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Escalade, Inc. (ESCA) Leveraging More than Eight Decades of Experience to Promote Strong Financial Growth in the Sporting Goods Segment
Escalade, through its wholly-owned subsidiaries, is a leading manufacturer and distributor of sporting goods products, offering a full selection of basketball goals, archery equipment, indoor and outdoor game recreation and fitness products under a collection of industry-leading brands sold around the world. The company leverages an expansive distribution network – including sporting goods retailers, specialty dealers, online retailers, traditional department stores and mass merchants – to sell its products, helping it maintain a significant presence in the global sporting goods market for more than 80 years. In recent months, Escalade has leaned on this presence to promote strong financial growth and improved investor returns.
In the first quarter of 2015, Escalade demonstrated a commitment to increasing the strength of its brands by continuing to invest in product development. Through this strategy, the company was able to realize a 21 percent year-over-year increase in net sales, recording $33.4 million for the period. These results gave Escalade the financial flexibility to increase its quarterly dividend for all common stock in the future.
“We are pleased to increase our quarterly dividend payment based on the company’s strong financial performance,” Robert J. Keller, president and chief executive officer of Escalade, stated in a news release. “To achieve sustained growth in our markets, we will continue to make strategic investments in product line expansion and new category entry.”
Since its purchase of Kunkel Industries™ hand-pulled golf carts way back in 1966, Escalade has had tremendous success in promoting strong market growth through targeted acquisitions. Most recently, the company acquired Cue and Case Sales, Inc., a billiard accessory distributor serving the specialty dealer market, which immediately provided Escalade with access to a broadened and diversified customer base with which to continue building on its recent financial performance.
Last August, Escalade’s board of directors voted unanimously to focus exclusively on the sporting goods segment moving forward. Since the announcement of that decision, the company has posted increasingly strong financial results, making it an intriguing candidate for prospective investors. Look for Escalade to continue expanding its presence in the sporting goods market, providing a formidable platform for sustainable shareholder returns in the months to come.
For more information, visit www.escaladesports.com
