SALT LAKE CITY, Nov. 07, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Clarus Corporation (NASDAQ: CLAR) (“Clarus” and/or the “Company”), a global company focused on the outdoor enthusiast markets, reported financial results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2024.

Third Quarter 2024 Financial Summary vs. Same Year‐Ago Quarter (adjusted to reflect the reclassification of the Precision Sport segment as discontinued operations)

• Sales of $67.1 million compared to $81.3 million.
• Gross margin was 35.0% compared to 33.6%; adjusted gross margin of 37.8% compared to 33.6%.
• Net loss, which includes the impact of discontinued operations, of $3.2 million, or $(0.08) per diluted share, compared to net loss of $1.3 million, or $(0.03) per diluted share.
• Loss from continuing operations of $3.2 million, or $(0.08) per diluted share, compared to loss from continuing operations of $2.2 million, or $(0.06) per diluted share.
• Adjusted EBITDA from continuing operations of $2.4 million with an adjusted EBITDA margin of 3.6% compared to $3.6 million with an adjusted EBITDA margin of 4.5%.
  

Management Commentary
“While macroeconomic headwinds have continued to limit consumer demand in the near-term, our focus in the third quarter was on advancing our strategic plan to position Clarus for long-term profitable growth,” said Warren Kanders, Clarus’ Executive Chairman. “Specifically, in the Outdoor segment we continued to improve the quality and composition of our inventory to focus on the best and most profitable styles across categories. In line with our stated strategic objective, inventory was down 4% year-over-year. Our Adventure business performed in line with expectations for the first two months of the quarter, but results were ultimately affected by market softness in September in both North America and Australia/New Zealand.”

Mr. Kanders added, “There remains significant work outstanding to execute our multi-year growth initiatives, but we believe we are on track at Outdoor as we continue to simplify the business operationally and drive SKU rationalization, despite the challenging global market conditions. Our objective to scale the Adventure segment to a global footprint has not yet come to fruition. We have established a strategic roadmap that we are executing on and remain confident that the significant investments we have made in 2024 will enable our Adventure businesses to accelerate traction, particularly in the US and international markets, and strengthen our global OEM initiatives. All of this is supported by a debt-free balance sheet, to take the next steps in our turnaround.”

Third Quarter 2024 Financial Results
Sales in the third quarter were $67.1 million compared to $81.3 million in the same year‐ago quarter. This decrease was primarily driven by softness across all selling channels in Outdoor, as well as the effect from the product line simplification strategy. The decrease was further driven by lower Adventure segment sales, specifically in the OEM channel and challenging wholesale markets globally, partially offset by the benefit from the TRED Outdoors acquisition.

Sales in the Outdoor segment were $49.3 million, compared to $61.1 million in the year-ago quarter. Sales in the Adventure segment decreased 11.9% to $17.8 million, or $17.5 million on a constant currency basis, compared to $20.2 million in the year-ago quarter. Gross margin in the third quarter was 35.0% compared to 33.6% in the year‐ago quarter. The increase in gross margin was primarily due to favorable product mix at the Outdoor segment as a result of product simplification and SKU rationalization efforts, as well as a favorable channel mix due to lower OEM sales and higher MAXTRAX revenue at the Adventure segment. This was partially offset by an increase in polyfluoroalkyl substances (“PFAS”) related inventory reserve expenses at the Outdoor segment, as well as sales return reserve and rebate expenses at the Adventure segment. Adjusted gross margin reflecting the PFAS related inventory reserve was 37.8% for the quarter.

Selling, general and administrative expenses in the third quarter were $27.9 million compared to $28.4 million in the same year‐ago quarter. The decrease was primarily a result of lower retail expenses due to store closures and other expense reduction initiatives to manage costs at the Outdoor segment. These decreases were partially offset by investments in global marketing and e-commerce initiatives to accelerate growth at the Adventure segment and incremental SG&A from the TRED Outdoors acquisition.

The loss from continuing operations in the third quarter of 2024 was $3.2 million, or $(0.08) per diluted share, compared to loss from continuing operations of $2.2 million, or $(0.06) per diluted share in the year-ago quarter. Loss from continuing operations in the third quarter included $0.4 million of charges relating to legal cost and regulatory matter expenses and $1.9 million of PFAS inventory reserves.

Adjusted income from continuing operations in the third quarter of 2024 was $1.9 million, or $0.05 per diluted share, compared to adjusted income from continuing operations of $1.8 million, or $0.05 per diluted share, in the year-ago quarter. Adjusted income from continuing operations excludes legal cost and regulatory matters expenses, PFAS inventory reserves, restructuring charges and transaction costs, as well as non-cash items for intangible amortization and stock-based compensation.

Adjusted EBITDA from continuing operations in the third quarter was $2.4 million, or an adjusted EBITDA margin of 3.6%, compared to adjusted EBITDA from continuing operations of $3.6 million, or an adjusted EBITDA margin of 4.5%, in the same year‐ago quarter.

Net cash used in operating activities for the three months ended September 30, 2024, was $8.3 million compared to net cash provided by operating activities of $0.1 million in the prior year quarter. Capital expenditures in the third quarter of 2024 were $1.1 million compared to $1.2 million in the prior year quarter. Free cash flow for the third quarter of 2024 was an outflow of $9.4 million compared to an outflow of $1.1 million in the prior year quarter.

Liquidity at September 30, 2024 vs. December 31, 2023

• Cash and cash equivalents totaled $36.4 million compared to $11.3 million.
• Total debt of $0.0 million compared to $119.8 million.

2024 Outlook
The Company now expects fiscal year 2024 sales to range between $260 million to $266 million. Due to softer global revenue and the continued investments in the Adventure segment to scale the business, the Company now expects adjusted EBITDA of approximately $7 million to $9 million, or an adjusted EBITDA margin of 3.0% at the mid-point of revenue and adjusted EBITDA. In addition, the Company now expects capital expenditures to range between $5.0 million to $6.0 million, of which $0.9 million related to Precision Sport prior to disposal, and free cash flow to range between $(6) million to $(8) million for the full year 2024, which includes approximately $7.0 of cash outflow related to the Precision Sport disposal.

Net Operating Loss (NOL)
The Company has net operating loss carryforwards (“NOLs”) for U.S. federal income tax purposes of $7.7 million which we expect to fully utilize in 2024.

Conference Call
The Company will hold a conference call today at 5:00 p.m. Eastern time to discuss its third quarter 2024 results.

Date: Thursday, November 7, 2024
Time: 5:00 pm ET
Registration Link: https://register.vevent.com/register/BI55fc3dd7523c4a8e885ce228015f2987

To access the call by phone, please register via the live call registration link above and you will be provided with dial-in instructions and details. The conference call will be broadcast live and available for replay here and on the Company’s website at www.claruscorp.com.

About Clarus Corporation
 Headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah, Clarus Corporation is a global leader in the design and development of best-in-class equipment and lifestyle products for outdoor enthusiasts. Driven by our rich history of engineering and innovation, our objective is to provide safe, simple, effective and beautiful products so that our customers can maximize their outdoor pursuits and adventures. Each of our brands has a long history of continuous product innovation for core and everyday users alike. The Company’s products are principally sold globally under the Black Diamond®, Rhino-Rack®, MAXTRAX®, TRED Outdoors® brand names through outdoor specialty and online retailers, our own websites, distributors, and original equipment manufacturers.

Use of Non‐GAAP Measures
The Company reports its financial results in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”). This press release contains the non-GAAP measures: (i) adjusted gross margin and adjusted gross profit, (ii) adjusted (loss) income from continuing operations and related earnings (loss) per diluted share, (iii) earnings before interest, taxes, other income or expense, depreciation and amortization (“EBITDA”), EBITDA margin, adjusted EBITDA, and adjusted EBITDA margin, and (iv) free cash flow (defined as net cash provided by operating activities less capital expenditures). The Company believes that the presentation of certain non-GAAP measures, i.e.: (i) adjusted gross margin and adjusted gross profit, (ii) adjusted (loss) income from continuing operations and related earnings (loss) per diluted share , (iii) EBITDA, EBITDA margin, adjusted EBITDA and adjusted EBITDA margin, and (iv) free cash flow, provide useful information for the understanding of its ongoing operations and enables investors to focus on period-over-period operating performance, and thereby enhances the user's overall understanding of the Company's current financial performance relative to past performance and provides, along with the nearest GAAP measures, a baseline for modeling future earnings expectations. Non-GAAP measures are reconciled to comparable GAAP financial measures within this press release. We do not provide a reconciliation of the non-GAAP guidance measures Adjusted EBITDA and/or Adjusted EBITDA Margin for the fiscal year 2024 to net income for the fiscal year 2024, the most comparable GAAP financial measure, due to the inherent difficulty of forecasting certain types of expenses and gains, without unreasonable effort, which affect net income but not Adjusted EBITDA and/or Adjusted EBITDA Margin. The Company cautions that non-GAAP measures should be considered in addition to, but not as a substitute for, the Company's reported GAAP results. Additionally, the Company notes that there can be no assurance that the above referenced non-GAAP financial measures are comparable to similarly titled financial measures used by other publicly traded companies.

Forward-Looking Statements
Please note that in this press release we may use words such as “appears,” “anticipates,” “believes,” “plans,” “expects,” “intends,” “future,” and similar expressions which constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are made based on our expectations and beliefs concerning future events impacting the Company and therefore involve a number of risks and uncertainties. We caution that forward-looking statements are not guarantees and that actual results could differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements. Potential risks and uncertainties that could cause the actual results of operations or financial condition of the Company to differ materially from those expressed or implied by forward-looking statements in this press release, include, but are not limited to, those risks and uncertainties more fully described from time to time in the Company's public reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including under the section titled “Risk Factors” in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K, and/or Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, as well as in the Company’s Current Reports on Form 8-K. All forward-looking statements included in this press release are based upon information available to the Company as of the date of this press release and speak only as of the date hereof. We assume no obligation to update any forward- looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this press release.

Company Contact:
Michael J. Yates
Chief Financial Officer
mike.yates@claruscorp.com

Investor Relations:
The IGB Group
Leon Berman / Matt Berkowitz
Tel 1-212-477-8438 / 1-212-227-7098
lberman@igbir.com / mberkowitz@igbir.com