About Johnson Outdoors

Johnson Outdoors Inc. is a leading global manufacturer and marketer of branded seasonal, outdoor recreation products used primarily for fishing from a boat, diving, paddling, hiking and camping. The company's portfolio of well-known consumer brands has attained leading market positions due to innovation, marketing excellence, product performance and quality. Segments The company operates through Fishing, Camping and Watercraft Recreation segments. Fishing Fishing segment key brands are Minn Kota electric motors for quiet trolling or primary propulsion, marine battery chargers and shallow water anchors; Humminbird sonar and GPS equipment for fish finding, navigation and marine cartography; and Cannon downriggers for controlled-depth fishing. Minn Kota trolling motors and shallow water anchors and Cannon downriggers are designed and manufactured primarily at the company's Mankato, Minnesota facility. Humminbird sonar and GPS equipment are designed and manufactured primarily in Eufaula, Alabama and Alpharetta, Georgia. Fishing brands and related accessories are sold across the globe, with the majority of sales coming from North America through large outdoor specialty retailers, such as Bass Pro Shops and Cabela's; large retail store chains; distributors that service independent marine, sporting goods and internet dealers; and original equipment manufacturers (OEM) of boat brands, such as Tracker, Skeeter and Ranger. The company also sells direct to consumers via its Minn Kota, Humminbird and Cannon websites. Markets outside of North America are accessed through a network of independent international distributors. The company markets its Fishing brands through several media channels, and focuses on innovation leadership, reliable technology, and quality products. Camping Camping segment key brands are Jetboil portable outdoor cooking systems and Eureka! consumer recreational camping products and commercial and military tents and accessories. During fiscal 2023 (year ended September 29, 2023), the company sold the Military and Commercial Tent product lines of Eureka!, and developed plans to fully exit the Eureka! brand, which include liquidating inventory and winding down operations. Going forward, the company expects to focus its resources in the Camping segment on marketing and further developing the Jetboil product line. Jetboil portable outdoor cooking systems, single burner and two burner stoves, and accessories are sold in the U.S. and Canada, primarily to camping and backpacking specialty stores, sporting goods stores, internet retailers, and direct to consumer via the Jetboil brand website. Markets outside of North America are accessed through a network of independent international distributors. Marketing of Jetboil systems focuses on building brand awareness and leadership in product features and innovation, primarily through digital marketing and social media. Jetboil products are designed at the company's operating locations in Old Town, Maine, and manufactured by third party sources in Asia. Eureka! consumer tents, camping stoves, and other recreational camping products are mid to high-price range products sold in the U.S. and Canada, primarily to camping and backpacking specialty stores, sporting goods stores, internet retailers and direct to consumer via the Eureka! brand website. The company's consumer camping products are produced by third party manufacturing sources in Asia. Marketing of the brand focuses on building brand awareness and leadership in product features and innovation, primarily through digital marketing and social media. As noted above, the company will exit this line of products and begin winding down operations in fiscal 2024. Watercraft Recreation Watercraft Recreation segment designs and markets canoes and kayaks under the Old Town brand name for family recreation, touring and angling. Old Town products are manufactured at the company's facility in Old Town, Maine. Watercraft Recreation accessory brands, including Carlisle branded paddles, are produced primarily by third party sources located in North America and Asia. The company's personal flotation devices are manufactured by third party sources located in Asia and are sold under the Old Town brand. The company's kayaks, canoes and accessories are sold through multiple channels primarily in the U.S. and Canada with an emphasis on independent specialty dealers and outdoor specialty chain retailers. The company also sells products direct to consumers via the Old Town website, and internet retailer sites. The company's Watercraft Recreation business competes in the mid to high-end of the product category by introducing product innovations, creating quality products and by focusing on the product-specific needs of each marketing channel. Marketing of brands focuses on building brand awareness and leadership in product features and innovation, primarily through digital marketing and social media. Diving The company manufactures and markets underwater diving products for recreational divers, which it sells and distributes under the SCUBAPRO brand name. The company markets a complete line of underwater diving and snorkeling equipment, including regulators, buoyancy compensators, dive computers and gauges, wetsuits, masks, fins, snorkels and accessories. SCUBAPRO diving equipment is marketed to the premium recreational segment and high-performance technical diving market. Products are sold via select distribution to independent specialty dive stores worldwide. These specialty dive stores generally provide a wide range of services to divers, including regular maintenance, product repair, diving education and travel programs. The company also sells diving gear direct to consumers via the SCUBAPRO website and to dive training centers, resorts and public safety units. The company manufactures regulators, dive computers, gauges, and instruments at its Italian and Indonesian facilities. The company designs and develops buoyancy compensators, neoprene goods, diving and snorkeling soft goods, proprietary materials, and other components from third party contract manufacturers. The company's consumer communication focuses on building brand awareness and highlighting exclusive product features and consumer benefits of its product lines. The company's communication and distribution strategies reinforce the SCUBAPRO brand's position as the industry's quality and innovation leader. The company markets its equipment via websites, through social media, through information and displays in dive specialty stores, and in diving magazines. International Operations The company conducts its worldwide operations through separate business segments, each of which represent major product lines. Operations are conducted in the U.S. and various foreign countries, primarily in Europe, Canada, and the Pacific Basin. Seasonality The company's products in each of its business segments are primarily warm-weather, outdoor recreation-related, which has historically resulted in seasonal variations in sales and profitability for it. This seasonal variability was traditionally due to customers' increasing their inventories in the quarters ending March and June, which is the typical primary selling season for the company's outdoor recreation products, with lower inventory volumes during the quarters ending September and December. The company mitigates the seasonality of its businesses somewhat by encouraging customers to purchase and take delivery of products more evenly through the year (year ended September 29, 2023). Competition Fishing: Minn Kota's primary competitors in the electric trolling motors business are Motor Guide and Lowrance, both owned by Brunswick Corporation, Garmin and Power-Pole. In addition, Power-Pole is Minn Kota's main competitor in the shallow water anchor business. Humminbird's main competitors in the market for on-boat electronics are Garmin, Lowrance, and Raymarine. Humminbird's competitors in marine cartography include Navionics, owned by Garmin, and C-Map, owned by Brunswick Corporation. Cannon's main competitors in the downrigger market are Big Jon Sports, Walker and Scotty. Camping: The primary competitor in portable outdoor cooking systems is MSR. The company competes with specialty companies such as Kelty, The North Face, Marmot and Big Agnes on the basis of materials and innovative designs for consumers who want performance products priced at a value. Watercraft Recreation: The company's main competitors in paddlesports market are Hobie Cat, Pelican International Inc., Wenonah Canoe, Jackson Kayak and Legacy Paddlesports, each of which competes on the basis of their product's design, performance, quality and price. Diving: The main competitors in the Diving segment include Aqua Lung, Suunto, Atomic Aquatics, Oceanic, Cressi and Mares. History Johnson Outdoors Inc. was founded in 1970. The company was incorporated in Wisconsin in 1987.