SMITH & WESSON BRANDS, INC. (SWBI)

Item 2. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

Overview

Please refer to the Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations in our Fiscal 2025 Annual Report and our unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements included in Item 1 of this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q. This section sets forth key objectives and performance indicators used by us as well as key industry data tracked by us.

This section generally discusses year-to-year comparisons between the three and nine months ended January 31, 2026 and 2025. A discussion of our results of operations, liquidity, and capital resources for the three and nine months ended January 31, 2025 compared to January 31, 2024 is not included in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q and can be found in Item 2, "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" of our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended January 31, 2025, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or the SEC, on March 6, 2025. See also the discussion below related to an immaterial correction of an error.

Third Quarter Fiscal 2026 Highlights

Our operating results for the three months ended January 31, 2026 included the following:

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Net sales were $135.7 million, an increase of $19.8 million, or 17.1%, over the comparable quarter last year.

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Gross margin was 26.2% compared with gross margin of 24.1% for the comparable quarter last year.

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Net income was $3.8 million, or $0.08 per diluted share, compared with $2.1 million, or $0.05 per diluted share, for the comparable quarter last year.

Our operating results for the nine months ended January 31, 2026 included the following:

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Net sales were $345.5 million, an increase of $11.6 million, or 3.5%, over the comparable period last year.

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Gross margin was 25.5% compared with gross margin of 25.9% for the comparable period last year.

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Net income was $2.3 million, or $0.05 per diluted share, compared with net income of $4.8 million, or $0.11 per diluted share, for the comparable period last year.

Immaterial Correction of an Error

During the fourth quarter of fiscal 2025, we identified an immaterial error related to our accrual for certain legal expenses, resulting in an overstatement of general and administrative expenses in the interim and annual periods for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2024 and during the interim periods for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2025. In accordance with SAB No. 99, Materiality, and SAB No. 108, Considering the Effects of Prior Year Misstatements when Quantifying Misstatements in Current Year Financial Statements, we evaluated the quantitative and qualitative considerations of the error and determined that the related impact was not material to the results of operations, financial position, or cash flows for any historical annual or interim period. Prior year amounts have been adjusted to correct the immaterial error, which overstated general and administrative expenses by $620,000 and $1.5 million and understated income tax expense by $181,000 and $419,000 for the three and nine months ended January 31, 2025, respectively. Related changes to net income, corresponding line items within cash provided by operating activities, and related disclosures within the notes accompanying these financial statements reflect the immaterial correction.

Results of Operations

Net Sales and Gross Profit – For the Three Months Ended January 31, 2026

The following table sets forth certain information regarding net sales and gross profit for the three months ended January 31, 2026 and 2025 (dollars in thousands):

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The following table sets forth certain information regarding firearm units shipped by trade channel for the three months ended January 31, 2026 and 2025 (units in thousands):

Sales of our handguns increased $27.6 million, or 34.6%, over the comparable quarter last year, primarily as a result of increased shipments of newly introduced products (defined as any new SKU not shipped in the comparable period last year), a shift in product mix to higher priced models, higher consumer demand, and a 2% to 3% price increase on select products that became effective on January 1, 2026. Shipments of new products represented 44.0% of handgun sales in the quarter. Handgun unit shipments into the sporting goods channel increased by 28.0% over the comparable quarter last year while overall demand for handguns decreased by 2.2% (as indicated by adjusted background checks reported in the National Instant Criminal Background Check System, or NICS) partially due to an increase in inventory at our distributors.

Sales of our long guns decreased $8.4 million, or 30.4%, from the comparable quarter last year, primarily as a result of the timing of new product launches in the comparable period last year and lower consumer demand during the period. Shipments of new products represented 27.5% of long gun sales in the period. Long gun unit shipments into the sporting goods channel decreased by 25.0% from the comparable quarter last year while overall demand for long guns decreased by 5.6% (as indicated by NICS). We believe the difference in our unit demand compared to NICS results was driven by stronger relative performance in categories in which we do not participate fully, specifically hunting, and a decrease in inventory at our distributors.

Other products and services revenue increased $605,000, or 7.2%, over the comparable quarter last year, primarily because of higher e-commerce sales.

Newly introduced products represented 38.7% of net sales for the three months ended January 31, 2026 and included four new pistols, four new long guns, and many new product line extensions.

Gross margin for the three months ended January 31, 2026 was 26.2% compared with 24.1% for the comparable quarter last year, primarily driven by favorable fixed-cost absorption from higher production volumes, lower promotional costs, and lower federal firearms excise taxes as a result of the favorable completion of a recent audit, partially offset by higher tariffs on imported materials and components and higher labor costs. We estimate higher tariffs negatively impacted gross margin by approximately 160 basis points when compared to the comparable quarter last year.

Net Sales and Gross Profit – For the Nine Months Ended January 31, 2026

The following table sets forth certain information regarding net sales and gross profit for the nine months ended January 31, 2026 and 2025 (dollars in thousands):

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The following table sets forth certain information regarding firearm units shipped by trade channel for the nine months ended January 31, 2026 and 2025 (units in thousands):

Sales of our handguns increased $36.3 million, or 16%, over the comparable period last year, primarily as a result of increased shipments of newly introduced products, higher consumer demand, and a 2% to 3% price increase on select products that became effective on January 1, 2026. Shipments of new products represented 42.0% of handgun sales in the period. Handgun unit shipments into the sporting goods channel increased by 17.2% over the comparable period last year while overall consumer handgun demand was largely flat (as indicated by NICS).

Sales of our long guns decreased $20.0 million, or 25.8%, from the comparable period last year, primarily as a result of the timing of new product launches in the comparable period last year and lower consumer demand during the period. Shipments of new products represented 38.1% of long gun sales in the period. Long gun unit shipments into the sporting goods channel decreased by 19.1% from the comparable period last year while overall consumer demand for long guns decreased by 7.1% (as indicated by NICS). We believe the difference in our unit demand compared to NICS results was driven by stronger relative performance in categories in which we do not participate fully, specifically hunting.

Other products and services revenue decreased $4.7 million, or 15.9%, from the comparable period last year, primarily because of lower business-to-business, parts, and suppressor sales; partially offset by higher e-commerce sales, which began in the third quarter of fiscal 2025.

Newly introduced products represented 38.3% of net sales for the nine months ended January 31, 2026.

Gross margin for the nine months ended January 31, 2026 was 25.5% compared with 25.9% for the comparable period last year, primarily driven by unfavorable fixed-cost absorption from lower production volumes, higher materials costs, and higher tariffs on imported materials and components, partially offset by favorable inventory adjustments (including standard cost revaluations, shrink, and excess inventory write downs), lower labor costs, lower promotional costs, and lower federal firearms excise taxes as a result of the favorable completion of a recent audit. We estimate higher tariffs negatively impacted gross margin by approximately 120 basis points when co

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Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

You should read the following Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations in conjunction with our consolidated financial statements and the related notes thereto contained elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. This discussion contains forward-looking statements that involve risks, uncertainties, and assumptions. Our actual results may differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result of a variety of factors, including those set forth under Item 1A, “Risk Factors” and elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

This section generally discusses year-to-year comparisons between fiscal 2026 and fiscal 2025. A discussion of our results of operations, liquidity, and capital resources for fiscal 2025 compared with fiscal 2024 is not included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K and can be found in Part II, Item 7, "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for fiscal 2025, filed with the SEC on June 20, 2025.

2026 Highlights

Our operating results for fiscal 2026 included the following:

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Net sales of $523.8 million represented an increase of $49.2 million, or 10.4%, over the prior fiscal year.

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Gross profit increased $13.9 million, or 10.9%, over the prior fiscal year, primarily because of higher sales volume. Gross margin increased by ten basis points from the prior fiscal year primarily due to lower promotional costs and lower federal firearms excise taxes, partially offset by unfavorable fixed-cost absorption and a 100-basis point impact from higher tariffs.

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Net income was $18.5 million, or $0.41 per diluted share, compared with net income of $13.4 million, or $0.30 per diluted share, for the prior fiscal year.

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During fiscal 2026, we paid $23.2 million in dividends compared with $23.1 million in fiscal 2025.

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During fiscal 2026, we repaid $60.0 million on our revolving credit facility.

Key Performance Indicators

We evaluate the performance of our business based upon operating profit and net income, which includes net sales, cost of sales, selling and administrative expenses, and certain components of other income and expense. We also track our return on invested capital, and we use adjusted EBITDAS (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, amortization, and stock-based compensation expense, excluding certain non-operational items), which is a non-GAAP financial metric, as a supplemental measure of our performance in order to provide investors with an improved understanding of underlying performance trends. We evaluate the performance of our products using measurements such as gross margin per unit produced, units produced per day, revenue by trade channel, and incoming orders per day.

External Factors that Impact the Firearm Industry

The firearm industry has been subject to many external factors in the past that have significantly increased the volatility of revenue generated by companies within the industry. These factors include, among others, fears surrounding crime and terrorism; significant news events; potential restrictions on the sale or makeup of firearms; actual and potential legislative, judicial, and regulatory actions; economic changes; and changes in the social and political environment, including congressional and presidential elections. See Item 1A, Risk Factors, for further discussion of external factors that impact the firearm industry. Although these external factors have created demand surges and volatility in the firearm market, and often make it difficult to predict demand, we believe that those external factors have also likely contributed to a long-term increase in consumer interest in firearms. We estimate that the annual domestic non-military firearm market is approximately $2.7 billion for handguns and $1.7 billion for long guns, excluding shotguns, based on the latest data for industry shipments as calculated by the National Shooting Sports Foundation, or NSSF, utilizing Firearms and Ammunition Excise Tax data for calendar year 2024. According to calendar 2025 reports by the ATF, the U.S. firearm manufacturing industry grew at a 6.2% compound annual growth

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rate in units from 2019 through 2024, although there has been wide variation among years (e.g., 2019 to 2020 grew 58.0%). We believe that this expanding base of consumers combined with our strong brand reputation and attractive price points lend support to our goal of continuing to increase our market share.

Results of Operations

Net Sales and Gross Profit

The following table sets forth certain information regarding net sales and gross profit for the fiscal years ended April 30, 2026, 2025, and 2024 (dollars in thousands):

The following table sets forth certain information regarding units shipped by trade channel for the fiscal years ended April 30, 2026, 2025, and 2024 (units in thousands):

Sales of our handguns increased $62.5 million, or 18.8%, over fiscal 2025, primarily as a result of increased shipments of newly introduced products (defined as any new SKU not shipped in the prior year), higher consumer demand, and a 2% to 3% price increase on select products that became effective on January 1, 2026. Shipments of new products represented 43.6% of handgun sales in the period. Handgun unit shipments into the sporting goods channel increased 19.0% over fiscal 2025, while overall consumer demand decreased 0.2% (as indicated by adjusted background checks for handguns reported to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System, or NICS).

Sales of our long guns decreased $13.5 million, or 13.0%, from fiscal 2025, primarily as a result of the timing of new product launches in fiscal 2025, which were at higher selling prices, combined with lower consumer demand during fiscal 2026. Shipments of new products represented 30.6% of long gun sales in the period. Long gun unit shipments into the sporting goods channel decreased 5.7% from fiscal 2025, while overall consumer demand for long guns decreased 4.6% (as indicated by NICS).

Other products and services sales increased $191,000, or 0.5%, over fiscal 2025, as higher e-commerce and suppressor sales offset lower business-to-business sales. Lower business-to-business sales resulted from the closure of our Deep River facility in fiscal 2025 as part of the Relocation.

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New products represented 38.1% of net sales for the year ended April 30, 2026 and included four new pistols, four new long guns, and many new product line extensions.

Gross margin for fiscal 2026 was 26.9% compared with 26.8% for fiscal 2025, primarily due to lower promotional costs and lower federal firearms excise taxes as a result of the favorable completion of a recent audit, partially offset by unfavorable fixed-cost absorption from lower production volumes combined with higher tariffs on imported materials and components. We estimate that higher tariffs negatively impacted gross margin by approximately 100 basis points when compared to the comparable period last year.

Inventory balances declined $33.6 million between April 30, 2025 and April 30, 2026 as a result of our proactive inventory management and production planning efforts intended to optimize inventory levels and cash flows. While inventory levels, both internally and in the distribution channel, in excess of demand may negatively impact future operating results, it is difficult to forecast the potential impact of distributor inventories on future revenue and income as demand is impacted by many factors, including seasonality, new product introductions, news events, political events, and consumer tastes. We expect our inventory levels to increase modestly during fiscal 2027.

Operating Expenses

The following table sets forth certain information regarding operating expenses for the fiscal years ended April 30, 2026, 2025, and 2024 (dollars in thousands):

Research and development expenses increased $737,000 because of higher tooling-related costs, partially offset by materials and testing costs, which were elevated in the prior year. Selling, marketing, and distribution expenses increased $284,000, primarily as a result of higher profit-related compensation expenses and one-time costs related to the grand opening event for the Academy, partially offset by lower promotional costs. General and administrative expenses increased $5.1 million over the prior year, primarily as a result of higher profit-related and stock-based compensation expenses, and higher legal expenses. During fiscal 2025, we sold certain real estate located adjacent to our former distribution center located in Columbia, Missouri for $2.3 million, net of transaction costs, and recognized a $2.3 million pre-tax gain on sale.

Operating Income

The following table sets forth certain information regarding operating income for the fiscal years ended April 30, 2026, 2025, and 2024 (dollars in thousands):

Operating income fo

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