Beretta USA - Competitors

Competition

Now Viewing Beretta USA's competition in: Gun Manufacturing (primary)

Recent Developments

Gun Imports, Exports Rise - US imports of small arms increased 7.3 percent in the first seven months of 2008 compared to the same period in 2007; US small arms exports rose nearly 27 percent. Particular demand for US arms stemmed from increased exports to US military allies in Europe: UK, 97.6 percent increase; Germany, 25.2 percent; Italy, 26.2 percent; and Belgium, 13.1 percent. US imports of small arms came chiefly from manufacturers in Italy, the UK, Brazil, and Germany.

Jersey City Gun Law Rejected - A New Jersey state appellate court recently struck down a Jersey City ordinance that limited the city's handgun sales to one handgun per person every 30 days. The ordinance was supported by the mayor and approved by city council in 2006. The ordinance aimed to keep handguns from reaching criminals, but gun control opponents, including the NRA, claim that it violates Second Amendment rights. The mayor is working with state legislators to make the 30-day ordinance law.

Industry Targets Female Hunters - Makers of guns and hunting accessories are increasingly targeting women as the overall number of hunters in the US continues to decline, says The Wall Street Journal. According to a survey conducted every five years by the US Fish and Wildlife Service, in the 15 years ending in 2006 the overall number of hunters fell from 14.1 to 12.5 million, but the number of female hunters increased from 1.1 to 1.2 million. To accommodate the rise in hunting among women, gun manufacturers are offering smaller, lighter guns.

Competitive Landscape

Demand, which has been flat for years, is driven partly by hunters and partly by weapon upgrades by police departments. The profitability of individual companies is closely linked to marketing. Small companies can compete effectively by producing premium-priced high-quality or decorative guns. Although automation has increased, the industry is still fairly labor-intensive: average annual revenue per worker is about $150,000.

Full Industry Overview For Gun Manufacturing

Gun Manufacturing Industry Forecast

from Hoover's/D&B subsidiary First Research

The output of US small arms manufacturing is forecast to grow at an annual compounded rate of 4 percent between 2008 and 2013.

Small Arms Manufacturing Growth Flattens

First Research forecasts are based on INFORUM forecasts that are licensed from the Interindustry Economic Research Fund, Inc. (IERF) in College Park, MD. INFORUM's "interindustry-macro" approach to modeling the economy captures the links between industries and the aggregate economy.