Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. Reports 2011 Fully Diluted Earnings of $2.09 Per Share and Declares Dividend of 21.2¢ Per Share

Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. (NYSE: RGR) , announced today that for 2011, the Company reported net sales of $328.8 million and fully diluted earnings of $2.09 per share, compared with sales of $255.2 million and fully diluted earnings of $1.46 per share in 2010.

For the fourth quarter of 2011, net sales were $93.2 million and fully diluted earnings were 54¢ per share. For the corresponding period in 2010, net sales were $64.1 million and fully diluted earnings were 30¢ per share.

The Company also announced today that its Board of Directors declared a dividend of 21.2¢ per share for the fourth quarter, for shareholders of record as of March 9, 2012, payable on March 23, 2012. This dividend necessarily varies every quarter because the Company pays a percent of earnings rather than a fixed amount per share. Effective with this dividend, the Company increased the percent of quarterly earnings paid out as dividends by 67%.

Chief Executive Officer Michael O. Fifer made the following comments related to the Company's results:

• Our earnings increased 42% in 2011, driven by the 29% growth in sales and our ongoing focus on continuous improvement in our operations.
• In 2011, new product introductions were a significant component of our sales growth as new product sales represented $98.6 million or 30% of sales in 2011.
• The estimated sell-through of our products from independent distributors to retailers in 2011 increased 20% from 2010. During this period, National Instant Criminal Background Check System ("NICS") background checks (as adjusted by the National Shooting Sports Foundation) increased 14%.
• Cash generated from operations during 2011 was $57.4 million. At December 31, 2011, our cash and cash equivalents totaled $81.1 million, an increase of $23.5 million from December 2010. Our current ratio is 3.0 to 1 and we have no debt.
• In 2011, capital expenditures totaled $22.1 million, much of it related to tooling and equipment for new products. We expect to invest approximately $20 million for capital expenditures during 2012.
• At December 31, 2011, stockholders' equity was $137.4 million, which equates to a book value of $7.20 per share, of which $4.25 per share was cash and equivalents.
• In 2011, we returned $10.2 million to our shareholders through the following:
  • Payment of $8.2 million of dividends, and
  • Repurchase of 133,400 shares of our common stock in the open market at an average price of $14.94 per share, for a total of $2.0 million.
• In May 2011, the Company announced the Ruger Million Gun Challenge to benefit the National Rifle Association. Ruger pledged to donate $1 to the NRA for every Ruger firearm sold from April 2011 through March 2012, with the goal of selling one million Ruger firearms and donating $1 million to the NRA. Through December 2011, Ruger has donated $871,100 to the NRA.