More questions than answers as ‘torpedo’ bat goes viral, says Baird

Baird analyst Craig Kennison says, “we watched the Yankees clobber 15 home runs against our Milwaukee Brewers over the weekend.” Many were hit with the “torpedo” bat in a story that has gone viral. The legal bat is designed to move the sweet spot closer to the batter’s hands, shifting the weight balance as well. Notably, Fox Factory (FOXF)-owned Marucci is the official bat of Major League Baseball beginning this year. The firm has also confirmed that the company is one of potentially many brands that makes a version of the torpedo bat. At the very least, the viral story has the potential to get ball players to the stores looking for new bats, Baird argues, adding that as it is not clear whether channel inventory today includes a sufficiently heavy mix of that bat style, it would not adjust its expectations at this point. Net, the firm says it has more questions than answers at this point, “but the story bears watching.” Baird has a Neutral rating on Fox Factory with a price target of $32.