — a Minnesota-based snowmobile and all-terrain vehicle manufacturer — took the helm at Vista Oct. 10. He said Thursday the company needed to make changes to weather persisting post-election market conditions, starting with the elimination of Shooting Sports Segment President Bob Keller, “to allow our business leaders to drive changes faster and have clear line of sight to the goals at hand.”
Vista owns more than three dozen companies in firearms, ammunition and shooting accessories, including Savage Arms, Stevens, Federal Premium, Speer and American Eagle. It also holds brands in the outdoor lifestyle market.
Vista’s President of Firearms Al Kasper and President of Ammunition Jason Vanderbrink will lead the company’s shooting sports segment in Keller’s absence, Metz said.
“I am excited to combine my passion for these brands and this industry with my professional experience and deep background in consumer products,” Metz said in Vista’s regulatory filing published Thursday. “While

Source: Guns.com