Escalade, Incorporated, together with its subsidiaries, manufactures, distributes, imports, and sells sporting goods in North America, Europe, and internationally. The company provides various sporting goods brands in basketball goals, archery, indoor and outdoor game recreation, and fitness products. It offers archery products under the Bear Archery, Trophy Ridge, Whisker Biscuit, Cajun Bowfishing, Karnage, Fletcher, SIK, BearX, and Rocket brand names; table tennis products under the STIGA and Ping-Pong brands; basketball goals under the Goalrilla, Goaliath, Silverback, Hoopstar, and Goalsetter brand names; and pickleball under the Onix, DURA, and Pickleball Now brands. The company also provides play systems under the Woodplay, Jack & June, and Childlife brands; fitness products under the STEP, Lifeline, Kettleworx, Natural Fitness, and PER4M brand names; safety products under the USWeight brand; hockey and soccer game tables under the Triumph Sports, Atomic, American Legend, Air Hockey, and HJ Scott brands; and billiard tables and accessories under the American Heritage Billiards, Brunswick Billiards, Gold Crown, Centennial, Cue&Case, Lucasi, Mizerak, PureX, Rage, Players, Minnesota Fats, and Mosconi brand names. In addition, it offers darting products under the Unicorn, Winmau, Arachnid, Accudart, and Nodor brands; water sports products under the RAVE Sports brand; and outdoor game products under the Victory Tailgate, Triumph Sports, Zume Games, and Viva Sol brand names. The company provides its products through sporting goods retailers, specialty dealers, online retailers, traditional department stores, and mass merchants. Escalade, Incorporated was founded in 1922 and is headquartered in Evansville, Indiana.
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Here are 1-3 brief analogies for Escalade (ESCA):
- A mini-Newell Brands for sports and recreation gear.
- Johnson Outdoors for backyard and home sporting goods.
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Basketball Systems: Escalade manufactures and markets outdoor and indoor basketball hoops, backboards, and related accessories under brands like Goalrilla and Goaliath.
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Table Tennis Equipment: The company produces and distributes table tennis tables, paddles, balls, and accessories primarily through its Stiga and Kettler brands.
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Archery Products: Escalade offers a range of archery equipment including bows, arrows, crossbows, and various hunting and target shooting accessories under brands like Bear Archery and Trophy Ridge.
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Water Sports Equipment: They provide recreational water sports products such as kayaks, stand-up paddleboards, water trampolines, and towables through brands like RAVE Sports and Lifetime.
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Indoor & Outdoor Games: This category includes various recreational games like billiard tables, dartboards, foosball tables, air hockey, cornhole, and other lawn and backyard games.
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Fitness Products: Escalade markets a selection of fitness equipment, including strength training products, free weights, and aerobic fitness gear.
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Major Customers of Escalade (ESCA)
Escalade, Inc. primarily manufactures and markets sporting goods and recreational products, selling these products through various distribution channels to other companies (B2B) rather than directly to individuals. Their major customers are large retailers, including sporting goods retailers, mass merchandisers, and e-commerce retailers, which then sell the products to end consumers.
While Escalade's annual reports indicate that a significant portion of their sales are concentrated with a few key customers, the specific names of these customers are not publicly disclosed in their SEC filings due to confidentiality. However, based on the nature of their products and common distribution channels for sporting goods, the following public companies are highly likely to be among their major customers:
- Walmart Inc. (WMT)
- Amazon.com, Inc. (AMZN)
- DICK'S Sporting Goods, Inc. (DKS)
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Patrick J. Griffin Interim President and Chief Executive Officer
Patrick J. Griffin was appointed Interim President and Chief Executive Officer of Escalade, Inc. on October 30, 2025, succeeding Armin Boehm. Prior to this role, Mr. Griffin served as Director at Escalade and Vice President, Corporate Development and Investor Relations for the company since August 2012. He previously held the position of President of Martin Yale Group, which was a former subsidiary of Escalade. Mr. Griffin has been with Escalade since 2002, holding various other roles within the company.
Stephen R. Wawrin Chief Financial Officer
Stephen R. Wawrin serves as the Chief Financial Officer of Escalade, Inc. He also holds the title of Vice President of Finance and Administration. Earlier in his career at Escalade Inc., Mr. Wawrin worked as a Controller.
Walter P. Glazer, Jr. Chairman of the Board of Directors
Walter P. Glazer, Jr. is the Chairman of the Board of Directors for Escalade, Inc. He previously served as the Chief Executive Officer and President, announcing his plans to retire from that role by the end of 2024, with his succession by Armin Boehm effective April 1, 2025 (though Boehm later resigned). Mr. Glazer founded Speedball Art Products Company, a manufacturer and distributor of fine art materials, operating it from 1997 to 2021. He also founded Nandina Properties (2008-2021), developing it into a portfolio of over 60 industrial properties spanning 2.5 million square feet. Mr. Glazer became a shareholder of Escalade in 1991 and joined its Board of Directors in 2015, becoming Chairman in May 2018. His earlier career included roles as Senior Vice President, Equity Research Group at Wheat First Securities (1996-1997), and Equity Securities Analyst and Director of Research at J.J.B. Hilliard, W.L. Lyons (1986-1995).
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Increased competition from Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) brands leveraging online channels to bypass traditional retail distribution. These agile competitors can offer products directly to consumers, often with competitive pricing and direct customer engagement, potentially eroding market share from traditional manufacturers like Escalade that rely heavily on wholesale distribution through retail partners.
Expansion and enhanced competition from retailer private label brands. Major retail partners (e.g., Walmart, Dick's Sporting Goods, Amazon) are increasingly developing and promoting their own private label sporting goods and recreational equipment. These brands often compete directly with Escalade's offerings on the same shelves or online platforms, providing retailers with higher margins and control, and potentially reducing demand and shelf space for Escalade's branded products.
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Escalade (ESCA) is a public company that manufactures and distributes a diverse portfolio of sporting goods. Based on available market research, the addressable markets for its main products are as follows:
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Basketball Hoops/Goals: The global basketball hoop market size was estimated at approximately USD 2.65 billion in 2024. In North America, the market for basketball hoops was valued at over USD 1.06 billion in 2024.
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Table Tennis Equipment: The global table tennis equipment market size reached approximately USD 881.4 million in 2024 and is projected to reach USD 1,138.9 million by 2033. Another report indicates the global table tennis product market size was approximately USD 1.2 billion in 2023. Asia Pacific was the largest market for table tennis equipment in 2024.
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Archery Equipment: The global archery equipment market size was valued between USD 2.50 billion and USD 4.47 billion in 2024. North America consistently dominates this market, holding a market share of over 38.0% in 2024.
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Pickleball Equipment: The global pickleball equipment market is projected to grow from USD 1.61 billion in 2024 to USD 3.1 billion by 2032. North America is the leading market for pickleball equipment.
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Pool Tables: The global pool tables market size was valued at approximately USD 271.44 million in 2024. Another estimate places the market at USD 240 million in 2024. North America dominates the global pool table market.
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Darting Equipment: null
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Fitness Products (e.g., Aerobic Steps): null
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Outdoor Lawn and Tailgate Games (e.g., Cornhole): null
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Playground Equipment: null
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Trampolines: The global trampoline market size was valued at approximately USD 884.9 million in 2023 and USD 1.51 billion in 2023. Another source reported the market size as USD 3.42 billion in 2024. The Asia Pacific region leads the trampoline market with a 37.2% share in 2023.
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Here are 3-5 expected drivers of future revenue growth for Escalade (ESCA) over the next 2-3 years:
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New Product Launches and Innovation: Escalade continues to invest in product innovation and has recently launched new products in segments such as archery (Redeem and Alaskan Pro bows), pickleball (ONIX Hype and Hype Pro paddles), and table tennis (STIGA Paragon table). The company plans to accelerate new product introductions, particularly in the second half of the year.
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Strategic Acquisitions: Escalade aims to expand its market presence through strategic tuck-in acquisitions that are both financially accretive and strategically aligned with its core categories. The acquisition of Gold Tip, for instance, is anticipated to be accretive to earnings in 2026.
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Market Share Gains: The company has demonstrated the ability to gain market share in key categories such as safety, basketball, archery, and recreational games. Continued success in capturing a larger share within these and other product segments will contribute to revenue expansion.
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Targeted Price Increases: Escalade management has indicated a focus on implementing targeted price increases as part of their strategy to mitigate headwinds and enhance profitability. These strategic pricing adjustments are expected to contribute to revenue growth.
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Share Repurchases
- On February 25, 2025, Escalade's Board of Directors authorized a reset of the company's current share repurchase program and approved up to $20.0 million in future stock repurchases.
- In the fourth quarter of 2024, Escalade repurchased $2.2 million of its shares.
- During the first quarter of 2025, Escalade executed $1.4 million in share repurchases.
Outbound Investments
- On September 29, 2025, Escalade acquired Gold Tip and its Bee Stinger brand from Revelyst Inc., strengthening its archery portfolio.
- In January 2022, Escalade acquired the assets of the Brunswick Billiards business from Life Fitness, LLC, which complemented the company's existing billiards brands.
- In December 2020, Escalade acquired substantially all the business and assets of RAVE Sports, marking its entry into the water sports and recreation category.
Capital Expenditures
- Escalade has focused on facility consolidations and cost rationalization programs, which contributed to improved gross margins in Q1 and Q2 2025.
- Margin improvements in Q3 2025 were driven by lower manufacturing and logistics costs, alongside benefits from ongoing footprint rationalization.
- In 2024, Escalade sold its facility in Mexico for $6.6 million, resulting in a gain of $3.9 million, as part of evaluating and optimizing assets.
