Topic: How To Invest

Q: Hey, Pat. Thanks for all the good advice! It has kept me out of a couple of bad stocks. What do you think about Amer Sports? Thanks again.

Article Excerpt

A: Amer Sports Inc., $19.91, symbol AS on New York (Shares outstanding: 505.2 million; Market cap: $10.4 billion; www.amersports.com), is a global group of sports and outdoor brands. The company started out as a Finnish tobacco business in 1950. In the 1980s, it began to focus on the sporting goods industry, while selling its non-core assets. Today, Amer’s iconic brands include Arc’teryx, Salomon, Wilson, Atomic and Peak Performance. The company operates through three segments: Technical Apparel, Outdoor Performance, and Ball & Racquet Sports. The Technical Apparel segment’s key products are outerwear for climbing, hiking, mountaineering, skiing, and snowboarding. The segment’s core brand, Arc’teryx, founded in B.C. in 1989, sells clothing and outdoor equipment designed to perform in extreme mountain conditions. The segment’s Peak Performance brand, founded in 1986, offers apparel for skiing, snowboarding, golf, and other outdoor pursuits. The Outdoor Performance segment consists of four brands, although Salomon is its core label. Founded in 1947, that brand sells footwear to outdoor enthusiasts who ski,…