AMMO, Inc. (NASDAQ:POWW) Q4 2023 Earnings Call Transcript

Mark Smith: Yeah. No, that’s helpful. As we think about — you’ve answered this question just a minute ago, but I want to just dig deeper on it kind of a shift in manufacturing. Can you just update us on the two sides because it seems like you’re pretty far into it? First, a shift to manufacturing more profitable calibers and rounds, a shift away from two facility and [indiscernible] kind of where that’s at? And then also Jared, I think you talked previously about the kind of a shift back to supplying more of kind of your OEM peers with brass casings, can you give an update on kind of where that is as well?

Jared Smith: Absolutely. I’m going to take the second part of that question first. We are and have shifted and I’d like to take credit for it, but we have a phenomenal team in Manitowoc, Wisconsin. They produce — and really the core talent there is around brass rifle manufacturing. I think they do it as well if not better than anybody else. And our mix of products is where we want it today, and it’s really just growing the capacities in that medium and a large rifle caliber base. Our 50 Cal –our 50 Cal line is coming on, and there’s still more and more demand than I ever would have guessed for things like 12.7 by 108mm, 50 cal, and these kinds of larger premium rifle calibers. And I know I was taking the second question first and I forgot the first question. So can you repeat the question?

Mark Smith: Yeah. Just the shift in manufacturing kind of away from 9 mil and two to three (ph) and into more kind of specialty back around?

Jared Smith: Yeah. It really comes –it was really just that simple. You walk over to the machine and you turn it off. And you divert your purchasing plants and your sales and operating models to where we’re seeing and continue to see margin at 38, 357, 44, 45 long colts. Straight Wall Calibers and these –the mix of products that –the larger manufacturers have fully dedicated lines, dedicated to nine, dedicated to the loading, dedicated to the bullet production, dedicated to the assembly, dedicated to the drawing, we just don’t have that in our factory, and allows us to shift and pivot quickly.

Mark Smith: One last question for me, just — can you just talk about commodities, labor your other inflationary pressures, maybe giving an update since the quarter ended as we’re well into Q1 now? On — what you’re seeing on the inflationary pressure side?

Jared Smith: Yeah, absolutely. What we saw at the end of 2022 — into 2022 really was a continued and steadied increase in raw materials, copper and zinc, we’re going up, our labor inputs were going up. I think as the recession is set in, those are actually turning around and we’ve seen copper prices back off. So we actually have a good guy there in terms of our inputs. Primers are still in high demand, but there is additional primer capacity coming on both internationally and domestically. And just the lack of demand has created a little bit of slack in the primer supply. From a commodity standpoint, you’re always going to have your imports flooding in because they’ve got to sell through those factories from the state of military readiness. But fortunately, we don’t have to play there, we don’t have to compete there.

Mark Smith: Perfect. Thank you, guys.

Operator: Today’s last question comes from Edward Riley with EF Hutton. Please go ahead.

Edward Reilly: Hey, guys. Just wondering if you can maybe give us some color on the cadence of gross margins in the ammunition segment throughout the next fiscal year, just given the strategy to maybe continue seller slower moving — selling slower, moving inventory in the near term. When do you anticipate getting through that inventory and what might gross margins look like within that segment when it’s finally moved?