Gun Stocks Gain as Background Checks Near Post-Bernardino Levels

(Bloomberg) -- Gun-retailer stocks are outperforming as more people swarm to firearm and ammunition stores in response to pandemic-related fears.

“This is the second time in the store’s 61 years that we’ve seen this. It has only happened after Sandy Hook,” said Larry Hyatt, owner of Hyatt Guns in North Carolina, which bills itself as America’s largest gun shop.

“We are seeing a lot of new people buying guns, particularly urban people, who are fearing authorities may not be able to control crime,” Hyatt said in an interview, adding that he’s seen a lot of women, senior citizens and minorities come to his store in recent days.

The final week of February saw the third largest number of background checks since at least 1998, behind the weeks following the Sandy Hook and San Bernardino shootings, according to the FBI’s National Instant Criminal Background Check System, known as NICS.

Vista Outdoor Inc., a outdoor product provider that sells sporting ammunition, has gained about 34% this week, while firearm provider American Outdoor Brands Corp. has added about 11%. The S&P 500 Index has fallen about 10% in the same period.

The surge in sales has been heating up since the beginning of the year as the coronavirus made its way from China. NICS had already reported an over 30% monthly surge in background checks for handguns and long guns in February.

Demand for ammunition is also on the rise. Sales at ammo.com, an online provider, saw a 276% surge on March 10, the day confirmed coronavirus cases reached 1,000 in the U.S., according to its website. The company’s revenue from February 23 to March 15 increased 309% compared to the period from Feb. 1 through Feb. 22.

“While people stockpile toilet paper, hand sanitizer, and pantry essentials, they’re also purchasing ammunition at an unprecedented rate,” the company said.

The rise in gun and ammunition sales has also historically been tied to the possibility of having a Democrat in the White House-- a likely supporter of tougher gun regulation. Presidential candidate Joe Biden has been solidifying his position as the front-runner for his party after winning primaries in Florida, Arizona and Illinois on Tuesday.

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