Smith and Wesson, one of the world's leading firearms manufacturers, was founded in 1852 by Horace Smith and Daniel B. Wesson (Annual Report Form 10-K p .1, 2011). Over the next 160 years, the company would be bought and sold several times, beginning with Mr. Wesson's purchase of Mr. Smith's interest in 1873. The Wesson family sold Smith & Wesson Corp. in 1965 and the company changed hands 4 more times between 1984 and its final resting place as Smith & Wesson Holding Company in 2001. They are one of the largest manufacturers of handguns and handcuffs in the United States United States and the largest American exporter of handguns. They have a factory in Springfield, Massachusetts, Houlton, Maine, and Rochester, New York, as well as a factory in Franklin, Tennessee, producing a wide selection of handguns, shotguns, modern sports, shotguns, black powder firearms, handcuffs, firearms-related products and accessories (Form 10-K Annual Report p.1, 2011) Smith & Wesson Holding Company has began trading its common stock on the American Stock Exchange in November 2002 under the symbol "SWB" and on the NASDAQ Global Select Market in July 2006 under the symbol "SWHC". » (Annual Report 10-K P.35, 2011). There are 20,000,000 shares of $0.001 par value preferred stock authorized, no shares issued or outstanding. Common shares with a par value of $0.001 100,000,000 shares authorized of which 65,710,531 shares are issued, 64,510,531 shares were outstanding, 185,802,000 shares paid in capital and 1,200,000 treasury shares as of 30 /04/11 their exercise. (Annual Report 10-K pF-3, 2011) Smith & Wesson offers a stock option plan (SOP) for its employees as well as stock-based compensation. The shares issued under the SOP were 1,062,000 and the stock-based compensation was 1,680,000. (10-K Annual Report...... middle of paper ......ingfield . (2011). 10-K Annual Report p.2. 10-K Annual Report p.49. (2011). 10-K Annual Report p.7. Annual report pF-17. (2011). Annual Report 10-K pF-22. (2011). 10-K Annual Report p.F23. . Springfield. (2011). Springfield 10-K Annual Report. (2011). 10-K Annual Report p.F6. Springfield 10-K Annual Report. (2011). -K Annual report p.1. Springfield.John j Wild, KW (2011 Fundamentals of Accounting, Twentieth Edition p.187)..