Simms Bought for $192 Million

Gonna talk to the team and get their perspective. I'll share anything noteworthy.
Good idea. I am sure if "the team" has any reservations about the direction of the company or if the workforce is uncertain of their ability to continue supporting their families you will be among the first to be informed.
 
Just a datapoint, or at the very least some more hearsay...

Vista's acquisition in the ammunition business has reportedly (by current employees I know) revitalized the workforce, invested in long overdue capital improvement projects, and been generally well received. Both CCI and Remington had languished under prior venture capital firm ownership, and the acquisition was, to paraphrase a friend, intitally greeted suspiciously but later, in word and in deed, agreed that the new owners bought the company because they wanted to make ammunition over the long term, and both brands carry great respect.

BTW, I'm not to my knowledge involved in any way with Vista or the other subsidiaries except as an occasional recreational customer. But they do seem to buy quality, and seem to generally keep it.



at least for a while.
 
Good idea. I am sure if "the team" has any reservations about the direction of the company or if the workforce is uncertain of their ability to continue supporting their families you will be among the first to be informed.

I spoke with my peeps and got some info. I’ll share in a bit when I get home.
 
So here's the word.

There were multiple buyers interested. Vista was selected. Nothing will change. Wader production will stay in Bozeman.

Take it for what it's worth. But as long as production stays in Bozeman I will continue to support them with my spend.
 
Thank Gawd! I know I'll sleep better tonight...
 
So here's the word.

There were multiple buyers interested. Vista was selected. Nothing will change. Wader production will stay in Bozeman.

Take it for what it's worth. But as long as production stays in Bozeman I will continue to support them with my spend.
I am confident Vista stock will rebound quite nicely once word of this long awaited endorsement becomes public knowledge.
 
So here's the word.

There were multiple buyers interested. Vista was selected. Nothing will change. Wader production will stay in Bozeman.

Take it for what it's worth. But as long as production stays in Bozeman I will continue to support them with my spend.
They rejected my generous offer of $169,999,999.99.

Real question to me is how long before Vista shareholders file a petition to have management study the feasibility of moving all wader production offshore to maximize shareholder value of the acquisition?
 
They rejected my generous offer of $169,999,999.99.

Real question to me is how long before Vista shareholders file a petition to have management study the feasibility of moving all wader production offshore to maximize shareholder value of the acquisition?
...calling my broker now.
 
Just a datapoint, or at the very least some more hearsay...

Vista's acquisition in the ammunition business has reportedly (by current employees I know) revitalized the workforce, invested in long overdue capital improvement projects, and been generally well received. Both CCI and Remington had languished under prior venture capital firm ownership, and the acquisition was, to paraphrase a friend, intitally greeted suspiciously but later, in word and in deed, agreed that the new owners bought the company because they wanted to make ammunition over the long term, and both brands carry great respect.

BTW, I'm not to my knowledge involved in any way with Vista or the other subsidiaries except as an occasional recreational customer. But they do seem to buy quality, and seem to generally keep it.



at least for a while.

@Guy G.
That YouTube clip is from The Hunt for Red October. whoever posted it as from Crimson Tide, doesnt know what they're doing.

Still, great way to make a point.
 
I am sure any move to make ammo during certain presidencies will always be profitable. Just have to step on some toes first.
 
@Guy G.
That YouTube clip is from The Hunt for Red October. whoever posted it as from Crimson Tide, doesnt know what they're doing.

Still, great way to make a point.
Yeah, I know its from Red October. Just wonder if we might give these guys a little slack. We seem as a society to convict on assumptions, and pardon though the facts are right in front of us. I wish the best for Simms customers and employees.
 
So here's the word.

There were multiple buyers interested. Vista was selected. Nothing will change. Wader production will stay in Bozeman.

Take it for what it's worth. But as long as production stays in Bozeman I will continue to support them with my spend.

This may end up being true but having been through a number of little fish eats bigger fish situations in my career, I have found two things to ring true.

Those in the know stick to well thought out talking points until it’s time for the talking points to change.

Those not in the know parrot the talking points, until the talking points change on them. Not their fault, it’s what they know.

If you know someone in the know, I’m sure you have been fed the same talking points the average employee has been fed. For a variety of reasons, mainly legal and monetary in nature. If you chatted with anyone mid management down, they’re likely just parroting what they have been told.

I’m probably being overly simplistic but a growing, highly profitable company does not sell out if outlook is positive operating as they currently do. Big companies don’t buy little companies if they don’t see opportunity to use big company resources to make the companies they purchase more profitable. Fishing is a niche market, fly fishing centric even more so. Outerwear, designed mainly for fly fishing and you really are starting to limit your ability to grow and be profitable long term…unless you are bought by a company that has ability to scale your business appropriately. Because of that, I cannot imagine new ownership would purchase a company like Simms and stick with the current operating model without making changes. Be it to production manner, production location, warranty, quality of materials, etc. etc. They’ll need to squeeze and streamline and source differently, which means things change from how they are today.

I could be wrong, maybe things were great at Simms, the current owners just wanted out and Vista’s path to profitable growth is buying up a lot well run niche companies and keeping them as is. Doubtful though. I imagine we’ll see changes impacting consumers eventually. Not tomorrow or even in the next 5 years. Eventually though.

Not a bad thing necessarily. Capitalism at work. If you want to support a company like Simms was…start doing your research and find the next up and coming thing.
 
No upper mgmt changes...KC consulting, Casey still in the driver's seat.
No rep force changes...something that has predicated shitty decisions in the FF industry the last few years (see also: Abel, AirFlo, Hardy, Ross, etc, etc).
A break from the "whipping post" of short-term investment capital, which led to some...interesting decision-making in the last 5 years at Simms.
I, for one, am looking forward to the stability potentially offered by this acquisition, and think Simms has the opportunity to settle back into the key markets which built the brand.

IMO, and YMMV.
 
They are also big fans of the forum and said it is obvious albula has a crush on me.

I have thought that for years. He does spend time replying to your threads and engaging you.
A harmless man-crush, so it seems.
 
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