<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001214659-22-010257.txt : 20220816
<SEC-HEADER>0001214659-22-010257.hdr.sgml : 20220816
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20220815182132
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001214659-22-010257
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	PX14A6G
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
FILED AS OF DATE:		20220816
DATE AS OF CHANGE:		20220815
EFFECTIVENESS DATE:		20220816

SUBJECT COMPANY:	

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			SMITH & WESSON BRANDS, INC.
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001092796
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	ORDNANCE & ACCESSORIES, (NO VEHICLES/GUIDED MISSILES) [3480]
		IRS NUMBER:				870543688
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			NV
		FISCAL YEAR END:			0430

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		PX14A6G
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-31552
		FILM NUMBER:		221167661

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		2100 ROOSEVELT AVENUE
		CITY:			SPRINGFIELD
		STATE:			MA
		ZIP:			01104
		BUSINESS PHONE:		844-363-5386

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		2100 ROOSEVELT AVENUE
		CITY:			SPRINGFIELD
		STATE:			MA
		ZIP:			01104

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	AMERICAN OUTDOOR BRANDS CORP
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	20170118

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	AMERICAN OUTDOOR BRANDS CORPORATON
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	20170103

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	SMITH & WESSON HOLDING CORP
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	20020315

FILED BY:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			Intercommunity Peace & Justice Center
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001749378
		IRS NUMBER:				943083964
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			WA
		FISCAL YEAR END:			0630

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		PX14A6G

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		1216 NE 65TH ST
		CITY:			SEATTLE
		STATE:			WA
		ZIP:			98115
		BUSINESS PHONE:		2062231138

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		1216 NE 65TH ST
		CITY:			SEATTLE
		STATE:			WA
		ZIP:			98115
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<P STYLE="margin: 0">&nbsp;</P>


<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0">NOTICE OF EXEMPT SOLICITATION (VOLUNTARY SUBMISSION)</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0">&nbsp;</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0">NAME OF REGISTRANT: Smith &amp; Wesson Brands, Inc.</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0">NAME OF PERSON RELYING ON EXEMPTION:</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0; background-color: white">Adrian Dominican Sisters</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0; background-color: white">Bon Secours Mercy Health</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0; background-color: white">CommonSpirit Health</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0; background-color: white">Congregation of the Sisters of the Holy Cross,
Indiana</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0; background-color: white">Congregation of St. Joseph, OH</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0; background-color: white">Daughters of Charity, Province of St. Louise</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0; background-color: white">Mercy Investment Services</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0; background-color: white">PeaceHealth</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0; background-color: white">School Sisters of Notre Dame Central Pacific
Province</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0; background-color: white">Sisters of Bon Secours USA</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0; background-color: white">Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0; background-color: white">Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet - St.
Louis Province</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0; background-color: white">Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus &amp; Mary,
U.S.-Ontario Province</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0; background-color: white">The Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society
of the Protestant Episcopal Church</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0; background-color: white">Trinity Health</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0">&nbsp;</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0">ADDRESS OF PERSON RELYING ON EXEMPTION:</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0">Intercommunity Peace &amp; Justice Center, Northwest Coalition for
Responsible Investment, 1216 NE 65th St, Seattle, Washington, 98115</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0">&nbsp;</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0">&ldquo;The proponents are not required to file this exempt solicitation
on EDGAR but are doing so voluntarily.&rdquo;</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0">&nbsp;</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0; text-align: right">August 15, 2022</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0">&nbsp;</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0">Dear Smith &amp; Wesson Shareholder,</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0">&nbsp;</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0"><U>We urge you to vote FOR Proposal 5 on Smith &amp; Wesson Brands,
Inc.&rsquo;s (&ldquo;Smith &amp; Wesson&rsquo;s&rdquo; or the &ldquo;Company&rsquo;s&rdquo;) proxy card</U>&nbsp;at the Company&rsquo;s
annual shareholder meeting (&ldquo;AGM&rdquo;) on September 12, 2022. Proposal 5 is a shareholder proposal (the &ldquo;Proposal&rdquo;),
which was submitted by the Adrian Dominican Sisters and the co-filing shareholders set forth below<SUP>1</SUP>&nbsp;(the &ldquo;Proponents&rdquo;),
asking Smith &amp; Wesson to join leading companies such as Microsoft, Hershey, Shell, and Coca-Cola that have adopted a comprehensive
human rights policy, including a description of the processes the Company will use to identify, assess, prevent and mitigate adverse human
rights impacts (these processes are referred to as &ldquo;human rights due diligence&rdquo;).</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0">&nbsp;</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0">&nbsp;</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0">_____________________________</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0"><SUP>1</SUP> Co-filers are Bon Secours Mercy Health; CommonSpirit Health;
Congregation of the Sisters of the Holy Cross, Indiana; Congregation of St. Joseph, OH; Daughters of Charity, Province of St. Louis; Mercy
Investment Services; PeaceHealth; School Sisters of Notre Dame Central Pacific Province; Sisters of Bon Secours USA; Sisters of St. Francis
of Philadelphia; Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet - St. Louis Province; Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus &amp; Mary, U.S.-Ontario
Province; The Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society of the Protestant Episcopal Church; and Trinity Health.</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0">&nbsp;</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0"></P>

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<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0">&nbsp;</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0">The Proponents submitted the Proposal out of concern that Smith &amp;
Wesson has no process in place to identify and analyze human rights risks in its business and operations, which is especially problematic
given the lethal nature of the Company&rsquo;s products. Over the three previous AGMs,<SUP>2</SUP> shareholder support for the Proposal
has grown from 36% in 2019 to 44% in 2021. (The Proposal was withdrawn for dialogue in 2020.)</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0">&nbsp;</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0">We urge you to support the Proposal because:</P>

<TABLE CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%" STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt"><TR STYLE="vertical-align: top">
<TD STYLE="width: 0.25in"></TD><TD STYLE="width: 0.25in"><FONT STYLE="font-family: Symbol">&middot;</FONT></TD><TD><FONT STYLE="font-family: Times New Roman, Times, Serif">Human rights due diligence allows companies to proactively identify actual
and potential human rights impacts, which may allow them to avoid legal, financial, and reputational harm, as well as regulatory backlash.</FONT></TD></TR></TABLE>

<TABLE CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%" STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt"><TR STYLE="vertical-align: top">
<TD STYLE="width: 0.25in"></TD><TD STYLE="width: 0.25in"><FONT STYLE="font-family: Symbol">&middot;</FONT></TD><TD><FONT STYLE="font-family: Times New Roman, Times, Serif">Smith &amp; Wesson&rsquo;s own policies and disclosures are silent on human
rights.</FONT></TD></TR></TABLE>

<TABLE CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%" STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt"><TR STYLE="vertical-align: top">
<TD STYLE="width: 0.25in"></TD><TD STYLE="width: 0.25in"><FONT STYLE="font-family: Symbol">&middot;</FONT></TD><TD><FONT STYLE="font-family: Times New Roman, Times, Serif">Since last year&rsquo;s AGM, additional high-profile mass shootings, including
one using a Smith &amp; Wesson product have occurred, prompting Congressional scrutiny.</FONT></TD></TR></TABLE>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0 0pt 0.5in">&nbsp;</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0"><U>Human Rights Due Diligence Does Not Automatically Lead to Assumption
of Liabilities and Can Help Prevent Costly Impacts</U></P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0">&nbsp;&nbsp;</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0">The primary focus of Smith &amp; Wesson&rsquo;s Statement in Opposition
is its claim that a human rights policy consistent with the U.N. Guiding Principles (&ldquo;UNGPs&rdquo;) on Business and Human Rights,
a set of principles for states and companies to prevent, address and remedy human rights abuses in business operations, would &ldquo;require
[the Company] to assume some portion of extra-legal liabilities that activists claim to be in the hundreds of billions of dollars.&rdquo;<SUP>3</SUP>
That assertion misrepresents the UNGPs and the human rights due diligence process.</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0">&nbsp;</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0">Conducting human rights due diligence as contemplated by the UNGPs
does signal a willingness to remedy adverse human rights impacts.<SUP>4</SUP> But the human rights due diligence process is not legally
binding in any way, nor does it lead to an adjudication of fault or damages/penalties the way litigation or a government enforcement action
would. Remediation may take many different forms, including apologies and changing policies and procedures to prevent future harms.</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0">&nbsp;</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0">Remediation would not, as Smith &amp; Wesson asserts, require payment
of some portion of liabilities estimated by third parties. Smith &amp; Wesson has repeatedly pointed to the Proponents&rsquo; refusal
to estimate the amount the Company would be required to pay to remediate identified harms as evidence that the Proponents agree with the
$280 billion estimate Smith &amp; Wesson touts or are being coy about the costs associated with implementing the Proposal. Even if human
rights due diligence required compensation of affected rightsholders&mdash;which it does not&mdash;the Proponents, as investors, not lawyers
or economists, do not have the expertise required to challenge another group&rsquo;s estimate or provide their own. The Proponents note
that the estimates included in the Everytown for Gun Safety report and CEOs for Gun Safety letter cited in the Company&rsquo;s Statement
in Opposition<SUP>5</SUP> include costs to employers and the government stemming from gun violence, which are beyond the purview of the
Proposal, and are not limited to harms caused by Smith &amp; Wesson products.</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0">&nbsp;</P>


<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0">&nbsp;</P>


<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0">_____________________________</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0"><SUP>2</SUP> Smith &amp; Wesson incorrectly claims in its Statement
in Opposition to the Proposal that this is the fifth time the Proposal has been submitted. The proposal filed in 2018, following the mass
shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, asked for a gun safety report which the proponents found lacking.</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0"><SUP>3</SUP> Smith &amp; Wesson 2022 Proxy Statement, at 50.</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0"><FONT STYLE="font-family: Times New Roman, Times, Serif"><SUP>4</SUP>
<U>See</U></FONT> <FONT STYLE="font-family: Times New Roman, Times, Serif">https://www.ohchr.org/sites/default/files/documents/publications/guidingprinciplesbusinesshr_en.pdf</FONT><FONT STYLE="font-family: Times New Roman, Times, Serif">,
at 16.</FONT></P>
<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0"><SUP>5</SUP> <U>See</U> Smith &amp; Wesson 2022 Proxy Statement, at
49 n.7.</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0; text-align: justify"><B>&nbsp;</B></P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0; text-align: justify"><B>WE ARE NOT SOLICITING AUTHORITY TO ACT AS PROXY
FOR ANY SMITH &amp; WESSON SHAREHOLDER. PROXY CARDS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED BY ANY PROPONENT.&nbsp; TO VOTE YOUR PROXY, PLEASE FOLLOW THE
INSTRUCTIONS IN SMITH &amp; WESSON&rsquo;S PROXY STATEMENT.</B></P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0">&nbsp;</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0"></P>

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<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0">&nbsp;</P>
<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0">Smith &amp; Wesson takes language in the Proposal out of context to
claim that the requested human rights due diligence would require remediation &ldquo;regardless of legal requirements.&rdquo;<SUP>6</SUP>
The Proposal would do no such thing. The Proposal asks Smith &amp; Wesson to adopt a human rights policy that &ldquo;appl[ies] throughout
the company&rsquo;s value chain and in operating requirements regardless of legal requirements.&rdquo; That language is intended to make
clear that human rights due diligence should identify impacts a company causes or to which it contributes, regardless of whether it would
be legally liable for them. For example, a company&rsquo;s human rights due diligence should identify use of forced labor by a supplier
even if the company would not be held legally liable for that human rights violation under US law or the law of the supplier&rsquo;s jurisdiction.
Thus, the &ldquo;extra-legal liability&rdquo; phrase repeated by Smith &amp; Wesson is based on a mischaracterization of the Proposal.
Similarly, Smith &amp; Wesson&rsquo;s reference to &ldquo;above and beyond legal and regulatory matters&rdquo; language, which appears
only in a proposal submitted to another company, is misleading.</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0">&nbsp;</P>



<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0">In the Proponents&rsquo; view, taking a proactive approach to identifying,
preventing, and remedying adverse human rights impacts can help a company avoid or mitigate negative consequences. Those consequences
may include not only litigation but also reputational damage stemming from association with human rights abuses and regulatory backlash.
Smith &amp; Wesson makes much of support by one of the Proponents for reasonable restrictions such as limiting civilian access to militarized
assault weapons with high-capacity ammunition magazines, requiring universal background checks, and restricting concealed carry of guns.<SUP>7</SUP>
The Proponents have never tried to conceal that they support stricter gun laws, as do a majority of Americans.<SUP>8</SUP> Voluntary action
by gun manufacturers, however, could make some such restrictions unnecessary, and the Proponents believe that committing to human rights
due diligence would both provide Smith &amp; Wesson with full information needed to make decisions about its business and assure investors
that human rights-related risks are being adequately managed.</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0">&nbsp;</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0"><U>Smith &amp; Wesson&rsquo;s Existing Policies and &ldquo;ESG Journey&rdquo;
Do Not Address Human Rights</U></P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0">&nbsp;</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0">Smith &amp; Wesson urges that the Proposal is unnecessary in light
of the Company&rsquo;s own policies and efforts, as well as its commitment to an ongoing &ldquo;ESG Journey.&rdquo; That contention is
undermined by the fact that none of these initiatives deals with human rights.</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0">&nbsp;</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0">The Corporate Stewardship Policy (the &ldquo;Policy&rdquo;) Smith &amp;
Wesson mentions sets forth some process-oriented commitments, such as enforcing existing policies and regularly evaluating policies and
practices.<SUP>9</SUP> It also commits Smith &amp; Wesson to a few substantive actions, including &ldquo;striv[ing] to manage our environmental
impact,&rdquo; supporting gun safety initiatives, and respecting &ldquo;laws and regulations governing the manufacture, sale, distribution,
and use of firearms.&rdquo;<SUP>10</SUP> The Policy&rsquo;s tone is defiant; it states that the Company&rsquo;s &ldquo;greatest&nbsp;challenge
comes from those who oppose the long respected fundamental right of free individuals to own firearms for self-defense, sport, and hunting.&rdquo;<SUP>11</SUP>
None of the existing policies referenced in the Policy, nor the Policy itself, addresses human rights.</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0">&nbsp;</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0">&nbsp;</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0">_____________________________</P>


<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0"><SUP>6</SUP> Smith &amp; Wesson 2022 Proxy Statement, at 49.</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0"><SUP>7</SUP> <U>See</U> Smith &amp; Wesson 2022 Proxy Statement, at
48, 50.</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0"><FONT STYLE="font-family: Times New Roman, Times, Serif"><SUP>8</SUP></FONT>
<FONT STYLE="font-family: Times New Roman, Times, Serif">https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2021/05/11/key-facts-about-americans-and-guns/</FONT></P>
<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0"><FONT STYLE="font-family: Times New Roman, Times, Serif"><SUP>9</SUP>
<U>See</U></FONT> <FONT STYLE="font-family: Times New Roman, Times, Serif">https://ir.smith-wesson.com/static-files/a66d1a75-6794-48dc-8e16-9d60e3486220</FONT></P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0"><SUP>10</SUP> <U>See</U> https://ir.smith-wesson.com/static-files/a66d1a75-6794-48dc-8e16-9d60e3486220</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0"><SUP>11</SUP> <U>See</U> https://ir.smith-wesson.com/static-files/a66d1a75-6794-48dc-8e16-9d60e3486220</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0; text-align: justify"><B>&nbsp;</B></P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0; text-align: justify"><B>WE ARE NOT SOLICITING AUTHORITY TO ACT AS PROXY
FOR ANY SMITH &amp; WESSON SHAREHOLDER. PROXY CARDS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED BY ANY PROPONENT.&nbsp; TO VOTE YOUR PROXY, PLEASE FOLLOW THE
INSTRUCTIONS IN SMITH &amp; WESSON&rsquo;S PROXY STATEMENT.</B></P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0">&nbsp;</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0"></P>

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<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0">&nbsp;</P>


<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0">The other documents produced in the course of Smith &amp; Wesson&rsquo;s
ESG journey are also unrelated to the subject of the Proposal. The Environmental Factsheet deals with the environment, not human rights,
and the Firearm Market Factsheet<SUP>12</SUP> simply describes Smith &amp; Wesson&rsquo;s firearm distribution channels, restates existing
legal requirements, and discusses the Company&rsquo;s participation in gun safety programs. Neither Factsheet mentions human rights.</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0">&nbsp;</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0">Finally, Smith &amp; Wesson points to its establishment of the Environmental,
Social and Governance board committee (the &ldquo;Committee&rdquo;) as part of a risk management framework that it says is more appropriate
than the human rights due diligence process advocated in the Proposal. The Committee&rsquo;s charter,<SUP>13</SUP> however, identifies
14 different &ldquo;ESG Matters&rdquo; on which the Committee will focus, and human rights is not among them. The Committee is thus unlikely
to have any impact on the risks discussed in the Proposal.</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0">&nbsp;</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0"><U>Recent Events Reinforce the Risks Smith &amp; Wesson Faces and Strengthen
the Case for the Proposal</U></P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0">&nbsp;</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0">Gun violence became the leading cause of death for children in the
United States in 2020, the most recent year for which Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data are available. Since last year&rsquo;s
AGM, Smith &amp; Wesson&rsquo;s M&amp;P15 semiautomatic rifle, an AR-15-style firearm, was used in a highly publicized mass shooting at
the Highland Park, Illinois July 4<SUP>th</SUP> parade<SUP>14</SUP>; similar rifles made by other manufacturers were used to kill 19 children
and two teachers at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas on May 24, 2022 and 10 shoppers at a Tops grocery store in Buffalo, New York
just eight days earlier.<SUP>15</SUP> Smith &amp; Wesson&rsquo;s M&amp;P15 had also been used in the Parkland, Florida school shooting,<SUP>16</SUP>
which killed 14 <FONT STYLE="font-size: 10pt">students and three staff members in 2018.<SUP>17</SUP></FONT></P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0">&nbsp;</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0">In response to the 2022 shootings, the House Oversight Committee (&ldquo;HOC&rdquo;)
took a series of actions on gun safety. On May 26, HOC sent letters to five gun manufacturers, including Smith &amp; Wesson, seeking information
about the sale and marketing of AR-15-style rifles and similar firearms. A hearing followed on June 7 and 8 at which survivors of the
Buffalo and Uvalde shootings and families of the victims testified.<SUP>18</SUP> Following the Highland Park shooting, HOC chairwoman
Caroline Maloney wrote to three manufacturers, asking them to appear at a hearing on gun violence. At that hearing, which was held on
July 27 and had as its subject the &ldquo;Practices and Profits of Gun Manufacturers,&rdquo; the CEOs of Daniel Defense and Sturm Ruger
appeared, but Smith &amp; Wesson CEO Mark Smith &ldquo;abruptly withdrew&rdquo; five days before the hearing without explanation.<SUP>19</SUP></P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0">&nbsp;</P>


<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0">&nbsp;</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0">_____________________________</P>


<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0"><SUP>12</SUP> https://www.smith-wesson.com/sites/default/files/sw_fact_sheet.pdf</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0"><SUP>13</SUP> https://ir.smith-wesson.com/static-files/5b28878c-8f95-4be4-9df5-9685ff74c861</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0"><SUP>14</SUP> https://chicago.suntimes.com/2022/7/6/23197100/highland-park-mass-shooting-gun-mith-wesson-mp15-semiautomatic-rifle-fourth-july-parade-robert-crimo</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0"><SUP>15</SUP> https://apnews.com/article/uvalde-school-shooting-buffalo-supermarket-texas-d1415e5a50eb85a50d5464970a225b2d</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0"><SUP>16</SUP> https://vpc.org/press/backgrounder-on-smith-wesson-mp15-assault-rifle-used-in-mass-shooting-at-marjory-stoneman-douglas-high-school-in-parkland-florida/</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0"><SUP>17</SUP> https://www.cnn.com/2022/08/04/us/parkland-shooting-sentencing-massacre-scene/index.html</P>


<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0"><SUP>18</SUP> https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/watch-live-uvalde-student-families-of-victims-testify-on-gun-violence-in-house-hearing</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0"><SUP>19</SUP> https://oversight.house.gov/news/press-releases/chairwoman-maloney-subpoenas-smith-wesson-for-documents-on-the-use-of-its</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0">&nbsp;</P>
<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0; text-align: justify"><B>WE ARE NOT SOLICITING AUTHORITY TO ACT AS PROXY
FOR ANY SMITH &amp; WESSON SHAREHOLDER. PROXY CARDS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED BY ANY PROPONENT.&nbsp; TO VOTE YOUR PROXY, PLEASE FOLLOW THE
INSTRUCTIONS IN SMITH &amp; WESSON&rsquo;S PROXY STATEMENT.</B></P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0">&nbsp;</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0"></P>

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<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0">&nbsp;</P>


<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0">The July 27 hearing featured testimony from Ryan Busse, a gun industry
executive who left the industry last year after 26 years, disgusted by the &ldquo;fear-based tactical culture&rdquo; used to sell AR-15-style
rifles.<SUP>20</SUP> In his testimony, Busse traced the evolution of the industry from one focused on responsible gun ownership to one
that targets young men with special forces fantasies and partners with domestic terrorist organizations like the Boogaloo Boys in order
to maximize profits and promote a fear-based political agenda that boosts sales.<SUP>21</SUP></P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0">&nbsp;</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0; background-color: white">On August 2, HOC issued a subpoena to Smith
&amp; Wesson due to its failure to appear at the hearing and produce documents voluntarily. The subpoena demanded documents related to
the manufacture and sale of AR-15-style rifles, including &ldquo;the revenue and profits Smith &amp; Wesson is making from AR-15-style
rifles, internal analysis and assessments related to the safety of its products and marketing practices, and internal communications involving
the CEO and other top executives discussing recent mass shootings carried out with the company&rsquo;s weapons.&rdquo;<SUP>22</SUP></P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0">&nbsp;</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0">In the Proponents&rsquo; view, these developments reinforce the seriousness
of the risks created by Smith &amp; Wesson&rsquo;s failure to systematically assess or even track the adverse impacts of its products,
especially AR-15-style rifles. Adopting a human rights due diligence process would allow Smith &amp; Wesson to monitor these risks more
precisely and take actions to prevent potentially costly future impacts. Accordingly, we urge you to vote FOR Proposal 5 on Smith &amp;
Wesson&rsquo;s proxy card.</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0">&nbsp;</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0">&nbsp;</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0; text-align: justify"><I>For questions regarding Smith &amp; Wesson
Proposal #5, please contact Northwest Coalition for Responsible Investment, ipjc@ipjc.org</I></P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0">&nbsp;</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0">_____________________________</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0"><SUP>20</SUP> https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2022/07/firearms-industry-marketing-mass-shooter/670621/</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0"><FONT STYLE="font-family: Times New Roman, Times, Serif"><SUP>21</SUP></FONT>
<FONT STYLE="font-family: Times New Roman, Times, Serif">https://oversight.house.gov/sites/democrats.oversight.house.gov/files/Busse%20Testimony%20Script.pdf</FONT><FONT STYLE="font-family: Times New Roman, Times, Serif">;
<U>see also</U> https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2022/07/firearms-industry-marketing-mass-shooter/670621/</FONT></P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0"><SUP>22</SUP> https://oversight.house.gov/news/press-releases/chairwoman-maloney-subpoenas-smith-wesson-for-documents-on-the-use-of-its</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0; text-align: justify"><B>&nbsp;</B></P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0; text-align: justify"><B>WE ARE NOT SOLICITING AUTHORITY TO ACT AS PROXY
FOR ANY SMITH &amp; WESSON SHAREHOLDER. PROXY CARDS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED BY ANY PROPONENT.&nbsp; TO VOTE YOUR PROXY, PLEASE FOLLOW THE
INSTRUCTIONS IN SMITH &amp; WESSON&rsquo;S PROXY STATEMENT.</B></P>

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