Vista Outdoors: Expect Price Hikes In 2018

By Tom Knighton

Gun and ammo prices have been pretty decent for the first year of the Trump era, which isn’t all that surprising. After all, Barack Obama was pretty much the gun salesman of the last couple of centuries. A slump was expected, and the firearm industry adjusted prices accordingly and thus have largely avoided a “Trump Slump”.

Unfortunately, it looks like prices may be going up next year.

Top executives for Vista Outdoor said last week the industry’s widespread promotional activity will end in 2018 as competitors discuss price increases.

The forecast comes after the company admits lingering post-election market conditions haven’t lifted as quickly as anticipated.

“We are not yet seeing the recovery that we expected to see,” said Chief Financial Officer Stephen Nolan during a conference call with investors Thursday. “Shooting sports has always been a cyclical industry with periodic downturns lasting anywhere from 12 to 24 months. While we may not be at the bottom as of yet, we believe that we are very close and we anticipate that the market will show returns to growth over the next 18 months.”

Vista Outdoor’s second quarter earnings declined 25 percent, according the company’s most recent …Read the Rest

Source:: Bearing Arms