Acushnet : Annual Report 2020

2020

Annual Report

Dear Valued Shareholder,

We have always defined ourselves as an aspirational product, process and people company. It's a simple truth about who we are and why we have earned the brand leadership positions we hold today. Our people were put to the ultimate test in 2020, but through their resilience and tenacity we posted the most successful second half of a fiscal year in company history and we have emerged stronger, healthier and energized for the opportunities ahead.

A Reflection on 2020

The year was a tale of two distinct halves. The first half of the year forced the powering down of our businesses and facilities to prioritize the safety, health and well-being of our global associates. While the pandemic caused massive disruption to our workforce and operations, we began the hard work of reshaping the organization with new protocols so that those who were able to work remotely could do so and to enable our most important manufacturing facilities to resume operations in mid-May. This responsiveness and agility was a true testament to the dedication and passion of Acushnet's associates.

The second half of the year delivered its own unique challenges and opportunities. By June, as golf courses reopened, the game experienced a surge in rounds of play. The sport of golf became a respite for players around the world. Dedicated golfers found opportunities to play even more, recreational or lapsed golfers returned to the game as a healthy diversion, and families, including juniors, emerged in droves. On a company-wide basis, we quickly began to experience demand pressures, albeit most welcome ones, across all brands and product categories, which challenged our supply chain, our associates, and our ability to service our trade partners and golfers.

The unrelenting demand for tee times, fittings and equipment also placed a significant burden on the global stewards and caretakers of the game, who committed themselves to keeping golf a safe and inviting experience. PGA Professionals and all of our trade partners, faced with their own restrictions and lean staffs, worked tirelessly to service golfers in new and creative ways. We are deeply grateful for the role that they played and continue to play in protecting and nurturing the game. Their dedication and hard work will have long lasting, positive impacts on the game.

Acushnet's 2020 scorecard reads $1.6 billion in net sales, 51.5% gross margin and adjusted EBITDA1 of $233 million. Most importantly, the company protected and supported our associates, made meaningful contributions to our communities during the peak of the pandemic, and positioned the company and our global workforce for a promising future. When we reflect back on this challenging year, these are the contributions that will endure and define what it meant to be a member of the Acushnet family in 2020.

Trust at the Game's Highest Levels

We are also appreciative of players' energy and drive throughout the pyramid of influence as they showcased their exceptional talent. Their skill not only entertained us, but motivated each of us to continuously improve our own skills. Players' usage and trust in our products provide unequivocal validation of our products' performance and quality excellence. On the 2020 worldwide professional tours, 74% of players (nine times more than the nearest competitor) trusted Titleist Pro V1 or Pro V1x golf balls. On the club front, TSi was the most played driver since its fall debut on the PGA Tour and Titleist irons and Vokey Design wedges led in usage in their respective categories. FootJoy closed the year with the Premiere series being the #1 shoe at the Masters and continued its decades-long streak of being the #1 shoe and glove in golf.

New Product Innovation Fuels Momentum

Our momentum on the professional tours carried over into the market. We launched new products to resoundingly positive performance feedback, including new AVX, Velocity and Tour Speed golf balls, Vokey Design SM8 wedges, TSi metals, Scotty Cameron Special Select putters, Titleist Players 4 Carbon bags, FootJoy Pro|SL golf shoes and KJUS Gemini rainwear. Our strong go-to-market execution fueled brisk sell-through and has positioned us for continued success in 2021.

The Path Forward

We believe Acushnet's balance sheet strength positions us to make targeted investments in our future growth, return capital to shareholders by expanding our dividend and share repurchase programs and consider accretive acquisitions that are complementary to Acushnet's proven operating model.

We are inspired by our path forward and the strategic imperatives that will unlock growth and continue to drive the success of our brands. It starts with our focus on strengthening our connection with dedicated golfers to ensure that their feedback informs our product and service decisions. We remain committed to leading through innovation, as continuous improvement is part of every Acushnet associate's DNA. Our plans include leveraging technologies that enhance golfer experiences and more efficient business processes, investing in operational excellence to position the company for long-term, sustainable success, and continuing to nurture our enduring culture of passionate and high performing associates - by ensuring that diversity, inclusion and belonging are woven into the fabric of all that we do, we create an environment that brings out the best in all of us.

We are and always will be an aspirational product, process and people company. We will continue to be guided by a spirit of leadership that encourages all of us to do the right thing for the right reason with the long view in mind.

On behalf of Acushnet's Board of Directors and my 5,300 fellow associates, we thank you for your investment.

Sincerely,

David Maher

President and Chief Executive Officer

1 For a reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDA to net income attributable to Acushnet Holdings Corp. (the most directly comparable GAAP financial measure), see "Item 7 - Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" in our 10-K included in this Annual Report.

Forward-Looking Statements

This Annual Report, including our President and CEO's letter to shareholders, includes forward- looking statements within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), which are subject to the "safe harbor" created by that section.

These forward-looking statements reflect our current views with respect to, among other things, our industry, business strategy, goals and expectations concerning our market position, future operations, margins, profitability, capital expenditures, liquidity and capital resources, other financial and operating information and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the foregoing. We use words like "believe," "continue," "could," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "may," "plan," "future," "will," "seek," and similar terms and phrases to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements use these identifying words. The forward-looking statements contained in this Annual Report are based on management's current expectations and are subject to uncertainty and changes in circumstances. We cannot assure you that future developments affecting us will be those that we have anticipated. Actual results may differ materially from these expectations due to changes in global, regional or local economic, business, competitive, market, regulatory and other factors, many of which are beyond our control, including, for example, risks and uncertainties with respect to the duration and impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. For additional information, please see the Special Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements and the section entitled "Risk Factors" in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020 filed with the SEC on February 25, 2021 (enclosed herein), as it may be updated by our periodic reports subsequently filed with the SEC. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should any of our assumptions prove incorrect, our actual results may vary in material respects from those projected in these forward-looking statements.

Any forward-looking statement made by us in this Annual Report speaks only as of the date of this Annual Report. Factors or events that could cause our actual results to differ may emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for us to predict all of them. We may not actually achieve the plans, intentions or expectations disclosed in our forward-looking statements and you should not place undue reliance on our forward-looking statements. Our forward-looking statements do not reflect the potential impact of any future acquisitions, mergers, dispositions, joint ventures, investments or other strategic transactions we may make. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or review any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise, except as may be required by any applicable securities laws.