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UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 


 

FORM 10-K

 

(Mark One)

x ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

 

For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2003

 

OR

 

¨ TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

 

For the transition period from                      to                     

 

Commission file number: 333-104141

 


 

REMINGTON ARMS COMPANY, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

Delaware   51-0350935

(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or

organization)

  (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)

 

870 Remington Drive

P.O. Box 700

Madison, North Carolina 27025-0700

(Address of principal executive offices)

(Zip Code)

 

(336) 548-8700

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

 

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act: NONE

 

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act: NONE

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.

Yes x No ¨

 

Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item 405 of Regulation S-K is not contained herein, and will not be contained, to the best of the registrant’s knowledge, in definitive proxy or information statements incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K or any amendment to this Form 10-K. x

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an accelerated filer (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Act)

Yes ¨ No x

 

As of March 30, 2004, the registrant had outstanding 1,000 shares of Class A Common Stock, par value $.01 per share and 0 shares of Class B Common Stock, par value $.01 per share.

 



Table of Contents

TABLE OF CONTENTS

TABLE OF CONTENTS TO FORM 10-K

 

PART I

   3

ITEM 1.

   BUSINESS    3

ITEM 2.

   PROPERTIES    11

ITEM 3.

   LEGAL PROCEEDINGS    12

ITEM 4.

   SUBMISSION OF MATTERS TO A VOTE OF SECURITY HOLDERS    15

PART II

   16

ITEM 5.

   MARKET FOR REGISTRANT’S COMMON EQUITY AND RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS    16

ITEM 6.

   SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA    17

ITEM 7.

   MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS    20

ITEM 7A.

   QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK    34

ITEM 8.

   FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA    35

ITEM 9.

   CHANGES IN AND DISAGREEMENTS WITH ACCOUNTANTS ON ACCOUNTING AND FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE    69

ITEM 9A.

   CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES    70

PART III

   71

ITEM 10.

   DIRECTORS AND EXECUTIVE OFFICERS OF THE REGISTRANT    71

ITEM 11.

   EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION    75

ITEM 12.

   SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT    79

ITEM 13.

   CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS    82

ITEM 14.

   PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTANT: FEES AND SERVICES    83

PART IV

   84

ITEM 15.

   EXHIBITS, FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULES AND REPORTS ON FORM 8-K    84

 

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PART I

 

Item 1. BUSINESS

 

References in this report to “we,” “us” “our” and words of similar import mean the collective reference to Remington Arms Company, Inc. and its subsidiaries, unless the context otherwise requires. References in this report to “Remington” are to Remington Arms Company, Inc., and references to “Holding” are to Remington’s parent RACI Holding, Inc.

 

Company Overview

 

Founded in 1816, we design, manufacture and market a comprehensive line of primarily sporting goods products for the global hunting and shooting sports marketplace under the Remington® brand name. Our 188-year history gives us a long-established reputation in the marketplace for our products. We believe that Remington® is a powerful brand in the broader U.S. sporting goods and outdoor recreation markets and that our products are recognized by sportsmen worldwide for their superior value, performance and durability.

 

Our hunting and shooting sports product lines consist of shotguns, rifles and ammunition, as well as hunting and gun care accessories and clay targets. In 2002, we held a leadership position in each of our major markets, with the #1 U.S. market share position in shotguns, rifles and ammunition, according to the National Sporting Goods Association “NSGA”, and the Sports Marketing Research Group, (“SMRG”). In 2002, we estimate that 94% of our domestic sales came from product categories where we held the #1 U.S. market share position. We are the only major U.S. manufacturer of both firearms and ammunition. For the year ended December 31, 2003, we had consolidated sales of $360.7 million and net loss of $3.2 million.

 

Recent Developments

 

On February 6, 2004, we entered into an Asset Purchase Agreement (the “Stren Asset Purchase Agreement”) with Pure Fishing, Inc. and its wholly-owned subsidiaries Pure Fishing I, LLC and Pure Fishing II, LLC (collectively, the “Purchasers”), pursuant to which we sold to the Purchasers certain specific assets relating to our fishing line business, effective as of February 9, 2004. The assets sold consisted of specified machinery, equipment, inventory, purchase orders and other contracts, trademarks, tradenames and other intellectual property, records, claims, and goodwill, in each case relating to our fishing line business, which had been a part of our all other reporting segment.

 

The purchase price paid to us, based on the fair market value of the assets sold, was $44.0 million in cash, $1.0 million of which has been placed into escrow as security for certain post-closing obligations to procure certain materials for the Purchasers. As a result of the sale of our fishing line business on February 9, 2004, we applied the $43.0 million in cash proceeds to pay down our then outstanding revolver balance in connection with the sale of the fishing line business. We expect to make required tax payments resulting from the sale during the year. Our after tax proceeds from the sale are estimated to be approximately $29.0 million. Pursuant to the Stren Asset Purchase Agreement, we agreed not to compete with the Purchasers in the fishing line business for a period of five years, and also agreed to provide the Purchasers with certain transitional services and other services and rights relating to the sale of our fishing line business which are expected to be completed during 2004. The divestiture of the fishing line business is consistent with Remington’s focus on its core businesses of hunting and shooting sports, as well as the law enforcement and military markets. Management believes that the Stren transaction provides Remington with additional flexibility to pursue various strategic alternatives in these markets.

 

Recapitalization

 

On February 12, 2003, we completed transactions related to the recapitalization of Holding, including the issuance and sale by Holding, for consideration of $30.8 million, of 140,044 shares of common stock of Holding to Bruckmann, Rosser, Sherrill & Co. II, L.P. (the “BRS Fund”) and others. As part of the re-capitalization of Holding, 15,970 deferred shares of Holding were distributed as 15,970 shares of common stock of Holding, 722,981 of the outstanding shares of common stock of Holding were repurchased and 64,144 options were accelerated and cancelled in respect of common stock of Holding, in an aggregate amount of approximately $163.7 million, consisting of $130.8 million in cash and $32.9 million aggregate principal amount of senior notes of Holding, or (the “Holding Notes”). The Clayton & Dubilier Private Equity Fund IV Limited Partnership holds (“C&D Fund IV”) all of the Holding Notes.

 

In January 2003, in connection with the Recapitalization, we completed transactions pursuant to which we refinanced Remington’s old senior secured credit facilities (the “Old Credit Facility”) and 9½% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2003 (the “Refinanced Notes”) with borrowings under the Credit Facility and the issuance and sale of $200.0 million of 10½% Senior Notes due 2011 of Remington (the “Notes”). A portion of the initial borrowings under the Credit Facility and the proceeds of the issuance of the Notes was used to pay an approximately $100 million dividend from Remington to Holding in connection with the Recapitalization. The foregoing

 

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transactions are referred to in this report as the “Refinancing” and, together with the Recapitalization, are referred to in this report as the “Transactions.”

 

Segment Overview

 

We evaluate our business as three separate reporting segments: (1) Firearms, which designs, manufactures and markets primarily sporting shotguns and rifles; (2) Ammunition, which designs, manufactures and markets primarily sporting ammunition and ammunition reloading components; and (3) All Other, which includes accessories and other gun-related products and the manufacture and marketing of clay targets and powdered metal products. The following table sets forth our net sales, adjusted for the sale of our fishing line business, for each of our aggregated reporting segments for the periods shown:

 

     Year Ended December 31,

     2001

   2002

   2003

Firearms

   $ 185.4    $ 194.0    $ 181.3

Ammunition

     154.9      163.9      157.1

All Other

     25.4      26.0      22.3
    

  

  

Total

   $ 365.7    $ 383.9    $ 360.7
    

  

  

 

See note 21 to the consolidated financial statements of Remington, appearing elsewhere in the report.

 

Hunting and Shooting Sports

 

Overview

 

According to the American Sports Data, Inc. (“ASDI”), approximately 28 million people in the United States enjoy shooting sports. We believe that the hunting and shooting sports industry is stable and mature. According to the NSGA, total U.S. consumer expenditures for the shooting sports industry in 2002 were approximately $1.7 billion, comprised of expenditures on shotguns (approximately $400 million), rifles (approximately $500 million) and ammunition (approximately $800 million).

 

Firearms. According to the NSGA, we had the #1 market share position in the U.S. retail market for both rifles and shotguns in 2002. Based on sales volume, our U.S. market share was approximately 23% and 34% in rifles and shotguns, respectively, with our nearest competitor holding a U.S. market share of approximately 12% and 13% in rifles and shotguns, respectively.

 

Ammunition. According to the SMRG, we had the #1 market share position in the U.S. ammunition market in 2002. Based on sales volume, our market share was approximately 34%, with our nearest competitor holding a market share of approximately 27%.

 

Products

 

Our firearms and ammunition product offerings include a comprehensive line of sporting shotguns and rifles, sporting ammunition and ammunition reloading components, marketed predominantly under the Remington brand name. In firearms, our goal has been to market a broad assortment of general-purpose firearms together with more specialized products that embody Remington’s emphasis on value, performance and design. In ammunition, we market an extensive line of products that include everything from high volume, promotionally priced, ammunition products to premium, high performance products that meet the needs of the most discriminating hunters and shooters.

 

Firearms. Our most popular shotguns are the Model 870 pump-action shotgun, and the Model 1100 and Model 11-87 auto-loading shotguns. Remington shotguns are offered in versions that are marketed to both novices and experienced gun owners. Specialty shotguns focus on the deer, turkey and other specialized hunting markets, recreational and competitive clay target shooting, and various law enforcement and military applications. Retail list prices for our most popular shotguns range up to $800.

 

Our most popular rifles are the Model 700, Model Seven, Model 7400, Model 7600,, and Model 710 centerfire rifles and the family of Model 597 rimfire rifles. To appeal to a broad range of gun owners, we manufacture these rifles in a wide variety of chamberings, configurations and finishes. We presently manufacture three types of centerfire and rimfire rifles: bolt-action, pump-action and auto-loading. Retail list prices for our most popular rifles range up to $850.

 

Ammunition. We design, manufacture and market a complete line of sporting ammunition products under the brand names Remington, Peters® and UMC®, including shotgun shells, centerfire ammunition for use in rifles and handguns, and .22

 

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caliber rimfire ammunition. We also produce and market sporting ammunition components used by smaller ammunition manufacturers, as well as by individual consumers engaged in the practice of reloading centerfire cases or shotgun shells. In general, Remington branded products compete in both the middle and high performance categories, while the UMC and Peters brands are used for promotionally priced ammunition.

 

Our most popular ammunition products include Core-Lokt centerfire rifle ammunition, the brand share leader in the category, Premier STS and Nitro 27 target loads, which management believes are widely viewed as the performance leader in trap, skeet and sporting clays shooting by virtue of their combination of superior first firing performance and their reloadability.

 

Product Introductions We focus our product development efforts on introducing new products that satisfy the need for specialized, high-performance firearms and ammunition. In 2003, the Model 673 Guide Gun, a short-action bolt-action rifle, was introduced along with various short-action ultra mag calibers in the Model 700 line and the Model 597 17 HMR. In 2004 to date, we introduced the Model 504 bolt action rimfire rifle, the Model 700 CDL, a classic styled line extension of our famous Model 700 line and a number of rifle and shotgun niche products to address growing specialty end use markets.

 

Recent ammunition product introductions have focused on developing exclusive or proprietary technology with application to performance oriented hunting segments. In 2003, we introduced the BuckHammer Shotshell deer slug, and the 17HMR Magnum rimfire cartridge, which is used in both hunting and target shooting. We expanded the Core-Lokt Ultra Deer slug line as well as adding a number of new specifications to our Hevi-Shot Turkey line. We also introduced a new line of Managed Recoil ammunition in shotshell and centerfire rifle configurations, which reduce recoil versus standard ammunition.

 

Competition

 

Each of the markets in which we operate is highly competitive. Our competitors vary according to product line. We believe that we compete effectively with all of our present competitors. However, there can be no assurance that we will continue to do so, and our ability to compete could be adversely affected by our leveraged condition.

 

Firearms. Product image, performance, quality and innovation are the primary competitive factors in the firearms industry, with price and customer service also being factors. Our shotgun products compete with products offered by O. F. Mossberg & Sons, Inc., USRAC (which produces Winchester firearms), Browning, and Beretta. Our rifles compete with products offered by Marlin Firearms Co., Sturm, Ruger & Co., Inc., USRAC, Savage Arms, Inc. and Browning.

 

Ammunition. Price, service, quality and product innovation are the primary competitive factors in the ammunition industry. In the ammunition market, we compete with the Winchester unit of Olin Corporation, and the Federal Cartridge Co. and CCI units of Alliant Techsystems, Inc. Additionally, many imported ammunition brands compete in the domestic market focusing primarily on price to maintain access and drive sales.

 

Manufacturing

 

We currently manufacture our hunting and shooting sports products at five plants located within the United States.

 

Firearms. Our facility in Ilion, New York manufactures shotguns, rifles, powder metal parts and accessories such as extra barrels, and also houses a portion of our gunsmith repair services and our custom gun shop. Our facility in Mayfield, Kentucky manufactures rimfire and centerfire rifles. To manufacture our various firearm models, we utilize a combination of parts manufactured from raw materials at the Ilion and Mayfield facilities and components purchased from independent manufacturers. Quality control processes are employed throughout the production process, utilizing specifically tailored testing procedures and analyses. We believe that our firearm manufacturing safety record is among the best in the U.S. Metal manufacturing industry.

 

Ammunition. Our facility in Lonoke, Arkansas manufactures ammunition and ammunition components. Primer mixture manufactured on site is combined with parts and raw materials to produce ammunition. Some parts are manufactured on site, while other components are purchased from independent manufacturers. Throughout the various processes, our technicians continuously monitor and test the velocity, pressure and accuracy levels of the ammunition. We believe that our ammunition manufacturing safety record is among the best in the U.S. ammunition industry.

 

Clay Targets. Our clay targets are manufactured at two facilities located at Ada, Oklahoma and Findlay, Ohio.

 

Supply of Raw Materials

 

To manufacture our various products, we utilize numerous raw materials, including steel, lead, brass, powder, plastics and wood, as well as manufactured parts purchased from independent manufacturers. For a number of our raw materials, we

 

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rely on one or a few suppliers. For example, our requirements for brass strip and walnut gun stock blanks are each currently being met by a single vendor, and our requirements for smokeless powder (an indispensable component of our ammunition) are met by three suppliers, who are the only sources of smokeless powder in the United States and Canada. We also purchase a number of stamped parts from a single vendor. Generally, we have had satisfactory, long-term relationships with these suppliers. We have written purchase contracts with some, but not all, of these suppliers. Any disruption in our relationships with any of these vendors or reductions in the production of the material supplied could, in each case, adversely affect our ability to obtain an adequate supply of the material and could impose additional operational costs associated with sourcing raw materials from new suppliers. We believe that we have a good relationship with each of these vendors and do not currently anticipate any material shortages or disruptions in supply from these vendors. Alternative sources, many of which are foreign, exist from which we could obtain such raw materials. Nonetheless, we do not currently have significant supply relationships with any of these alternative sources and cannot estimate with any certainty the length of time that would be required to establish such a supply relationship, or the sufficiency of the quantity or quality of materials that could be so obtained.

 

The price and availability of raw materials are affected by a wide variety of interrelated economic and other factors, including alternative uses of materials and their components, changes in production capacity, energy prices and governmental regulations. Industry competition and the timing of price increases by suppliers limits to some extent our ability and the ability of other industry participants to pass raw material cost increases on to customers. We use commodity options contracts to hedge against the risk of increased prices for certain raw materials. See “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Liquidity and Capital Resources—Financial Instruments”.

 

Service and Warranty

 

We support service and repair facilities for all of our firearms products in order to meet the service needs of our distributors, customers and consumers nationwide. New Remington firearms products purchased in North America are warranted to the original purchaser to be free from defects in material and workmanship for a period of two years from the registered date of purchase. Warranty expense was $2.8 million, $3.2 million, and $2.9 million in 2003, 2002, and 2001, respectively.

 

Market Trends

 

A number of current trends are potentially significant to the hunting and shooting sports market.

 

We believe that hunting and shooting safety is an important issue that affects sales of firearms, ammunition and other shooting-related products. We have focused on safety education. Such instruction is also provided through an interactive safety training course on our Internet web site. We also provide substantial amounts of information regarding our products, their safe use and handling, and general shooting and outdoors information on our website, at www.remington.com. We also work through industry trade groups and hunter safety organizations to teach both novices and experienced gun owners the safe use, care and handling of firearms. Since early 2000, a majority of the firearms that we have shipped have included a locking mechanism.

 

Environmental issues, such as concern about lead in the environment, may adversely affect the industry. We have developed multiple lines of shotshells that use steel shot instead of the industry standard lead shot and to meet Government mandated requirements for migratory waterfowl hunting. We market Hevi-Shot, a non- lead shot pellet material, to both waterfowl and turkey hunters. These shotshells reduce the amount of lead being introduced into the environment and appeal not only to the shooter legally required to use non-toxic shot, but also to the environmentally concerned hunter or shooter.

 

We believe that the number of private hunting facilities is increasing, as is the availability of alternatives to traditional hunting activities, such as sporting clays and other target sports. On the other hand, we believe that the development of rural property in many locations has curtailed or eliminated access by hunters to private and public lands.

 

We believe that trends regarding firearms regulatory proposals, as well as pending municipal litigation (or consumer perceptions of these developments) could adversely affect the firearms and ammunition market. We produce firearms and ammunition that are used by hunters and sporting enthusiasts, and to a lesser extent, by law enforcement agencies. We do not produce “assault weapons” as defined in the federal law enacted in 1994. We do not produce handguns and no Remington brand handguns (as that term is conventionally used) have been produced since before World War II. We do, however, produce handgun ammunition. See “—Regulation”.

 

Although we believe that these trends have not had a material adverse effect on our business in the past, there can be no assurance that they will not do so in the future, or that industry sales (or the number of retail outlets available for such sales) of firearms, ammunition and other shooting-related products will not decline.

 

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Other Product Lines

 

We also market hunting and shooting accessories (including safety and security products, parts, gun care and cleaning products, clips and folding and collectible knives). We have licensed the Remington mark to certain third parties that manufacture and market sporting and outdoor products that complement our product line. See “—Licensing”.

 

We produce a complete line of clay targets for use in trap, skeet and sporting clays shooting activities, marketed under the Blue Rock and STS brand names. Targets are manufactured from a mixture of limestone and petroleum pitch.

 

We also market commercial powder metal parts for the automotive, sporting goods, office equipment, and hardware industries.

 

Marketing and Distribution

 

Our products are distributed throughout the United States and in over 60 other countries. In the United States, Remington products are distributed primarily through a network of wholesalers and retailers who purchase the product directly from us for resale to gun dealers and end users, respectively. The end users include sportsmen, hunters, target shooters, gun collectors, and law enforcement and other government organizations.

 

Our products are marketed and sold primarily through manufacturer’s sales representatives. In 2003, approximately 69% of our sales consisted of sales made through our five manufacturer’s sales representative groups, who market and sell principally to wholesalers, dealers and regional chains. These sales representatives are prohibited from selling competing goods from other manufacturers and are paid variable commissions based on the type of products that are sold. The customers to which the sales representatives market and sell our products are authorized to carry specified types of Remington products for a non-exclusive one-year term, though not all carry the full range of products. These customers generally carry broader lines of merchandise than do the mass merchants and are less seasonal in sales.

 

Our in-house sales force markets our product lines directly to national accounts (consisting primarily of mass merchandisers) and to federal, state and local government agencies. Approximately 19% of our total 2003 sales consisted of sales made to one national account, Wal-Mart. National accounts generally provide convenient access for hunting and shooting consumers to our products but carry a more limited array of products and are more seasonal in sales. Our sales to Wal-Mart are not governed by written contracts. Although we believe our relationship with Wal-Mart is good, the loss of this customer or a substantial reduction in sales to this customer could adversely affect our financial condition, results of operations or cash flows. No other single customer comprises more than 10% of total sales. No material portion of our business is subject to renegotiation of profits or termination of contracts at the election of a governmental purchaser.

 

Foreign sales were approximately 6% for 2003 and 2002, and 5% for 2001, respectively, of our total sales. Our sales personnel and manufacturer’s sales representatives market to foreign distributors generally on a nonexclusive basis and for a one-year term.

 

Because our firearms products are generally used during the fall hunting season, many of firearms products are sold pursuant to a “dating plan” which allows the purchasing distributor to buy the products commencing at the beginning of our dating plan year in December, and pay for them on extended terms. Discounts are offered for early payment under this plan. In the first quarter of each dating plan year, we receive orders from our customers, which are designated as firm orders, although we may permit adjustments in outstanding unfilled orders. We also follow industry practice in canceling most firearms orders from our distributors that remain unfilled at the end of each sales year. We also offer extended payment terms on select ammunition categories as a competitive measure. For further discussion of seasonality and related matters, see “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Purchasing Patterns; Seasonality”. The backlog of unfilled total orders was approximately $88.7 million as of February 29, 2004, compared to $97.2 million as of February 28, 2003.

 

Research and Development

 

We maintain an ongoing research and development program, with approximately 46 employees engaged in these efforts as of February 29, 2004. New products and improvements to existing products are developed based upon the perceived needs and demands of consumers, as well as successful products introduced to the market by our competitors. Our research and development program involves an in-house team of engineers and technicians working with operations personnel using tools such as computer-assisted design. Research and plant technical staff then collaborate to produce an experimental prototype, ensuring that products and manufacturing processes are concurrently designed. Following a successful prototype, a pilot run is commenced to ensure that plant personnel and equipment can manufacture the product

 

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efficiently. We continue to introduce new products employing innovations in design, manufacturing and safety in both firearms and ammunition.

 

In 2003, the Model 673 Guide Gun, a short-action bolt-action rifle, was introduced, along with various short-action ultra mag calibers in the Model 700 line. The Model 597 17 HMR was also introduced. In ammunition in 2003, we introduced the BuckHammer Shotshell deer slug, and the 17HMR Magnum rimfire cartridge, which is used in both hunting and target shooting.

 

Research and development expenditures for our continuing operations for the years ended December 31, 2003, 2002, and 2001 amounted to approximately $6.1 million, $6.1 million, and $5.7 million, respectively.

 

Patents and Trademarks

 

Our operations are not dependent upon any single trademark other than the Remington word mark and the Remington logo mark. Some of the other trademarks that we use, however, are nonetheless identified with and important to the sale of our products. We do not believe that the expiration of any of our patents will have a material adverse effect on our financial condition or our results of operations.

 

In June 2000, we formed RA Brands, L.L.C., a Delaware limited liability company and wholly-owned subsidiary of Remington to which Remington transferred ownership of all of its patents, trademarks and copyrights. RA Brands, L.L.C. owns all of the above-referenced trademarks and licenses them to Remington. We believe that we have adequate policies and procedures in place to protect our intellectual property.

 

While we own the Remington marks (and registrations thereof) for use in our firearms and ammunition product lines and certain related products associated with hunting, wildlife and the outdoors, Remington Products Company LLC, an unrelated company, claims rights to the mark with respect to certain other product areas, particularly personal care products (including electric razors). Pursuant to a Trademark Settlement Agreement, dated December 5, 1986, between us and Remington Products, we agreed with Remington Products as follows:

 

  Remington Licensing Corporation, a Delaware corporation owned equally by us and Remington Products, owns the Remington marks in the United States with respect to products of mutual interest to us and to Remington Products.

 

  Remington Licensing Corporation licenses the Remington marks on a royalty-free basis to us and Remington Products for products in our and their respective non-core markets.

 

  We are restricted in our ability to expand our use of the Remington mark into product areas claimed by Remington Products, particularly personal care products.

 

  We have the right to use the Remington mark with respect to certain product areas for which we do not own the mark, including certain knives and other merchandising items.

 

  If certain bankruptcy or insolvency-related events occur with respect to either us or Remington Products, the bankrupt or insolvent party may be contractually required to sell its interest in Remington Licensing corporation to the other party at book value or fair market value, depending on the circumstances. While in some cases this requirement may not be enforceable under the U.S. Bankruptcy Code, if Remington Products came to own all of Remington Licensing Corporation, that could provide Remington Products with greater leverage over our licensing relationship with Remington Licensing Corporation for the ancillary products discussed above.

 

Licensing

 

We license the Remington marks to companies that manufacture and market products that we believe complement our product line. Currently, the Remington mark is licensed for use on, among other things, sporting and outdoor apparel, caps, gun cases, tree stands, wildlife feeders, sporting dog equipment, air guns, game decoys & calls, and various other nostalgia/novelty goods. We strive to ensure that the quality, image and appeal of these licensed products are consistent with the high-quality image of our core products. These licenses generally grant an exclusive right to sell a specific product category, with the standard term being three years, with a three year renewal based on performance. We believe that these licenses increase the market recognition of the Remington trademark and enhance our ability to market core products and that licensing facilitates new cross-marketing promotional opportunities and generates income. Some of our licensing efforts are carried out under terms established in the trademark settlement agreement described above.

 

Regulation

 

The manufacture, sale and purchase of firearms are subject to extensive federal, state and local governmental regulation. The basic federal laws are the National Firearms Act and the Federal Firearms Act, which were originally enacted

 

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in the 1930s and which have been amended from time to time. Federal laws generally prohibit the private ownership of fully automatic weapons and place certain restrictions on the interstate sale of firearms unless certain licenses are obtained. We do not manufacture fully automatic weapons. We possess valid federal licenses for all of our owned and leased sites to manufacture and/or sell firearms and ammunition.

 

In 1994, a federal law with a ten-year term was enacted that generally prohibits the manufacture of certain firearms defined under that statute as “assault weapons” as well as the sale or possession of “assault weapons” except for those that, prior to the law’s enactment, were legally in the owner’s possession. This law expressly exempts approximately 650 models of firearms that are generally used by hunters and sporting enthusiasts. None of our current firearms products are considered to be “assault weapons” under existing federal or state law. Various bills have been introduced in Congress in recent years to repeal bans on semi-automatic assault weapons and large-capacity ammunition feeding devices; the likelihood of their passage is uncertain, as are the prospects that the “assault weapon” ban will be renewed (or otherwise modified) when its provisions expire in September 2004. Another federal law, enacted in 1993 and extended in 1998, the so-called “Brady Bill”, mandates a national system of instant background checks for all firearms purchases from federally-licensed firearms retail dealers. Legislation has been proposed to further extend this system to sales made by non-retail sellers at gun shows.

 

Bills have been introduced in Congress to establish, and to consider the feasibility of establishing, a nationwide database recording so-called “ballistic images” of ammunition fired from new guns. Should such a mandatory database be established, the cost to Remington and its customers could be significant, depending on the type of firearms and ballistic information included in the database. To date, only two states have established such registries, and neither state includes such “imaging” data from long guns, although there can be no assurance that these (or other states) will not require the inclusion of such imaging in the future. Proposed legislation in at least one other state would be applicable to Remington rifles, and would call for “imaging” of both cartridges and projectiles. In addition, bills have been introduced in Congress in the past several years that would affect the manufacture and sale of handgun ammunition, including bills to regulate the manufacture, importation and sale of any projectile that is capable of penetrating body armor, to impose a tax and import controls on bullets designed to penetrate bullet-proof vests, to prohibit the manufacture, transfer or importation of .25 caliber, .32 caliber and 9mm handgun ammunition, to increase the tax on handgun ammunition, to impose a special occupational tax and registration requirements on manufacturers of handgun ammunition, and to drastically increase the tax on certain handgun ammunition, such as 9mm, .25 caliber, and .32 caliber bullets. Some of these bills would apply to ammunition of the kind we produce, and accordingly, if enacted, could have a material adverse effect on our business. We believe that existing regulations applicable to ammunition have not had such an effect.

 

State and local laws and regulations may place additional restrictions on gun ownership and transfer, which vary significantly from jurisdiction to jurisdiction. Some states have recently enacted, and others are considering, legislation restricting or prohibiting the ownership, use or sale of certain categories of firearms and/or ammunition. Although numerous jurisdictions presently have mandatory waiting periods for the sale of handguns (and some for the sale of long guns as well), there are currently few restrictive state regulations applicable to handgun ammunition. However, Remington firearms are covered under several recently enacted state regulations requiring guns to be sold with internal or external locking mechanisms. Some states are considering mandating certain design features on safety grounds, most of which would be applicable only to handguns. We believe that hunting safety issues may affect sales of firearms, ammunition and other shooting-related products. In the northeastern United States, for example, some communities permit deer hunters to use only shotguns (which have a shorter average range than rifles) to minimize the possibility of shooting accidents in more densely populated areas. We market specialized ammunition, our Premier® Copper Solid sabot slug, intended for use in a shotgun, which is designed to give hunters the accuracy and effectiveness of a rifle.

 

We believe that existing federal and state regulation regarding firearms and ammunition has not had a material adverse effect on our sales of these products to date. However, there can be no assurance that federal, state, local or foreign regulation of firearms and/or ammunition will not become more restrictive in the future and that any such development would not have a material adverse effect on our business whether directly or by placing additional burdens on those who distribute and sell our products.

 

Employees

 

As of February 29, 2004, we employed approximately 2,184 full-time employees of whom nearly 1,957 were engaged in manufacturing, approximately 181 in sales and general administration and approximately 46 in research and development. An additional work force of temporary employees is engaged during peak production schedules at certain of our manufacturing facilities.

 

The United Mine Workers of America (“UMWA”) represents approximately 900 hourly employees at our plant in Ilion, New York. The collective bargaining agreement with UMWA was renegotiated effective October 2002 with the contract expiring in September 2007. We also have a labor agreement with Local 2021 of the United Automobile, Aircraft

 

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and Agricultural Implement Workers of America, U.A.W., which represents less than 10 hourly employees at our plant in Findlay, Ohio, which agreement is terminable by either party on notice. Employees at our Lonoke, Arkansas, Mayfield, Kentucky and Ada, Oklahoma facilities are not represented by unions. There have been no significant interruptions or curtailments of operations due to labor disputes since prior to 1968 and we believe that our relations with our employees are satisfactory.

 

Environmental Matters

 

Our operations are subject to a variety of federal, state and local environmental laws and regulations which govern, among other things, the discharge of hazardous materials to the air and water, handling, treatment, storage and disposal of such materials, as well as remediation of contaminated soil and groundwater. We have in place programs that monitor compliance with these requirements and believe our operations are in material compliance with them. In the normal course of our manufacturing operations, we are subject to occasional governmental proceedings and orders pertaining to waste disposal, air emissions and water discharges into the environment. We believe that we are in compliance with applicable environmental regulations in all material respects, and that the outcome of any such proceedings and orders will not have a material adverse effect on our business. Under the terms of the Asset Purchase Agreement (the “Purchase Agreement”) pursuant to which certain assets of E.I. DuPont Nemours & Company (“DuPont”) and its affiliates (collectively, the “Sellers”) were acquired in 1993 (the “Acquisition”) to constitute Remington in its present form, DuPont agreed to retain responsibility for pre-closing environmental liabilities. In connection with the Acquisition, Remington also entered into an agreement with DuPont with respect to cooperation and responsibility for specified environmental matters.

 

On March 5, 2001, we received a request for information relating to any use of the Agriculture Street Landfill, a Superfund site in New Orleans, LA. The remediation of the site is complete, and the first 5-year review was completed last June. Neither Remington nor DuPont was ever formally identified as a potentially responsible party.

 

On February 21, 2002, we received a request for information regarding the Peters Cartridge Company/ Kings Mills Technical Center Superfund Site, in Warren County, Ohio. While Peters Cartridge Company was owned by DuPont, the only assets relating to Peters Cartridge Company transferred to Remington as part of the Acquisition was the Peters trademark. This site was formally nominated for EPA’s National Priority List in April 2003. DuPont has formally accepted responsibility for this site, and has been actively working with the EPA to negotiate an Administrative Consent Order to conduct the Remedial Investigation. See “—Certain Indemnities”.

 

On September 30, 2003, we received a General Notice of Potential Liability and Information Request from the EPA regarding the Kings Mills School District site in Warren County, Ohio. This site is across the river from the Peters Cartridge Company site, and the EPA alleges that contamination may be attributable to Peters Cartridge Company sponsored activities at a gun club. DuPont has accepted any potential responsibility for the site under terms of the Purchase Agreement, and has responded to the EPA. DuPont has determined that neither corporate entity ever owned the land involved, nor operated the facility allegedly involved, and hence has denied responsibility for the site to EPA.

 

On September 29, 2003, we received a Special Notice for Negotiations for Remedial Design from the EPA regarding the Maryland Sand, Stone, and Gravel Superfund Site in Elkton, Maryland. The EPA had been conducting removal actions and remediation at the site for several years. DuPont has accepted responsibility for the site under terms of the Purchase Agreement, and has been cooperating with the EPA on development of an administrative consent order for additional work.

 

We are currently conducting groundwater monitoring at our facilities in Ilion, New York for remediation projects for which DuPont has accepted financial responsibility under the terms of our agreement with DuPont. Remington and DuPont are nearing completion of a remediation project at the Lonoke, Arkansas facility. Upon completion of the final remediation report in the spring of 2004, Remington will be awarded a certificate of reuse from the EPA and the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality for that portion of the Lonoke, Arkansas facility that was subject to remediation.

 

Based on information known to us, we do not expect current environmental regulations or environmental proceedings and claims to have a material adverse effect on our results of operations, financial condition or cash flows. However, it is not possible to predict with certainty the impact of future environmental compliance requirements or of the cost of resolution of any future environmental proceedings and claims, in part because the scope of the remedies that may be required is not certain, liability under some federal environmental laws is under certain circumstances joint and several in nature, and environmental laws and regulations are subject to modification and changes in interpretation. There can be no assurance that environmental regulation will not become more burdensome in the future or that unknown conditions will not be discovered and that any such development would not have a material adverse effect on our business.

 

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Item 2. Properties

 

Our manufacturing operations are currently conducted at five owned facilities. The following table sets forth selected information regarding each of these facilities:

 

Plant


  

Product


   Square Feet (in thousands)

Ilion, New York

   Shotguns; centerfire and rimfire rifles    1,000

Lonoke, Arkansas

   Shotshell; rimfire and centerfire ammunition    750

Mayfield, Kentucky

   Rimfire rifles and centerfire rifles    44

Findlay, Ohio

   Clay targets    40

Ada, Oklahoma

   Clay targets    21

 

We believe that these facilities are suitable for the manufacturing conducted therein and have capacities appropriate to meet existing production requirements. The Ilion, Lonoke and Mayfield facilities each contain enclosed ranges for testing firearms and ammunition.

 

Our headquarters and related operations are conducted in an office building that we own in Madison, North Carolina. Research and development is conducted at a facility that we own in Elizabethtown, Kentucky. All of the real property owned by us has been mortgaged to secure our obligations under our credit agreement. We also lease or contract for distribution services with our major third party logistics contractors.

 

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Item 3. Legal Proceedings

 

Under the terms of the asset Purchase Agreement, the sellers retained liability for, and are required to indemnify us against:

 

  all product liability cases and claims involving products that had not been discontinued as of the Acquisition but relating to occurrences that took place prior to the Acquisition;

 

  all product liability cases and claims (whenever they may arise) involving discontinued products; and

 

  environmental liabilities based on conditions existing at the time of the Acquisition.

 

These indemnification obligations of the sellers are not subject to any survival period limitation. We have no current information on the extent, if any, to which the sellers have insured these indemnification obligations. Except for certain cases and claims relating to shotguns as described below, and except for all cases and claims relating to products discontinued prior to the Acquisition, we generally bear financial responsibility for the costs of product liability cases and claims relating to occurrences after the Acquisition and are required to indemnify the sellers against such cases and claims. See “—Certain Indemnities”.

 

Product Liability Litigation

 

Since December 1, 1993, we have maintained insurance coverage for product liability claims subject to certain self-insured retentions on a per-occurrence basis for personal injury or property damage relating to occurrences arising after the Acquisition. We believe that our current product liability insurance coverage for personal injury and property damage is adequate for our needs. Our current product liability insurance policy runs from December 1, 2003 through November 30, 2004 and provides for a self-insured retention of $0.5 million per occurrence. The current policy has a batch clause endorsement, which in general provides that if a batch of our products were to be defective, our liability for product liability expenses and damages related to the entire batch would be capped at the amount of self-insured retention for a single occurrence. The policy excludes from coverage any pollution-related liability. Based in part on the nature of our products, and the continued impact on the insurance market of the events of September 11, 2001, there can be no assurance that we will be able to obtain adequate product liability insurance coverage upon the expiration of the current policy. Certain of our current excess insurance coverage expressly excludes actions brought by municipalities as described below.

 

As a result of contractual arrangements, we manage the joint defense of product liability litigation involving Remington brand firearms and our ammunition products for both Remington and the sellers. As of December 31, 2003, approximately 24 individual bodily injury cases and claims were pending, primarily alleging defective product design, defective manufacture and/or failure to provide adequate warnings; some of these cases seek punitive as well as compensatory damages. We have previously disposed of a number of other cases involving post-Acquisition occurrences by settlement. Of the individual cases and claims pending as of December 31, 2003, approximately four involve matters for which the sellers retained liability and are required to indemnify us. The remaining approximately 20 pending cases involve post-Acquisition occurrences for which we bear responsibility under the Purchase Agreement; the sellers have some responsibility for the costs of approximately one of these cases involving certain shotguns.

 

The relief sought in individual cases includes compensatory and, sometimes, punitive damages. Not all complaints or demand letters expressly state the amount of damages sought. As a general matter, when specific amounts are provided, compensatory damages sought range from less than $75,000 to more than $10 million, while demands for punitive damages may range from less than $500,000, to as much as $100 million. Of the 20 individual post-Acquisition claims pending as of December 31, 2003, claimants purport to seek approximately $25 million in compensatory and an unspecified amount of punitive damages. In the Company’s experience, initial demands do not generally bear a reasonable relationship to the facts and circumstances of a particular matter, and in any event, are typically reduced significantly as a case proceeds. The Company believes that its accruals for product liability cases and claims, as described below, are a superior quantitative measure of the cost to it of product liability cases and claims.

 

At December 31, 2003, our accrual for product liability cases and claims was approximately $9.7 million. The amount of our accrual for product liability cases and claims is based upon estimates developed as follows. We establish reserves for anticipated defense and disposition costs to us of those pending cases and claims for which we are financially responsible. Based on those estimates and an actuarial analysis of actual defense and disposition costs incurred by us with respect to product liability cases and claims in recent years, we determine the estimated defense and disposition costs for unasserted product liability cases and claims. We combine the estimated defense and disposition costs for both pending and unasserted cases and claims to determine the amount of our accrual for product liability cases and claims. We believe that our accruals for losses relating to such cases and claims are adequate. Our accruals for losses relating to product liability cases and claims include

 

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accruals for all probable losses the amount of which can be reasonably estimated. Based on the relevant circumstances (including the current availability of insurance for personal injury and property damage with respect to cases and claims involving occurrences arising after the Acquisition, our accruals for the uninsured costs of such cases and claims and the sellers’ agreement to be responsible for a portion of certain post-Acquisition shotgun-related product liability costs, as well as the type of firearms products that we make), we do not believe with respect to product liability cases and claims that any reasonably possible loss exceeding amounts already recognized through our accruals has been incurred.

 

Because our assumption of financial responsibility for certain product liability cases and claims involving pre-Acquisition occurrences was limited to an amount that has now been fully paid, with the sellers retaining liability in excess of that amount and indemnifying us in respect of such liabilities, and because of our accruals with respect to such cases and claims, we believe that product liability cases and claims involving occurrences arising prior to the Acquisition are not likely to have a material adverse effect upon our financial condition or results of operations. Moreover, although it is difficult to forecast the outcome of litigation, we do not believe, in light of relevant circumstances (including the current availability of insurance for personal injury and property damage with respect to cases and claims involving occurrences arising after the Acquisition, our accruals for the uninsured costs of such cases and claims and the sellers’ agreement to be responsible for a portion of certain post-Acquisition shotgun-related product liability costs, as well as the type of firearms products that we make), that the outcome of all pending post-Acquisition product liability cases and claims will be likely to have a material adverse effect upon our financial condition or results of operations. Nonetheless, in part because the nature and extent of liability based on the manufacture and/or sale of allegedly defective products (particularly as to firearms and ammunition) is uncertain, there can be no assurance that our resources will be adequate to cover pending and future product liability occurrences, cases or claims, in the aggregate, or that a material adverse effect upon our financial condition or results of operations will not result therefrom. Because of the nature of our products, we anticipate that we will continue to be involved in product liability litigation in the future. Because of the potential nature of injuries relating to firearms and ammunition, certain public perceptions of our products, and recent efforts to expand liability of manufacturers of firearms and ammunition, product liability cases and claims, and insurance costs associated with such cases and claims, may cause us to incur significant costs.

 

Municipality Litigation

 

In addition to these individual cases, as a manufacturer of shotguns and rifles, Remington was named in only three of the actions brought by approximately 30 municipalities, primarily against manufacturers, distributors and sellers of handguns: (i) City of Boston, et al. v. Smith & Wesson, et al., No. 99-2590 (Suffolk Super Ct.); (ii) City of St. Louis, Missouri v. Henry Cernicek, et al., No. 992-01209 (Cir. Ct. St. Louis) & 00 Civil 1895 (U.S. Dist. Ct E.D. Missouri); and (iii) City of New York, et al. v. B.L. Jennings, Inc., et al., 00 Civil 3641 (JBW) (U.S. Dist. Ct. E.D.N.Y.). As a general matter, these lawsuits name several dozens of firearm industry participants as defendants, and claim that the defendants’ distribution practices allegedly permitted their products to enter a secondary market, from which guns can be obtained by unauthorized users; that defendants fail to include adequate safety devices in their firearms to prevent unauthorized use and accidental misuse; and that defendants’ conduct has created a public nuisance. Plaintiffs generally seek injunctive relief and money damages (consisting of the cost of providing certain city services and lost tax and other revenues), and in some cases, punitive damages, as well.

 

In City of Boston, first filed in 1999, an order granting plaintiff’s March 27, 2002 request to dismiss the case with prejudice as to all defendants was entered on April 1, 2002.

 

In City of New York, the New York City Health and Hospitals Corp., and certain city officials filed an Amended Complaint, dated September 1, 2000, in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York naming Remington and other entities. In August 2001, the City indicated its intention to file a second amended complaint. However, in part as a result of the events of September 11, the court in December 2001 granted the City’s request that the case be put on hold pending the appeal by the State of New York of the dismissal of its separate lawsuit against handgun manufacturers (in which we were not a defendant). The City’s appeal was denied by the state appellate courts in 2003, and in January 2004, the federal district court granted the City’s motion to lift the stay and file an amendment complaint, which no longer names Remington or other defendants who manufacture only long guns.

 

In City of St. Louis, a First Amended Complaint naming Remington and other entities, and seeking unspecified amounts of compensatory and punitive damages from all defendants, was filed on August 15, 2000, in Circuit Court of the City of St. Louis. The case was removed on November 29, 2000, to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri by a third-party defendant and on September 25, 2001, the federal court remanded the case to state court. On March 1, 2002, the St. Louis City court granted the defendants’ motion to transfer venue to the Circuit Court for St. Louis County, and defendants’ motion to dismiss in this new venue was argued on February 28, 2003. On October 15, 2003, the court granted defendants’ motions to dismiss, which the City has appealed.

 

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To date, 12 municipal lawsuits (including City of Boston) have been dismissed and are no longer subject to appeal. Four more dismissals, including that involving local California governments, are on appeal, and three more have been dismissed, with no appeals pending. The remaining lawsuits are in various stages of motion practice and discovery. A majority of states have enacted some limitation on the ability of local governments to file such lawsuits against firearms manufacturers. The Missouri legislature approved a preemption bill over a veto by the governor, which should apply to the St. Louis lawsuit. In addition, similar legislation limiting such lawsuits on a federal level has been proposed in both houses of Congress. At the federal level, in April, the House of Representatives approved legislation that would limit lawsuits against firearms manufacturers based on the criminal or unlawful acts of third parties. Similar legislation was pending in the Senate, and if enacted, would have prohibited litigation of the type filed by the municipalities. The bill was recently defeated, and it is not certain whether it will be resubmitted this term.

 

In the spring of 2000, the Federal Trade Commission and the attorneys general of several states instituted investigations into allegations of anticompetitive retaliation against Smith & Wesson by other participants in the firearms industry. In 2000 and 2001, Remington received and replied to civil investigative demands and subpoenae duces tecum and other discovery requests from the State of Connecticut and the Federal Trade Commission (which in 2003, closed its inquiry without taking any action.) Remington, which makes only long guns, does not compete with Smith & Wesson, which makes handguns.

 

Heritage Fund

 

In recognition of and support of certain legal and legislative initiatives, the firearms industry established the Hunting and Shooting Sports Heritage Fund of which the Company is a member The Company has historically made annual contributions to the Heritage Fund ranging from 0.5% to 1% of the Company’s annual revenues since becoming a member. Due to a combination of factors, including the general state of the economy, the Company did not make a contribution to the Heritage Fund in 2003. Contributions in 2002 and 2001 were $0.8 million and $1.7 million, respectively.

 

Certain Indemnities

 

As of the closing of the Acquisition in December 1993 under the Purchase Agreement, we assumed:

 

  a number of specified liabilities, including certain trade payables and contractual obligations of the sellers;

 

  limited financial responsibility for specified product liability claims relating to disclosed occurrences arising prior to the Acquisition;

 

  limited financial responsibility for environmental claims relating to the operation of the business prior to the Acquisition; and

 

  liabilities for product liability claims relating to occurrences after the Acquisition, except for claims involving discontinued products.

 

All other liabilities relating to or arising out of the operation of the business prior to the Acquisition are excluded liabilities (the “Excluded Liabilities”), which the sellers retained. The sellers are required to indemnify Remington and its affiliates in respect of the Excluded Liabilities, which include, among other liabilities:

 

  liability in excess of our limited financial responsibility for environmental claims and disclosed product liability claims relating to pre-closing occurrences;

 

  liability for product liability litigation related to discontinued products; and

 

  certain tax liabilities, and employee and retiree compensation and benefit liabilities.

 

The sellers’ overall liability in respect of their representations, covenants and the Excluded Liabilities under the Purchase Agreement, excluding environmental liabilities and product liability matters relating to events occurring prior to the purchase but not disclosed, or relating to discontinued products, is limited to $324.8 million. With a few exceptions, the sellers’ representations under the Purchase Agreement have expired. We made claims for indemnification involving product liability issues prior to such expiration. See “—Legal Proceedings”.

 

In addition, the sellers agreed in 1996 to indemnify us against a portion of certain product liability costs involving various shotguns manufactured prior to 1995 and arising from occurrences on or prior to November 30, 1999. These indemnification obligations of the sellers relating to product liability and environmental matters (subject to a limited exception) are not subject to any survival period limitation, deductible or other dollar threshold or cap. We and the sellers are also party to separate agreements setting forth agreed procedures for the management and disposition of environmental and product liability claims and proceedings relating to the operation or ownership of the business prior to the Acquisition, and are currently engaged in the joint defense of certain product liability claims and proceedings. See “—Legal Proceedings”.

 

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Item 4. Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders

 

No matter was submitted to a vote of the Company’s shareholders during the fourth quarter of 2003.

 

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PART II

 

Item 5. MARKET FOR REGISTRANT’S COMMON EQUITY AND RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS

 

There is no established public trading market for either Holding’s or Remington’s common stock.

 

In February 2003, in connection with the Recapitalization, (1) 15,970 shares of common stock of Holding were distributed in respect of 15,970 deferred shares of Holding; (2) Holding issued and sold for $30.8 million 140,044 shares of common stock to the BRS Fund and others; (3) Holding repurchased 722,981 of the outstanding shares of common stock of Holding, in an aggregated amount of $163.7 million, consisting of $130.8 million in cash and $32.9 million aggregated principal amount of senior notes of Holding, or the Holding Notes. C&D Fund IV holds all of the Holding Notes.

 

As of February 29, 2004, there were 31 holders of the outstanding common stock of Holding. The only holder of Remington’s common stock is Holding.

 

During 2002 Holding paid dividends of $19.54 per share or an aggregate amount of $15.1 million to all shareholders of record. Holding also declared a special payment to holders of all stock options and deferred shares of Holding of $19.54 per share, in an aggregate amount of $1.8 million. Holding did not pay any dividends during 2003. In connection w