If, like many investors, you've watched weapons manufacturer Taser's (NASDAQ:TASR) roller coaster of a stock market ride, you've probably asked yourself, "Why?" The stock's gone from a 52-week low of $6.87 to a high of $64 before backing down recently to around $40 a share.
We all understand the increased need for security, and Taser's been a big beneficiary of this trend. Taser's co-founder and chief executive, Tom Smith, spoke to our Motley Fool Radio Team today about his company's products, prospects, and future. Asked to explain the volatility of Taser's stock price, Smith said: "I think Wall Street is...trying to understand how big this market really is. Because law enforcement is the one we're focused on today, and we only have a 10% penetration of law enforcement officers in the United States. And then they're not really sure how to factor in what's going to happen with us on an international level. Then there's also the private security market that's starting to take an interest in this. And the big one that's out there that we don't have our hands around -- and either does Wall Street -- is what's going to happen in the consumer marketplace? I just think people are having a hard time figuring out what the potential is for us as we go into the future and how big could we really get."
Taser's been through a tumultuous year, filled with blockbuster earnings reports, a controversy spurred by CBS over whether or not Taser's "nonlethal" weapons are really nonlethal, and an ongoing battle with shorts and naysayers trying to shock the stock back down.
What will the year ahead hold for Taser? Stay tuned to Fool.com for continuing coverage. And tune in this weekend to The Motley Fool Radio Show on NPR to hear the rest of Tom Smith's interview.
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