GANDER MOUNTAIN 4Q PROFIT SOARS . . . Outdoor retailer Gander Mountain Co. on Wednesday reported fourth-quarter profit increased 26 percent over the previous year. At $22.2 million, or $1.45 per share, net income for the quarter topped Wall Street expectations. With the help of strong equipment and fieldwear sales during the hunting seasons and solid sales during the holidays, sales were up 18 percent to $280.8 million during the fourth quarter, the company said. "The record fourth quarter results reflect our ability to manage our business profitably," said Mark Baker, president and CEO. "We are encouraged by the early results from initiatives we launched in 2005 that gained traction in the fourth quarter. We look forward to a balance of growth and improved profitability in 2006." Gander Mountain is traded on the NASDAQ National Market under the ticker symbol GMTN.
