Big 5 Sporting Goods Corp. (BGFV) is a major player on the sporting goods stores playing field. Headquartered in El Segundo, California the company operates their stores in eleven western and southwestern states. They list on the NASDAQ and have a market capitalization of $205.6M.

Big 5 has 364 stores, which average 11,000 square feet in size. Their major product lines are athletic shoes, apparel and accessories, fitness, tennis, golf, and team sports equipment. BGFV also promotes camping, hunting, and fishing equipment, as well as snowboarding and in-line skating products. While they do have an online presence where they advertise their specials and sell gift cards, they sell their products solely through their individual store locations.

BGFV went public in 2002 with an initial IPO of $13.00. Their current dividend yield is approximately 4%. They recently announced a quarterly cash dividend of $0.09 per share for the quarter ended March 30, 2008. BGFV opened one new store during the first quarter of 2008 and plans on opening three more in the second quarter. All in all the company plans to have 20 new stores in operation before the end of fiscal year 2008.

Steven G. Miller is the Chairman, President, and CEO of Big 5. His focus is on strengthening the company’s inventory position in these challenging economic times. The company’s per store inventory is down 5.3% when comparing first quarter 2008 results to first quarter 2007 results. He also plans to fine-tune the company’s merchandising mix and promotional activities to increase sales per store.

Big 5 maintains their commitment to giving sports enthusiasts the products they desire. They continue to work hard to strengthen their retail position in today’s competitive marketplace. Through gaining excellent new store locations and controlling expenses, they are living the sporting life proactively.

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