Smith & Wesson Changing Holding Corporation Name to ‘American Outdoor Brands’

According to a press release, the gun company Smith & Wesson proposed to change the name of their holding corporation from Smith & Wesson Holding Corporation to American Outdoor Brands Corporation.

This news comes as a surprise for most shooters, however it should be noted that this will only effect the holding corporation, a corporation that began in 2002 and now owns Smith & Wesson Corp., as well as Crimson Trace Corp. and Battenfeld Technologies, Inc. It is that holding corporation that will now be named American Outdoor Brands.

James Debney, President and Chief Executive Officer of Smith & Wesson, said, “By executing on our strategy to be a leader in the shooting, hunting, and rugged outdoor enthusiast markets, we have successfully grown from a single operating division to four operating divisions that serve a large addressable market and represent more than 18 respected consumer brands. We believe the name ‘American Outdoor Brands Corporation’ will better reflect our family of brands, our broad range of product offerings, and our plan to continue building upon our portfolio of strong American brands. Looking forward, we intend to aggressively grow organically and through strategic acquisitions, focusing on brands and products that best meet the needs and lifestyle of our target consumers.”

You can read more details in the press release below or on the company’s Facebook post:

Smith & Wesson Holding Corporation Schedules Meeting of Stockholders

Holding Corporation to Be Renamed American Outdoor Brands Corporation

SPRINGFIELD, Mass., Nov. 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ — Smith & Wesson Holding Corporation (NASDAQ Global Select: SWHC), today announced that it will hold a special meeting of stockholders on Tuesday, December 13, 2016 at 11:00 a.m. Eastern Timefor the purposes of seeking approval to change its corporate name from Smith & Wesson Holding Corporation to American Outdoor Brands Corporation. The proposed holding corporation name change has been approved by the Company’s Board of Directors and reflects the Company’s expanding strategic focus on the growing markets for shooting, hunting, and rugged outdoor enthusiasts. If approved by stockholders, American Outdoor Brands Corporation will serve as the holding corporation for Smith & Wesson Corp., Battenfeld Technologies, Inc., and Crimson Trace Corporation, which represent the company’s firearms, manufacturing services, accessories, and electro-optics divisions.

James Debney, President and Chief Executive Officer of Smith & Wesson, said, “By executing on our strategy to be a leader in the shooting, hunting, and rugged outdoor enthusiast markets, we have successfully grown from a single operating division to four operating divisions that serve a large addressable market and represent more than 18 respected consumer brands. We believe the name ‘American Outdoor Brands Corporation’ will better reflect our family of brands, our broad range of product offerings, and our plan to continue building upon our portfolio of strong American brands. Looking forward, we intend to aggressively grow organically and through strategic acquisitions, focusing on brands and products that best meet the needs and lifestyle of our target consumers.”

If approved by the stockholders, the name change would be effective on or about January 1, 2017. At the same time, the Company also anticipates it will adopt the symbol “AOBC” for its NASDAQ stock exchange listing.

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