Company Background

9 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2021

Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Company Background

1. COMPANY BACKGROUND:

We are the largest recreational boat and yacht retailer in the United States.  We engage primarily in the retail sale, brokerage, and service of new and used boats, motors, trailers, marine parts and accessories and offer slip and storage accommodations in certain locations.  In addition, we arrange related boat financing, insurance, and extended service contracts.  We also offer the charter of power yachts in the British Virgin Islands.  As of June 30, 2021, we operated through 77 retail locations in 21 states, consisting of Alabama, California, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas, Washington, and Wisconsin. Our MarineMax Vacations operation maintains a facility in Tortola, British Virgin Islands. We also own Fraser Yachts Group and Northrop & Johnson, leading superyacht brokerage and luxury yacht services companies with operations in multiple countries. Cruisers Yachts, a wholly-owned MarineMax subsidiary, manufactures boats and yachts with sales through our select retail dealership locations and through independent dealers.

We are the nation’s largest retailer of Sea Ray and Boston Whaler recreational boats which are manufactured by Brunswick Corporation (“Brunswick”). Sales of new Brunswick boats accounted for approximately 33% of our revenue in fiscal 2020.  Sales of new Sea Ray and Boston Whaler boats, both divisions of Brunswick, accounted for approximately 15% and 16%, respectively, of our revenue in fiscal 2020. Brunswick is a world leading manufacturer of marine products and marine engines.

We have dealership agreements with Sea Ray, Boston Whaler, Harris, and Mercury Marine, all subsidiaries or divisions of Brunswick.  We also have dealer agreements with Italy-based Azimut-Benetti Group’s product line for Azimut and Benetti yachts and mega yachts.  These agreements allow us to purchase, stock, sell, and service these manufacturers’ boats and products.  These agreements also allow us to use these manufacturers’ names, trade symbols, and intellectual properties in our operations. The agreements for Sea Ray and Boston Whaler products, respectively, appoint us as the exclusive dealer of Sea Ray and Boston Whaler boats, respectively, in our geographic markets. In addition, we are the exclusive dealer for Azimut Yachts for the entire United States. Sales of new Azimut yachts accounted for approximately 9% of our revenue in fiscal 2020.  We believe non-Brunswick brands offer a migration for our existing customer base or fill a void in our product offerings, and accordingly, do not compete with the business generated from our other prominent brands.

In May 2021, we purchased all of the outstanding equity of KCS International Inc. (“Cruisers Yachts”). This acquisition provides us a premium, American built yacht for our product portfolio. Prior to the acquisition, we were a dealer for Cruiser Yachts. Cruisers Yachts also operates with independent dealers and is recognized as one of the world’s premier manufacturers of premium yachts.

In October 2020, we purchased all of the outstanding equity of Skipper Marine Corp., Skipper Marine of Madison, Inc., Skipper Marine of Fox Valley, Inc., Skipper Bud’s of Illinois, Inc., Skipper Marine of Chicago-Land, Inc., Skipper Marine of Michigan, Inc., and Skipper Marine of Ohio, LLC, (collectively, “SkipperBud’s”). This acquisition significantly increased our presence in the Great Lakes region and the West Coast of the United States. SkipperBud’s is one of the largest boat sales, brokerage, service and marina/storage groups in the United States.

As is typical in the industry, we deal with most of our manufacturers, other than Sea Ray, Boston Whaler, and Azimut Yachts, under renewable annual dealer agreements, each of which gives us the right to sell various makes and models of boats within a given geographic region.  Any change or termination of these agreements, or the agreements discussed above, for any reason, or changes in competitive, regulatory or marketing practices, including rebate or incentive programs, could adversely affect our results of operations.  Although there are a limited number of manufacturers of the type of boats and products that we sell, we believe that adequate alternative sources would be available to replace any manufacturer other than Sea Ray and Azimut as a product source.  These alternative sources may not be available at the time of any interruption, and alternative products may not be available at comparable terms, which could affect operating results adversely.

From March 2020 through June 2020, we temporarily closed certain departments or locations based on guidance from local government or health officials as a result of the COVID-19 global pandemic. We are following guidelines to ensure we are safely operating as recommended. As the COVID-19 pandemic is complex and evolving rapidly with many unknowns, the Company will continue to monitor ongoing developments and respond accordingly. Management expects its business, across all of its geographies, will be impacted to some degree, but the significance of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Company’s business and the duration for which it may have an impact cannot be determined at this time.

General economic conditions and consumer spending patterns can negatively impact our operating results.  Unfavorable local, regional, national, or global economic developments or uncertainties regarding future economic prospects could reduce consumer spending in the markets we serve and adversely affect our business.  Economic conditions in areas in which we operate dealerships,

particularly Florida, in which we generated approximately 51%, 54% and 54% of our revenue during fiscal 2018, 2019, and 2020, respectively, can have a major impact on our operations.  Local influences, such as corporate downsizing, military base closings, inclement weather such as Hurricane Sandy in 2012 or Hurricanes Harvey and Irma in 2017, environmental conditions, and specific events, such as the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010, also could adversely affect, and in certain instances have adversely affected, our operations in certain markets.

  In an economic downturn, consumer discretionary spending levels generally decline, at times resulting in disproportionately large reductions in the sale of luxury goods. Consumer spending on luxury goods also may decline as a result of lower consumer confidence levels, even if prevailing economic conditions are favorable. As a result, an economic downturn would likely impact us more than certain of our competitors due to our strategic focus on a higher end of our market. Although we have expanded our operations during periods of stagnant or modestly declining industry trends, the cyclical nature of the recreational boating industry or the lack of industry growth may adversely affect our business, financial condition, and results of operations. Any period of adverse economic conditions or low consumer confidence is likely to have a negative effect on our business.

Historically, in periods of lower consumer spending and depressed economic conditions, we have, among other things, substantially reduced our acquisition program, delayed new store openings, reduced our inventory purchases, engaged in inventory reduction efforts, closed a number of our retail locations, reduced our headcount, and amended and replaced our credit facility.  Acquisitions remain an important strategy for us, and, subject to a number of conditions, including macro-economic conditions and finding attractive acquisition targets, we plan to continue to explore opportunities through this strategy.