Diversity is Jarden’s best friend. 
 
Last year, when almost every retailer in sight was bemoaning a startlingly warm winter, folks at Rye, New York-based Jarden Corp., which sells everything from camping gear and coffee makers to playing cards and plastic spoons, sat back while consumers bought kitchen appliances and outdoor products like camping gear.

Then, as the weather flipped an turned freezing in February, it sold fire logs and electric blankets, while retailers with spring products in stores threw up their hands in despair. 

The company is still touting its diverse product portfolio for its success. This quarter, the company’s earnings were boosted by sales in its outdoor products segment, mainly due to the acquisition of fishing tackle company Pure Fishing.

Going forward? It says consumer solutions products like Seal-a-Meal food storage bags and Oster kitchen appliances will top its sales list. 

The company recently bought sporting goods company K2 and Pure Fishing. Now it’s looking for more companies to add to its growing portfolio.  

And thanks to an already existing commitment with Lehman Brothers for financing, it won’t have to doubt if a potential deal will come through smoothly, company Chief Financial Officer Ian Ashken said on a conference call with analysts. 

“In terms of the financing, I don’t think I’m telling anybody on this call anything they don’t know; the financing markets in the last two weeks have been very difficult,” Ashken said. “We have a commitment from Lehman Brothers to do our financing. So, obviously, as we get closer to closing, the variable is going to be how much it is going to cost, not whether we’re going to be able to do it. It is just one of those things. Markets go up, markets go down.”

(Photo from company Web site)