View Filing Data

WARRANTIES (Tables)

3 Months Ended

Dec. 27, 2019

Product Warranties Disclosures [Abstract]

The following table summarizes the Company’s warranty activity for the three months ended December 27, 2019 and December 28, 2018.



	December 27, 2019		December 28, 2018
Balance at beginning of period	$	9,190	$	8,499
Expense accruals for warranties issued during the period	3,335		2,195
Less current period warranty claims paid	2,082		1,673
Balance at end of period	$	10,443	$	9,021

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (unaudited) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Dec. 27, 2019	Dec. 28, 2018
Statement of Comprehensive Income [Abstract]
Net income	$ 6,430	$ 3,521
Foreign currency translation:
Foreign currency translation	700	(1,700)
Defined benefit pension plan:
Change in pension plans, net of tax of $21 and $33, respectively	61	105
Total other comprehensive income (loss)	761	(1,595)
Total comprehensive income	$ 7,191	$ 1,926

- Definition

The portion of profit or loss for the period, net of income taxes, which is attributable to the parent.

+ References + Details

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (unaudited) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Dec. 27, 2019	Sep. 27, 2019	Dec. 28, 2018
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 138,257	$ 172,382	$ 72,076
Short term investments	0	0	32,138
Accounts receivable, net	78,249	44,508	55,558
Inventories	103,885	94,298	116,278
Other current assets	9,735	11,340	6,008
Total current assets	330,126	322,528	282,058
Property, plant and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation of $146,453, $143,028 and $133,958, respectively	59,629	59,499	56,650
Right of use assets	40,302
Deferred income taxes	11,456	11,449	11,678
Goodwill	11,193	11,186	11,164
Other intangible assets, net	11,128	11,374	12,047
Other assets	22,289	20,408	17,517
Total assets	486,123	436,444	391,114
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	35,384	30,392	41,820
Current lease liability	5,835
Accrued liabilities:
Salaries, wages and benefits	13,767	20,554	13,146
Accrued warranty	10,443	9,190	9,021
Income taxes payable	9,598	7,512	6,299
Accrued discounts and returns	8,146	7,503	7,508
Accrued customer programs	3,819	4,440	3,741
Other	8,269	8,275	7,559
Total current liabilities	95,261	87,866	89,094
Non-current lease liability	35,133
Deferred income taxes	1,657	1,638	1,672
Retirement benefits	1,001	942	1,913
Deferred compensation liability	21,009	19,092	16,015
Other liabilities	1,823	2,372	2,853
Total liabilities	155,884	111,910	111,547
Common stock:
Capital in excess of par value	76,523	75,856	73,968
Retained earnings	253,114	248,377	204,965
Accumulated other comprehensive income	2,319	1,558	1,892
Treasury stock at cost, shares of Class A common stock: 36,354, 29,225 and 29,225, respectively	(2,221)	(1,761)	(1,761)
Total shareholders’ equity	330,239	324,534	279,567
Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity	486,123	436,444	391,114
Class A
Common stock:
Shares issued and outstanding	443	443	442
Class B
Common stock:
Shares issued and outstanding	$ 61	$ 61	$ 61

INDEBTEDNESS (Narrative) (Details) - USD ($)	3 Months Ended
INDEBTEDNESS (Narrative) (Details) - USD ($)	Dec. 27, 2019	Sep. 27, 2019	Dec. 28, 2018	Nov. 15, 2017
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt outstanding	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0
Financial Standby Letter of Credit
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Letters of credit outstanding	$ 181,000		$ 279,000
Revolving Credit Facility
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Maximum borrowing capacity				$ 125,000,000
Interest rate	2.80%		3.50%
Revolving Credit Facility \| Minimum \| LIBOR
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Margin percentage	1.00%
Revolving Credit Facility \| Maximum \| LIBOR
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Margin percentage	1.75%
Revolving Credit Facility \| Revolvers Borrowing Capacity Standard
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Maximum borrowing capacity				75,000,000
Accordion feature				$ 50,000,000
Unsecured Revolving Credit Facilities At Foreign Subsidiaries
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Unsecured revolving credit facilities	$ 0

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY (unaudited) (Parenthetical) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Dec. 27, 2019	Dec. 28, 2018
Statement of Stockholders' Equity [Abstract]
Change in pension plans, tax benefit (expense)	$ 21	$ 33

INVENTORIES (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Dec. 27, 2019	Sep. 27, 2019	Dec. 28, 2018
Inventory Disclosure [Abstract]
Raw materials	$ 47,208	$ 45,168	$ 54,527
Work in process	463	152	328
Finished goods	56,214	48,978	61,423
Inventories	$ 103,885	$ 94,298	$ 116,278

INCOME TAXES

3 Months Ended

Dec. 27, 2019

Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]

INCOME TAXES

For the three months ended December 27, 2019 and December 28, 2018, the Company’s earnings before income taxes, income tax expense and effective income tax rate were as follows:



	Three Months Ended
(thousands, except tax rate data)	December 27, 2019			December 28, 2018
Profit before income taxes	$	8,589		$	4,331
Income tax expense	2,159			810
Effective income tax rate	25.1		%	18.7		%

The key factor impacting the effective tax rate for the three months ended December 27, 2019 was the net excess tax benefits related to share-based compensation, which were lower in the current period compared to the prior year period.

The impact of the Company’s operations in jurisdictions where a valuation allowance is assessed is removed from the overall effective tax rate methodology and recorded directly based on year to date results for the year for which no tax expense or benefit can be recognized. The significant tax jurisdictions that have a valuation allowance for the periods ended December 27, 2019 and December 28, 2018 were:



December 27, 2019	December 28, 2018
France	France
Indonesia	Indonesia
Switzerland	Switzerland

The Company regularly assesses the adequacy of its provisions for income tax contingencies in accordance with the applicable authoritative guidance on accounting for income taxes. As a result, the Company may adjust the reserves for unrecognized tax benefits due to the impact of changes in its assumptions or as a result of new facts and developments, such as changes to interpretations of relevant tax law, assessments from taxing authorities, settlements with taxing authorities and lapses of statutes of limitation. The Company’s 2020 fiscal year tax expense is anticipated to be unchanged related to uncertain income tax positions.

In accordance with its accounting policy, the Company recognizes accrued interest and penalties related to unrecognized benefits as a component of income tax expense. The Company is projecting accrued interest of $100 related to uncertain income tax positions for the fiscal year ending October 2, 2020.

The Company files income tax returns, including returns for its subsidiaries, with federal, state, local and foreign taxing jurisdictions. As of the date of this report, the following tax years remain open to examination by the respective significant tax jurisdictions:



Jurisdiction	Fiscal Years
United States	2016-2019
Canada	2015-2019
France	2016-2019
Germany	2017-2019
Italy	2018-2019
Switzerland	2009-2019

DERIVATIVE INSTRUMENTS AND HEDGING ACTIVITIES (Details) - contract	3 Months Ended
	Dec. 27, 2019	Dec. 28, 2018
Derivative [Line Items]
Number of foreign currency forward contracts (in contracts)	0	0
Geographic Concentration Risk \| Revenue Benchmark [Member]
Derivative [Line Items]
Percent of revenues in foreign currency	12.00%
Geographic Concentration Risk \| Revenue Benchmark [Member] \| Euro
Derivative [Line Items]
Percent of revenues in foreign currency	6.00%
Geographic Concentration Risk \| Revenue Benchmark [Member] \| Canadian Dollars
Derivative [Line Items]
Percent of revenues in foreign currency	3.00%
Geographic Concentration Risk \| Revenue Benchmark [Member] \| Hong Kong, Dollars
Derivative [Line Items]
Percent of revenues in foreign currency	1.00%

REVENUES	3 Months Ended
REVENUES	Dec. 27, 2019
Revenue from Contract with Customer [Abstract]
REVENUES	REVENUES Adoption of Topic 606 In the first quarter of fiscal 2019, the Company adopted ASU 2014-09 and all subsequent ASUs that modified accounting standards Topic 606 using the modified retrospective adoption method. Upon adoption, the Company recorded a right to returns asset of $763 and a corresponding increase in the accrued return liability, resulting in an accrued returns liability of $2,725. Other than as discussed above, the adoption of this new revenue standard did not have an impact on the Company's consolidated financial statements, and the timing and amount of its revenue recognition remained substantially unchanged under this new guidance. Revenue recognition Revenue is recognized when obligations under the terms of a contract with our customer are satisfied; generally this occurs with the transfer of control of our goods at a point in time based on shipping terms and transfer of title. Revenue is measured as the amount of consideration we expect to receive in exchange for transferring goods. The amount of consideration received can vary, primarily because of customer incentive or rebate arrangements. The Company estimates variable consideration based on the expected value of total consideration to which customers are likely to be entitled based on historical experience and projected market expectations. Included in the estimate is an assessment as to whether any variable consideration is constrained. Revenue estimates are adjusted at the earlier of a change in the expected value of consideration or when the consideration becomes fixed. For all contracts with customers, the Company has not adjusted the promised amount of consideration for the effects of a significant financing component as the period between the transfer of the promised goods and the customer's payment is expected to be one year or less. Sales are made on normal and customary short-term credit terms, generally ranging from 30 to 90 days, or upon delivery of point of sale transactions. Sales, value add, and other taxes we collect concurrent with revenue-producing activities are excluded from revenue. The Company enters into contractual arrangements with customers in the form of individual customer orders which specify the goods, quantity, pricing, and associated order terms. The Company does not have contracts which are satisfied over time. Due to the nature of these contracts, no significant judgment exists in relation to the identification of the customer contract, satisfaction of the performance obligation, or transaction price. The Company expenses incremental costs of obtaining a contract due to the short-term nature of the contracts. Estimated costs of returns, allowances and discounts, based on historic experience, are accrued as a reduction to sales when revenue is recognized. The Company provides customers the right to return eligible products under certain circumstances. At December 27, 2019, the right to returns asset was $1,112 and the accrued returns liability was $3,394. The Company also offers assurance-type warranties relating to its products sold to end customers that continue to be accounted for under ASC 460 Guarantees. The Company generally accounts for shipping and handling activities as a fulfillment activity, consistent with the timing of revenue recognition; that is, when a customer takes control of the transferred goods. In the event that a customer were to take control of a product upon or after shipment, the Company has made an accounting policy election to treat such shipping and handling activities as a fulfillment cost. Shipping and handling fees billed to customers are included in "Net Sales," and shipping and handling costs are recognized within "Marketing and selling expenses" in the same period the related revenue is recognized. The Company has a wide variety of seasonal, outdoor recreation products used primarily for fishing from a boat, diving, paddling, hiking and camping, that are sold to a variety of customers in multiple end markets. While there are multiple products sold, the nature of products are similar in terms of the nature of the revenue recognition policies. See Note 16 for required disclosures of disaggregated revenue.

STOCK-BASED COMPENSATION AND STOCK OWNERSHIP PLANS (Schedule of RSU Activity) (Details) - Restricted Stock Units (RSUs)	3 Months Ended
	Dec. 27, 2019 $ / shares shares
Number of RSUs
Beginning Balance (shares) \| shares	58,708
Grants (in shares) \| shares	27,517
Vested (shares) \| shares	(18,094)
Ending Balance (shares) \| shares	68,131
Weighted Average Grant Price
Beginning Balance (USD per share) \| $ / shares	$ 62.13
Grants (USD per share) \| $ / shares	64.51
Vested (USD per share) \| $ / shares	43.12
Ending Balance (USD per share) \| $ / shares	$ 68.14

NEW ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENTS	3 Months Ended
NEW ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENTS	Dec. 27, 2019
New Accounting Pronouncements and Changes in Accounting Principles [Abstract]
NEW ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENTS	NEW ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENTS Recently adopted accounting pronouncements In February 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842). In July 2018, the FASB also issued ASU 2018-10 Codification Improvements to Topic 842, Leases and ASU 2018-11 Leases (Topic 842) Targeted Improvements. In February 2019, the FASB also issued ASU 2019-01 Leases (Topic 842): Codification Improvements. This ASU and the updates to this ASU require organizations to recognize lease assets and lease liabilities on the balance sheet and to disclose key information about leasing arrangements. This guidance is effective for the Company in the first quarter of fiscal year 2020, and may be applied through a modified retrospective transition approach for leases existing at, or entered into after, the beginning of the earliest comparative period presented in the financial statements with certain practical expedients available. The Company adopted the provisions of these ASU's using the modified retrospective approach at the beginning of the first quarter of fiscal 2020, coinciding with the standard's effective date. The additional disclosures required by the ASU and its updates are included in Note 18 "Leases" of these Notes to the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements. In February 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-02, Income Statement - Reporting Comprehensive Income - Reclassification of Certain Tax Effects from Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Topic 220), which allows for a reclassification from accumulated other comprehensive income to retained earnings for stranded tax effects resulting from the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017. ASU No. 2018-02 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, including interim periods within those fiscal years. The ASU allows for early adoption in any interim period after issuance of the update. The Company early adopted the ASU in the second quarter of fiscal 2019, and elected not to make this optional reclassification. Recently issued accounting pronouncements In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-14, Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Defined Benefit Plans (Topic 715), which modifies the disclosure requirements for employers that sponsor defined pension or postretirement plans. The amendments in this guidance are effective for fiscal years ending after December 15, 2020, with early adoption permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the potential impact of this guidance on its disclosures.

GOODWILL (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
GOODWILL (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Dec. 27, 2019	Dec. 28, 2018
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Balance at beginning of period	$ 11,186	$ 11,199
Amount attributable to movements in foreign currency rates	7	(35)
Balance at end of period	$ 11,193	$ 11,164

FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS (Effect of Changes in Financial Instruments) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Dec. 27, 2019	Dec. 28, 2018
Rabbi trust assets
Fair Value, Option, Quantitative Disclosures [Line Items]
Changes in fair value, loss (income)	$ (1,192)	$ 2,277

FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS (Narrative) (Details) - Nonrecurring - USD ($)	Dec. 27, 2019	Dec. 28, 2018
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Assets	$ 0	$ 0
Liabilities	$ 0	$ 0

INCOME TAXES (Narrative) (Details) $ in Thousands	Oct. 02, 2020 USD ($)
Forecast
Income Tax Contingency [Line Items]
Accrued interest related to uncertain income tax positions	$ 100

LEASES (Components of Lease Expense) (Details) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Dec. 27, 2019 USD ($)
Lease Cost
Operating lease costs	$ 1,776
Short-term lease costs	483
Variable leases costs	43
Total lease cost	$ 2,302

WARRANTIES

3 Months Ended

Dec. 27, 2019

Product Warranties Disclosures [Abstract]

WARRANTIES

The Company provides warranties on certain of its products as they are sold. The following table summarizes the Company’s warranty activity for the three months ended December 27, 2019 and December 28, 2018.



	December 27, 2019		December 28, 2018
Balance at beginning of period	$	9,190	$	8,499
Expense accruals for warranties issued during the period	3,335		2,195
Less current period warranty claims paid	2,082		1,673
Balance at end of period	$	10,443	$	9,021

INCOME TAXES (Summary of Earnings Before Income Taxes, Income Tax Expense and Effective Income Tax Rate) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Dec. 27, 2019	Dec. 28, 2018
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]
Profit before income taxes	$ 8,589	$ 4,331
Income tax expense	$ 2,159	$ 810
Effective income tax rate	25.10%	18.70%

STOCK-BASED COMPENSATION AND STOCK OWNERSHIP PLANS

3 Months Ended

Dec. 27, 2019

Share-based Payment Arrangement [Abstract]

STOCK-BASED COMPENSATION AND STOCK OWNERSHIP PLANS

The Company’s current stock ownership plans allow for issuance of stock options to acquire shares of Class A common stock by key executives and non-employee directors. Current plans also allow for issuance of shares of restricted stock, restricted stock units or stock appreciation rights in lieu of stock options.

Under the Company’s 2012 Non-Employee Director Stock Ownership Plan (the only plan where shares currently remain available for future equity incentive awards) there were a total of 492,411 shares of the Company’s Class A common stock available for future grant to key executives and non-employee directors at December 27, 2019. As of December 13, 2019, shares of the Company's Class A common stock are no longer eligible for issuance as future equity incentive awards to key employees under the Company's 2010 Long-Term Stock Incentive Plan. Any outstanding awards under the Company’s 2010 Long-Term Stock Incentive Plan as of the December 13, 2019 termination date will continue to remain outstanding and be subject to the terms of such plan and any award agreement entered into by the Company with the participant. The Company has adopted the Johnson Outdoors Inc. 2020 Long-Term Stock Incentive Plan, subject to approval of this plan by the shareholders of the Company at the annual meeting of shareholders on February 27, 2020. The 2020 Long-Term Stock Incentive Plan authorizes up to 500,000 shares of the Company’s Class A common stock for issuance as awards to key employees under this new plan.

Non-vested Stock

All shares of non-vested restricted stock awarded by the Company have been granted in the form of shares of Class A common stock at their fair market value on the date of grant and vest within one year from the date of grant for stock granted to directors and four years from the date of grant for stock granted to officers and employees. The fair value at date of grant is based on the number of shares granted and the average of the Company’s high and low Class A common stock price on the date of grant or, if the Company’s Class A shares did not trade on the date of grant, the average of the Company’s high and low Class A common stock price on the last preceding date on which the Company’s Class A shares traded.

A summary of non-vested stock activity for the three months ended December 27, 2019 related to the Company’s stock ownership plans is as follows:



	Shares		Weighted Average Grant Price
Non-vested stock at September 27, 2019	41,608		$	51.78
Non-vested stock grants	9,457		64.51
Restricted stock vested	(12,885	)	27.75
Non-vested stock at December 27, 2019	38,180		63.04

Non-vested stock grantees may elect to reimburse the Company for withholding taxes due as a result of the vesting of shares by tendering a portion of the vested shares back to the Company. Shares tendered back to the Company were 4,054 and 3,381 during the three month periods ended December 27, 2019 and December 28, 2018, respectively.

Stock compensation expense, net of forfeitures, related to non-vested stock was $240 and $116 for the three month periods ended December 27, 2019 and December 28, 2018, respectively. Unrecognized compensation cost related to non-vested stock as of December 27, 2019 was $1,367, which amount will be amortized to expense through November 2022 or adjusted for changes in future estimated or actual forfeitures.

The fair value of restricted stock vested during the three month periods ended December 27, 2019 and December 28, 2018 was $839 and $1,237, respectively.

Restricted Stock Units

All restricted stock units (RSUs) awarded by the Company have been granted in the form of units payable in shares of Class A common stock upon vesting. The units are valued at the fair market value of a share of Class A common stock on the date of grant and vest within one year from the date of grant for RSUs granted to directors and three years from the date of grant for RSUs granted to employees. The fair value at the date of grant is based on the number of units granted and the average of the Company’s high and low Class A common stock trading price on the date of grant or, if the Company’s Class A shares did not trade on the date of grant, the average of the Company’s high and low Class A common stock trading price on the last preceding date on which the Company’s Class A shares traded.

A summary of RSU activity for the three months ended December 27, 2019 follows:



	Number of RSUs		Weighted Average Grant Price
RSUs at September 27, 2019	58,708		$	62.13
RSUs granted	27,517		64.51
RSUs vested	(18,094	)	43.12
RSUs at December 27, 2019	68,131		68.14

Stock compensation expense, net of forfeitures, related to RSUs was $420 and $402 for the three months ended December 27, 2019 and December 28, 2018, respectively. Unrecognized compensation cost related to non-vested RSUs as of December 27, 2019 was $2,986, which amount will be amortized to expense through September 2021 or adjusted for changes in future estimated or actual forfeitures.

RSU grantees may elect to reimburse the Company for withholding taxes due as a result of the vesting of units and issuance of unrestricted shares of Class A common stock by tendering a portion of such unrestricted shares back to the Company. Shares tendered back to the Company were 3,075 and 6,509 during the three month periods ended December 27, 2019 and December 28, 2018, respectively.

The fair value of restricted stock units recognized as a tax deduction during the three month periods ended December 27, 2019 and December 28, 2018 was $1,426 and $2,944, respectively.

Compensation expense related to units earned by employees (as opposed to grants to outside directors) is based upon the attainment of certain Company financial goals related to cumulative net sales and cumulative operating profit over a three-year performance period. Awards are only paid if at least 80% of the target levels are met and maximum payouts are made if 120% or more of target levels are achieved. The payouts for achievement at the threshold levels of performance are equal to 50% of the target award amount. The payouts for achievement at maximum levels of performance are equal to 150% of the target award amount. To the extent earned, awards are issued in shares of Company Class A common stock after the end of the three-year performance period.

Employees’ Stock Purchase Plan

The Company’s shareholders have adopted the Johnson Outdoors Inc. 2009 Employees’ Stock Purchase Plan, which was most recently amended on March 2, 2017, and which provides for the issuance of shares of Class A common stock at a purchase price of not less than 85% of the fair market value of such shares on the date of grant or on the date of purchase, whichever is lower.

During the three month period ended December 27, 2019, the Company issued 0 shares of Class A common stock and recognized $7 of expense in connection with the Employees' Stock Purchase Plan. During the three month period ended December 28, 2018, the Company issued 0 shares of Class A common stock and recognized $18 of expense in connection with the Plan.

DERIVATIVE INSTRUMENTS AND HEDGING ACTIVITIES	3 Months Ended
DERIVATIVE INSTRUMENTS AND HEDGING ACTIVITIES	Dec. 27, 2019
Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosure [Abstract]
DERIVATIVE INSTRUMENTS AND HEDGING ACTIVITIES	DERIVATIVE INSTRUMENTS AND HEDGING ACTIVITIES The following disclosures describe the Company’s objectives in using derivative instruments, the business purpose or context for using derivative instruments, and how the Company believes the use of derivative instruments helps achieve the stated objectives. In addition, the following disclosures describe the effects of the Company’s use of derivative instruments and hedging activities on its financial statements. Foreign Exchange Risk The Company has significant foreign operations, for which the functional currencies are denominated primarily in euros, Swiss francs, Hong Kong dollars and Canadian dollars. As the values of the currencies of the foreign countries in which the Company has operations increase or decrease relative to the U.S. dollar, the sales, expenses, profits, losses, assets and liabilities of the Company’s foreign operations, as reported in the Company’s consolidated financial statements, increase or decrease, accordingly. Approximately 12% of the Company’s revenues for the three month period ended December 27, 2019 were denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar. Approximately 6% were denominated in euros, approximately 3% were denominated in Canadian dollars and approximately 1% were denominated in Hong Kong dollars, with the remaining revenues denominated in various other foreign currencies. Changes in foreign currency exchange rates can cause the Company to experience unexpected financial losses or cash flow needs . The Company may mitigate a portion of the fluctuations in certain foreign currencies through the use of foreign currency forward contracts. Foreign currency forward contracts enable the Company to lock in the foreign currency exchange rate to be paid or received for a fixed amount of currency at a specified date in the future. The Company may use such foreign currency forward contracts to mitigate the risk associated with changes in foreign currency exchange rates on financial instruments and known commitments, including commitments for inventory purchases, denominated in foreign currencies. As of December 27, 2019 and December 28, 2018, the Company held no foreign currency forward contracts.

PENSION PLANS

3 Months Ended

Dec. 27, 2019

Retirement Benefits [Abstract]

PENSION PLANS

The Company has non-contributory defined benefit pension plans covering certain of its U.S. employees. Retirement benefits are generally provided based on the employees’ years of service and average earnings. Normal retirement age is 65, with provisions for earlier retirement.

The Company made contributions of $44 and $45 to its pension plans for the three months ended December 27, 2019 and December 28, 2018, respectively

The components of net periodic benefit cost related to Company sponsored defined benefit plans for the three month periods ended December 27, 2019 and December 28, 2018 were as follows:



	Three Months Ended
	December 27, 2019		December 28, 2018
Components of net periodic benefit cost:
Service cost	$	—	$	—
Interest on projected benefit obligation	276		265
Less estimated return on plan assets	214		191
Amortization of unrecognized losses	82		138
Net periodic benefit cost	$	144	$	212

FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS (Summary of Financial Assets) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Dec. 27, 2019	Sep. 27, 2019	Dec. 28, 2018
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Rabbi trust assets	$ 20,978	$ 19,092	$ 15,982
Level 1
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Rabbi trust assets	20,978	19,092	15,982
Level 2
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Rabbi trust assets	0	0	0
Level 3
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Rabbi trust assets	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0

LEASES (Tables)

3 Months Ended

Dec. 27, 2019

Leases [Abstract]

Components of Lease Expense

As of December 27, 2019, the components of lease expense recognized in the condensed consolidated statements of operations were as follows:



	Three months ended
	December 27, 2019
Lease Cost
Operating lease costs	$	1,776
Short-term lease costs	483
Variable leases costs	43
Total lease cost	$	2,302

Supplemental balance sheet, cash flow, and other information related to operating leases was as follows:



	Three months ended
	December 27, 2019
Operating leases:

Operating lease ROU assets	$	40,302

Current operating leases liabilities	5,835
Non-current operating lease liabilities	35,133
Total operating lease liabilities	$	40,968

Weighted average remaining lease term (in years)	10.67

Weighted average discount rate	2.83		%

Cash paid for amounts included in the measurement of lease liabilities	$	1,571

Right of Use Assets and Lease Liabilities

As of December 27, 2019, the Company did not have any finance leases. There were no significant new leases entered into during the quarter ended December 27, 2019. Supplemental balance sheet, cash flow, and other information related to operating leases was as follows:



	Three months ended
	December 27, 2019
Operating leases:

Operating lease ROU assets	$	40,302

Current operating leases liabilities	5,835
Non-current operating lease liabilities	35,133
Total operating lease liabilities	$	40,968

Weighted average remaining lease term (in years)	10.67

Weighted average discount rate	2.83		%

Cash paid for amounts included in the measurement of lease liabilities	$	1,571

Maturities of Operating Lease Liabilities

Future minimum rental commitments under non-cancelable operating leases with an initial lease term in excess of one year at December 27, 2019 were as follows:



Year	Related parties included in total			Total
Remainder of 2020	$	781		$	6,286
2021	1,067			6,184
2022	179			3,895
2023	—			3,362
2024	—			3,362
Thereafter	—			23,322
Total undiscounted lease payments	2,027			46,411
Less: Imputed interest	(38		)	(5,443		)
Total net lease liability	$	1,989		$	40,968

Future Minimum Rent Commitments Under Operating Leases

Future minimum rent commitments under non-cancelable operating leases with an initial lease term in excess of one year at December 28, 2018 were as follows:



Year	Related parties included in total		Total
2019	$	755	$	5,792
2020	1,036		7,187
2021	1,067		5,835
2022	179		3,719
2023	—		2,517
Thereafter	—		24,832
Total	3,037		49,882

GOODWILL (Tables)

3 Months Ended

Dec. 27, 2019

Goodwill and Intangible Assets Disclosure [Abstract]

Schedule of Goodwill

The changes in goodwill during the three months ended December 27, 2019 and December 28, 2018 were as follows:



	December 27, 2019		December 28, 2018
Balance at beginning of period	$	11,186	$	11,199
Amount attributable to movements in foreign currency rates	7		(35		)
Balance at end of period	$	11,193	$	11,164

EARNINGS PER SHARE (“EPS”) (Details) - $ / shares	3 Months Ended
EARNINGS PER SHARE (“EPS”) (Details) - $ / shares	Dec. 27, 2019	Dec. 28, 2018	Jun. 29, 2018
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Percentage of cash dividends on Class A common stock relative to Class B common stock	110.00%
Non-Vested Stock
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Antidilutive securities excluded from computation of earnings per share (shares)	40,312	38,562
Stock Options
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Antidilutive securities excluded from computation of earnings per share (shares)	0		0
Class A
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Dividends declared per common share (in dollars per share)	$ 0.17	$ 0.14
Class B
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Dividends declared per common share (in dollars per share)	$ 0.15	$ 0.13

Cover Page - shares	3 Months Ended
Cover Page - shares	Dec. 27, 2019	Jan. 24, 2020
Entity Information [Line Items]
Document Type	10-Q
Amendment Flag	false
Document Period End Date	Dec. 27, 2019
Document Fiscal Period Focus	Q1
Document Fiscal Year Focus	2020
Entity Registrant Name	JOHNSON OUTDOORS INC
Entity Central Index Key	0000788329
Current Fiscal Year End Date	--10-02
Entity Filer Category	Accelerated Filer
Entity Emerging Growth Company	false
Entity Small Business	false
Entity Shell Company	false
Entity Current Reporting Status	Yes
Class A
Entity Information [Line Items]
Entity Common Stock, Shares Outstanding		8,858,611
Class B
Entity Information [Line Items]
Entity Common Stock, Shares Outstanding		1,211,602

PENSION PLANS (Tables)

3 Months Ended

Dec. 27, 2019

Retirement Benefits [Abstract]

Components of Net Periodic Benefit Cost

The components of net periodic benefit cost related to Company sponsored defined benefit plans for the three month periods ended December 27, 2019 and December 28, 2018 were as follows:



	Three Months Ended
	December 27, 2019		December 28, 2018
Components of net periodic benefit cost:
Service cost	$	—	$	—
Interest on projected benefit obligation	276		265
Less estimated return on plan assets	214		191
Amortization of unrecognized losses	82		138
Net periodic benefit cost	$	144	$	212

INDEBTEDNESS	3 Months Ended
INDEBTEDNESS	Dec. 27, 2019
Debt Disclosure [Abstract]
INDEBTEDNESS	INDEBTEDNESS The Company had no debt outstanding at December 27, 2019, September 27, 2019, or December 28, 2018. Revolvers The Company and certain of its subsidiaries have entered into an unsecured credit facility with PNC Bank National Association and Associated Bank, N.A. ("the Lending Group"). This credit facility consists of a $75 million Revolving Credit Facility among the Company, certain of the Company’s subsidiaries, PNC Bank National Association, as lender and as administrative agent, and the other lender named therein (the “Credit Agreement” or “Revolver”). The Revolver has an expiration date of November 15, 2022 and provides for borrowing of up to an aggregate principal amount not to exceed $75,000 with a $50,000 accordion feature that gives the Company the option to increase the maximum financing availability (i.e., an aggregate borrowing amount of $125,000) subject to the conditions of the Credit Agreement and subject to the approval of the lenders. The interest rate on the Revolver is based on LIBOR plus an applicable margin, which margin resets each quarter. The applicable margin ranges from 1.00% to 1.75% and is dependent on the Company’s leverage ratio for the trailing twelve month period. The interest rates on the Revolver at December 27, 2019 and December 28, 2018 were approximately 2.8% and 3.5%, respectively. The Credit Agreement restricts the Company's ability to incur additional debt, includes maximum leverage ratio and minimum interest coverage ratio covenants and is unsecured. Other Borrowings The Company had no unsecured revolving credit facilities at its foreign subsidiaries as of December 27, 2019 or December 28, 2018. The Company utilizes letters of credit primarily as security for the payment of future claims under its workers’ compensation insurance, which totaled approximately $181 and $279 as of December 27, 2019 and December 28, 2018, respectively.

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS (unaudited) - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Dec. 27, 2019	Dec. 28, 2018
Net sales	$ 128,054	$ 104,440
Cost of sales	74,442	60,121
Gross profit	53,612	44,319
Operating expenses:
Marketing and selling	29,305	24,693
Administrative management, finance and information systems	11,975	8,387
Research and development	5,531	5,261
Total operating expenses	46,811	38,341
Operating profit	6,801	5,978
Interest income	(655)	(540)
Interest expense	35	37
Other (income) expense, net	(1,168)	2,150
Profit before income taxes	8,589	4,331
Income tax expense	2,159	810
Net income	$ 6,430	$ 3,521
Weighted average common shares - Basic:
Participating securities (shares)	27	43
Weighted average common shares - Dilutive (shares)	10,039	10,008
Class A
Weighted average common shares - Basic:
Weighted average common shares - Basic (shares)	8,800	8,753
Net income per common share - Basic:
Net income per common share - Basic (USD per share)	$ 0.65	$ 0.36
Net income per common share - Diluted:
Net income per common share - Diluted (USD per share)	$ 0.64	$ 0.35
Class B
Weighted average common shares - Basic:
Weighted average common shares - Basic (shares)	1,212	1,212
Net income per common share - Basic:
Net income per common share - Basic (USD per share)	$ 0.59	$ 0.32
Net income per common share - Diluted:
Net income per common share - Diluted (USD per share)	$ 0.64	$ 0.35

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY (unaudited) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Total	Common Stock	Capital in Excess of Par Value	Retained Earnings	Treasury Stock	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)
Balance, beginning of period (shares) at Sep. 28, 2018		9,999,046
Balance, beginning of period at Sep. 28, 2018		$ 503	$ 75,025	$ 202,828	$ (2,646)	$ 3,487
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income	$ 3,521			3,521
Dividends declared				(1,384)
Award of non-vested shares			(1,593)		1,593
Award of non-vested shares (shares)		48,236
Stock-based compensation			536
Currency translation adjustment	(1,700)					(1,700)
Change in pension plans, net of tax	105					105
Purchase of treasury stock at cost (shares)		(9,890)
Purchase of treasury stock at cost					(708)
Balance, end of period (shares) at Dec. 28, 2018		10,037,392
Balance, end of period at Dec. 28, 2018	279,567	$ 503	73,968	204,965	(1,761)	1,892
Balance, beginning of period (shares) at Sep. 27, 2019		10,045,771
Balance, beginning of period at Sep. 27, 2019	324,534	$ 504	75,856	248,377	(1,761)	1,558
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income	6,430			6,430
Dividends declared				(1,693)
Award of non-vested shares			0		0
Award of non-vested shares (shares)		31,571
Stock-based compensation			667
Currency translation adjustment	700					700
Change in pension plans, net of tax	61					61
Purchase of treasury stock at cost (shares)		(7,129)
Purchase of treasury stock at cost					(460)
Balance, end of period (shares) at Dec. 27, 2019		10,070,213
Balance, end of period at Dec. 27, 2019	$ 330,239	$ 504	$ 76,523	$ 253,114	$ (2,221)	$ 2,319

ACCUMULATED OTHER COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (LOSS) (Tables)

3 Months Ended

Dec. 27, 2019

Equity [Abstract]

Changes in AOCI by Component, Net of Tax

The changes in Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (“AOCI”) by component, net of tax, for the three months ended December 27, 2019 were as follows:



	Foreign Currency Translation Adjustment		Unamortized Loss on Defined Benefit Pension Plans			Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)
Balance at September 27, 2019	$	4,790	$	(3,232	)	$	1,558
Other comprehensive income before reclassifications	700		—			700
Amounts reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income	—		82			82
Tax effects	—		(21		)	(21		)
Balance at December 27, 2019	$	5,490	$	(3,171	)	$	2,319

The changes in AOCI by component, net of tax, for the three months ended December 28, 2018 were as follows:



	Foreign Currency Translation Adjustment			Unamortized Loss on Defined Benefit Pension Plans			Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)
Balance at September 28, 2018	$	7,796		$	(4,309	)	$	3,487
Other comprehensive loss before reclassifications	(1,700		)	—			(1,700		)
Amounts reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income	—			138			138
Tax effects	—			(33		)	(33		)
Balance at December 28, 2018	$	6,096		$	(4,204	)	$	1,892

Reclassifications out of AOCI

The reclassifications out of AOCI for the three months ended December 27, 2019 were as follows:



				Statement of Operations Presentation
Unamortized loss on defined benefit pension plans:
Amortization of loss	$	82		Other income and expense
Tax effects	(21		)	Income tax expense
Total reclassifications for the period	$	61

The reclassifications out of AOCI for the three months ended December 28, 2018 were as follows:



				Statement of Operations Presentation
Unamortized loss on defined benefit pension plans:
Amortization of loss	$	138		Other income and expense
Tax effects	(33		)	Income tax expense
Total reclassifications for the period	$	105

SEGMENTS OF BUSINESS

3 Months Ended

Dec. 27, 2019

Segment Reporting [Abstract]

SEGMENTS OF BUSINESS

The Company conducts its worldwide operations through separate business segments, each of which represents major product lines. Operations are conducted in the United States and various foreign countries, primarily in Europe, Canada and the Pacific Basin. During the three month period ended December 27, 2019, combined net sales to two customers of the Company's Fishing, Camping and Watercraft Recreation segments represented approximately $32,321 of the Company's consolidated revenues. During the three month period ended December 28, 2018, combined net sales to two customers of the Company's Fishing, Camping and Watercraft Recreation segments represented approximately $31,876 of the Company's consolidated revenues.

Net sales and operating profit include both sales to customers, as reported in the Company’s accompanying Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations, and interunit transfers, which are priced to recover cost plus an appropriate profit margin. Total assets represent assets that are used in the Company’s operations in each business segment at the end of the periods presented.

A summary of the Company’s operations by business segment is presented below:



	Three Months Ended
	December 27, 2019			December 28, 2018			September 27, 2019
Net sales:
Fishing:
Unaffiliated customers	$	99,193		$	78,707
Interunit transfers	85			90
Camping:
Unaffiliated customers	7,505			5,814
Interunit transfers	9			6
Watercraft Recreation:
Unaffiliated customers	4,803			4,319
Interunit transfers	6			6
Diving
Unaffiliated customers	16,458			15,529
Interunit transfers	1			9
Other / Corporate	95			70
Eliminations	(101		)	(110		)
Total	$	128,054		$	104,440
Operating profit (loss):
Fishing	$	15,018		$	11,422
Camping	66			(686		)
Watercraft Recreation	(1,563		)	(1,492		)
Diving	205			(707		)
Other / Corporate	(6,925		)	(2,559		)
	$	6,801		$	5,978
Total assets (end of period):
Fishing	$	216,783		$	174,412		$	153,926
Camping	32,815			31,788			31,525
Watercraft Recreation	20,611			19,218			14,436
Diving	64,799			54,597			57,682
Other / Corporate	151,115			111,099			178,875
	$	486,123		$	391,114		$	436,444

INVENTORIES (Tables)

3 Months Ended

Dec. 27, 2019

Inventory Disclosure [Abstract]

Schedule of Inventories

Inventories at the end of the respective periods consisted of the following:



	December 27, 2019		September 27, 2019		December 28, 2018
Raw materials	$	47,208	$	45,168	$	54,527
Work in process	463		152		328
Finished goods	56,214		48,978		61,423
	$	103,885	$	94,298	$	116,278

GOODWILL

3 Months Ended

Dec. 27, 2019

Goodwill and Intangible Assets Disclosure [Abstract]

GOODWILL

The changes in goodwill during the three months ended December 27, 2019 and December 28, 2018 were as follows:



	December 27, 2019		December 28, 2018
Balance at beginning of period	$	11,186	$	11,199
Amount attributable to movements in foreign currency rates	7		(35		)
Balance at end of period	$	11,193	$	11,164

The Company evaluates the carrying value of goodwill for a reporting unit on an annual basis or more frequently when events and circumstances warrant such an evaluation. In conducting this analysis, the Company uses the income approach to compare the reporting unit's carrying value to its indicated fair value. Fair value is determined primarily by using a discounted cash flow methodology that requires considerable management judgment and long-term assumptions and is considered a Level 3 (unobservable) fair value determination in the fair value hierarchy (see Note 13) below.

ACCUMULATED OTHER COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (LOSS)

3 Months Ended

Dec. 27, 2019

Equity [Abstract]

ACCUMULATED OTHER COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (LOSS)

The changes in Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (“AOCI”) by component, net of tax, for the three months ended December 27, 2019 were as follows:



	Foreign Currency Translation Adjustment		Unamortized Loss on Defined Benefit Pension Plans			Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)
Balance at September 27, 2019	$	4,790	$	(3,232	)	$	1,558
Other comprehensive income before reclassifications	700		—			700
Amounts reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income	—		82			82
Tax effects	—		(21		)	(21		)
Balance at December 27, 2019	$	5,490	$	(3,171	)	$	2,319

The changes in AOCI by component, net of tax, for the three months ended December 28, 2018 were as follows:



	Foreign Currency Translation Adjustment			Unamortized Loss on Defined Benefit Pension Plans			Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)
Balance at September 28, 2018	$	7,796		$	(4,309	)	$	3,487
Other comprehensive loss before reclassifications	(1,700		)	—			(1,700		)
Amounts reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income	—			138			138
Tax effects	—			(33		)	(33		)
Balance at December 28, 2018	$	6,096		$	(4,204	)	$	1,892

The reclassifications out of AOCI for the three months ended December 27, 2019 were as follows:



				Statement of Operations Presentation
Unamortized loss on defined benefit pension plans:
Amortization of loss	$	82		Other income and expense
Tax effects	(21		)	Income tax expense
Total reclassifications for the period	$	61

The reclassifications out of AOCI for the three months ended December 28, 2018 were as follows:



				Statement of Operations Presentation
Unamortized loss on defined benefit pension plans:
Amortization of loss	$	138		Other income and expense
Tax effects	(33		)	Income tax expense
Total reclassifications for the period	$	105

INVENTORIES

3 Months Ended

Dec. 27, 2019

Inventory Disclosure [Abstract]

INVENTORIES

Inventories at the end of the respective periods consisted of the following:



	December 27, 2019		September 27, 2019		December 28, 2018
Raw materials	$	47,208	$	45,168	$	54,527
Work in process	463		152		328
Finished goods	56,214		48,978		61,423
	$	103,885	$	94,298	$	116,278

FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS

3 Months Ended

Dec. 27, 2019

Fair Value Disclosures [Abstract]

FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS

Fair value is defined as the exchange price that would be received for an asset or paid to transfer a liability (an exit price) in the principal or most advantageous market for the asset or liability in an orderly transaction between market participants on the measurement date. Valuation techniques used to measure fair value must maximize the use of observable inputs and minimize the use of unobservable inputs. A fair value hierarchy has been established based on three levels of inputs, of which the first two are considered observable and the last unobservable.


•	Level 1 - Quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities. These are typically obtained from real-time quotes for transactions in active exchange markets involving identical assets or liabilities.


•	Level 2 - Inputs, other than quoted prices included within Level 1, which are observable for the asset or liability, either directly or indirectly. These are typically obtained from readily-available pricing sources for comparable instruments.


•	Level 3 - Unobservable inputs, where there is little or no market activity for the asset or liability. These inputs reflect the reporting entity’s own assumptions of the data that market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability, based on the best information available in the circumstances.

The carrying amounts of cash, cash equivalents, short term investments, accounts receivable, and accounts payable approximated their fair values at December 27, 2019, September 27, 2019 and December 28, 2018 due to the short term maturities of these instruments. When indicators of impairment are present, the Company may be required to value certain long-lived assets such as property, plant, and equipment, and other intangibles at their fair value.

Valuation Techniques

Rabbi Trust Assets

Rabbi trust assets are classified as trading securities and are comprised of marketable debt and equity securities that are marked to fair value based on unadjusted quoted prices in active markets. The rabbi trust assets are used to fund amounts the Company owes to certain officers and other employees under the Company’s non-qualified deferred compensation plan. These assets are included in "Other assets" in the Company's Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets, and the mark to market adjustments on the assets are recorded in “Other expense (income), net” in the accompanying Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations. The offsetting deferred compensation liability is also reported at fair value as "Deferred compensation liability" in the Company's Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets. Changes in the liability are recorded in "Administrative management, finance and information systems" expense in the accompanying Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations.

The following table summarizes the Company’s financial assets measured at fair value as of December 27, 2019:



	Level 1		Level 2		Level 3		Total
Assets:
Rabbi trust assets	$	20,978	$	—	$	—	$	20,978

The following table summarizes the Company’s financial assets measured at fair value as of September 27, 2019:



	Level 1		Level 2		Level 3		Total
Assets:
Rabbi trust assets	$	19,092	$	—	$	—	$	19,092

The following table summarizes the Company’s financial assets measured at fair value as of December 28, 2018:



	Level 1		Level 2		Level 3		Total
Assets:
Rabbi trust assets	$	15,982	$	—	$	—	$	15,982

The effect of changes in the fair value of financial instruments on the accompanying Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations for the three month periods ended December 27, 2019 and December 28, 2018 was:



		Three Months Ended
	Location of (income) loss recognized in Statement of Operations	December 27, 2019			December 28, 2018
		December 27, 2019			December 28, 2018
Rabbi trust assets	Other (income) expense, net	$	(1,192	)	$	2,277

There were no assets or liabilities measured at fair value on a non-recurring basis in periods subsequent to their initial recognition for either of the three month periods ended December 27, 2019 or December 28, 2018.

- Definition

The entire disclosure for the fair value of financial instruments (as defined), including financial assets and financial liabilities (collectively, as defined), and the measurements of those instruments as well as disclosures related to the fair value of non-financial assets and liabilities. Such disclosures about the financial instruments, assets, and liabilities would include: (1) the fair value of the required items together with their carrying amounts (as appropriate); (2) for items for which it is not practicable to estimate fair value, disclosure would include: (a) information pertinent to estimating fair value (including, carrying amount, effective interest rate, and maturity, and (b) the reasons why it is not practicable to estimate fair value; (3) significant concentrations of credit risk including: (a) information about the activity, region, or economic characteristics identifying a concentration, (b) the maximum amount of loss the entity is exposed to based on the gross fair value of the related item, (c) policy for requiring collateral or other security and information as to accessing such collateral or security, and (d) the nature and brief description of such collateral or security; (4) quantitative information about market risks and how such risks are managed; (5) for items measured on both a recurring and nonrecurring basis information regarding the inputs used to develop the fair value measurement; and (6) for items presented in the financial statement for which fair value measurement is elected: (a) information necessary to understand the reasons for the election, (b) discussion of the effect of fair value changes on earnings, (c) a description of [similar groups] items for which the election is made and the relation thereof to the balance sheet, the aggregate carrying value of items included in the balance sheet that are not eligible for the election; (7) all other required (as defined) and desired information.

+ References + Details

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (unaudited) (Parenthetical) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Dec. 27, 2019	Dec. 28, 2018
Statement of Comprehensive Income [Abstract]
Pension plans, unrecognized gain, tax	$ 21	$ 33

SEGMENTS OF BUSINESS (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
SEGMENTS OF BUSINESS (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Dec. 27, 2019	Dec. 28, 2018	Sep. 27, 2019
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales:	$ 128,054	$ 104,440
Operating profit (loss):	6,801	5,978
Total assets (end of period):	486,123	391,114	$ 436,444
Unaffiliated customers \| Fishing
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales:	99,193	78,707
Operating profit (loss):	15,018	11,422
Total assets (end of period):	216,783	174,412	153,926
Unaffiliated customers \| Camping
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales:	7,505	5,814
Operating profit (loss):	66	(686)
Total assets (end of period):	32,815	31,788	31,525
Unaffiliated customers \| Watercraft Recreation
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales:	4,803	4,319
Operating profit (loss):	(1,563)	(1,492)
Total assets (end of period):	20,611	19,218	14,436
Unaffiliated customers \| Diving
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales:	16,458	15,529
Operating profit (loss):	205	(707)
Total assets (end of period):	64,799	54,597	57,682
Interunit transfers
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales:	(101)	(110)
Interunit transfers \| Fishing
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales:	(85)	(90)
Interunit transfers \| Camping
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales:	(9)	(6)
Interunit transfers \| Watercraft Recreation
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales:	(6)	(6)
Interunit transfers \| Diving
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales:	(1)	(9)
Other / Corporate
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales:	95	70
Operating profit (loss):	(6,925)	(2,559)
Total assets (end of period):	151,115	111,099	$ 178,875
Two Customers
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales:	$ 32,321	$ 31,876

CONTINGENCIES	3 Months Ended
CONTINGENCIES	Dec. 27, 2019
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]
CONTINGENCIES	CONTINGENCIES The Company is subject to various legal actions and proceedings in the normal course of business, including those related to commercial disputes, product liability, intellectual property and regulatory matters. The Company is insured against loss for certain of these matters. Although litigation is subject to many uncertainties and the ultimate exposure with respect to these matters cannot be ascertained, management does not believe the final outcome of any pending litigation will have a material adverse effect on the financial condition, results of operations, liquidity or cash flows of the Company.

ACCUMULATED OTHER COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (LOSS) (Reclassifications) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Dec. 27, 2019	Dec. 28, 2018
Reclassification Adjustment out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Line Items]
Amortization of loss	$ 1,168	$ (2,150)
Tax effects	(2,159)	(810)
Net income	6,430	3,521
Unamortized Loss on Defined Benefit Pension Plans \| Reclassification out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income
Reclassification Adjustment out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Line Items]
Amortization of loss	82	138
Tax effects	(21)	(33)
Net income	$ 61	$ 105

- Definition

The portion of profit or loss for the period, net of income taxes, which is attributable to the parent.

+ References + Details

BASIS OF PRESENTATION (Policies)	3 Months Ended
BASIS OF PRESENTATION (Policies)	Dec. 27, 2019
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
Basis of Presentation	The condensed consolidated financial statements included herein are unaudited. In the opinion of management, these statements contain all adjustments (consisting of only normal recurring items) necessary to present fairly the financial position of Johnson Outdoors Inc. and subsidiaries (collectively, the “Company”) as of December 27, 2019 and December 28, 2018, and their results of operations for the three month periods then ended and cash flows for the three month periods then ended. These condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and notes thereto included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended September 27, 2019 which was filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on December 6, 2019. Due to seasonal variations and other factors, the results of operations for the three months ended December 27, 2019 are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the Company’s full 2020 fiscal year. See “Seasonality” in the Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations included elsewhere herein for additional information. The Company considers all short-term investments in interest-bearing accounts and all securities and other instruments with an original maturity of three months or less, to be equivalent to cash. Cash equivalents are stated at cost which approximates market value. Short-term investments consist of certificates of deposit with original maturities greater than three months but less than one year. All monetary amounts, other than share and per share amounts, are stated in thousands.
Recently adapted and issued accounting pronouncements	Recently adopted accounting pronouncements In February 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842). In July 2018, the FASB also issued ASU 2018-10 Codification Improvements to Topic 842, Leases and ASU 2018-11 Leases (Topic 842) Targeted Improvements. In February 2019, the FASB also issued ASU 2019-01 Leases (Topic 842): Codification Improvements. This ASU and the updates to this ASU require organizations to recognize lease assets and lease liabilities on the balance sheet and to disclose key information about leasing arrangements. This guidance is effective for the Company in the first quarter of fiscal year 2020, and may be applied through a modified retrospective transition approach for leases existing at, or entered into after, the beginning of the earliest comparative period presented in the financial statements with certain practical expedients available. The Company adopted the provisions of these ASU's using the modified retrospective approach at the beginning of the first quarter of fiscal 2020, coinciding with the standard's effective date. The additional disclosures required by the ASU and its updates are included in Note 18 "Leases" of these Notes to the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements. In February 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-02, Income Statement - Reporting Comprehensive Income - Reclassification of Certain Tax Effects from Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Topic 220), which allows for a reclassification from accumulated other comprehensive income to retained earnings for stranded tax effects resulting from the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017. ASU No. 2018-02 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, including interim periods within those fiscal years. The ASU allows for early adoption in any interim period after issuance of the update. The Company early adopted the ASU in the second quarter of fiscal 2019, and elected not to make this optional reclassification. Recently issued accounting pronouncements In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-14, Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Defined Benefit Plans (Topic 715), which modifies the disclosure requirements for employers that sponsor defined pension or postretirement plans. The amendments in this guidance are effective for fiscal years ending after December 15, 2020, with early adoption permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the potential impact of this guidance on its disclosures.
Revenues	REVENUES Adoption of Topic 606 In the first quarter of fiscal 2019, the Company adopted ASU 2014-09 and all subsequent ASUs that modified accounting standards Topic 606 using the modified retrospective adoption method. Upon adoption, the Company recorded a right to returns asset of $763 and a corresponding increase in the accrued return liability, resulting in an accrued returns liability of $2,725. Other than as discussed above, the adoption of this new revenue standard did not have an impact on the Company's consolidated financial statements, and the timing and amount of its revenue recognition remained substantially unchanged under this new guidance. Revenue recognition Revenue is recognized when obligations under the terms of a contract with our customer are satisfied; generally this occurs with the transfer of control of our goods at a point in time based on shipping terms and transfer of title. Revenue is measured as the amount of consideration we expect to receive in exchange for transferring goods. The amount of consideration received can vary, primarily because of customer incentive or rebate arrangements. The Company estimates variable consideration based on the expected value of total consideration to which customers are likely to be entitled based on historical experience and projected market expectations. Included in the estimate is an assessment as to whether any variable consideration is constrained. Revenue estimates are adjusted at the earlier of a change in the expected value of consideration or when the consideration becomes fixed. For all contracts with customers, the Company has not adjusted the promised amount of consideration for the effects of a significant financing component as the period between the transfer of the promised goods and the customer's payment is expected to be one year or less. Sales are made on normal and customary short-term credit terms, generally ranging from 30 to 90 days, or upon delivery of point of sale transactions. Sales, value add, and other taxes we collect concurrent with revenue-producing activities are excluded from revenue. The Company enters into contractual arrangements with customers in the form of individual customer orders which specify the goods, quantity, pricing, and associated order terms. The Company does not have contracts which are satisfied over time. Due to the nature of these contracts, no significant judgment exists in relation to the identification of the customer contract, satisfaction of the performance obligation, or transaction price. The Company expenses incremental costs of obtaining a contract due to the short-term nature of the contracts. Estimated costs of returns, allowances and discounts, based on historic experience, are accrued as a reduction to sales when revenue is recognized. The Company provides customers the right to return eligible products under certain circumstances. At December 27, 2019, the right to returns asset was $1,112 and the accrued returns liability was $3,394. The Company also offers assurance-type warranties relating to its products sold to end customers that continue to be accounted for under ASC 460 Guarantees. The Company generally accounts for shipping and handling activities as a fulfillment activity, consistent with the timing of revenue recognition; that is, when a customer takes control of the transferred goods. In the event that a customer were to take control of a product upon or after shipment, the Company has made an accounting policy election to treat such shipping and handling activities as a fulfillment cost. Shipping and handling fees billed to customers are included in "Net Sales," and shipping and handling costs are recognized within "Marketing and selling expenses" in the same period the related revenue is recognized. The Company has a wide variety of seasonal, outdoor recreation products used primarily for fishing from a boat, diving, paddling, hiking and camping, that are sold to a variety of customers in multiple end markets. While there are multiple products sold, the nature of products are similar in terms of the nature of the revenue recognition policies. See Note 16 for required disclosures of disaggregated revenue.

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS (unaudited) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Dec. 27, 2019	Dec. 28, 2018
CASH USED FOR OPERATING ACTIVITIES
Net income	$ 6,430	$ 3,521
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash used for operating activities:
Depreciation	3,176	3,090
Amortization of intangible assets	256	259
Amortization of deferred financing costs	7	7
Stock based compensation	667	536
Loss on disposal of productive assets	0	25
Deferred income taxes	0	47
Change in operating assets and liabilities:
Accounts receivable, net	(33,616)	(15,001)
Inventories, net	(9,298)	(27,930)
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	2,090	(3,298)
Other current assets	1,619	(677)
Other long-term liabilities	(412)	179
Other, net	(7)	47
CASH USED FOR OPERATING ACTIVITIES	(29,088)	(39,195)
CASH USED FOR INVESTING ACTIVITIES
Purchase of short-term investments	0	(7,124)
Proceeds from sale of short-term investments	0	3,700
Capital expenditures	(3,307)	(4,081)
CASH USED FOR INVESTING ACTIVITIES	(3,307)	(7,505)
CASH USED FOR FINANCING ACTIVITIES
Dividends paid	(1,689)	(1,384)
Purchases of treasury stock	(460)	(708)
CASH USED FOR FINANCING ACTIVITIES	(2,149)	(2,092)
Effect of foreign currency rate changes on cash	419	(1,009)
Decrease in cash and cash equivalents	(34,125)	(49,801)
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS
Beginning of period	172,382	121,877
End of period	138,257	72,076
Supplemental Disclosure:
Non-cash treasury stock activity	0	1,593
Cash paid for taxes	123	247
Cash paid for interest	$ 30	$ 31

ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE	3 Months Ended
ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE	Dec. 27, 2019
Receivables [Abstract]
ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE	ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE Accounts receivable are stated net of allowances for doubtful accounts of $3,062, $2,550 and $1,327 as of December 27, 2019, September 27, 2019 and December 28, 2018, respectively. The increase in net accounts receivable to $78,249 as of December 27, 2019 from $44,508 as of September 27, 2019 is attributable to the seasonal nature of the Company’s business and the resulting increases in sales volumes between periods. The determination of the allowance for doubtful accounts is based on a combination of factors. In circumstances where specific collection concerns about a receivable exist, a reserve is established to value the affected account receivable at an amount the Company believes will be collected. For all other customers, the Company recognizes allowances for doubtful accounts based on historical experience of bad debts as a percent of accounts receivable outstanding for each business segment. Uncollectible accounts are written off against the allowance for doubtful accounts after collection efforts have been exhausted. The Company typically does not require collateral on its accounts receivable.

ACCUMULATED OTHER COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (LOSS) (Changes by Component) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Dec. 27, 2019	Dec. 28, 2018
AOCI Attributable to Parent, Net of Tax [Roll Forward]
Balance, beginning of period	$ 324,534
Other comprehensive income before reclassifications	700	$ (1,700)
Amounts reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income	82	138
Tax effects	(21)	(33)
Balance, end of period	330,239	279,567
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)
AOCI Attributable to Parent, Net of Tax [Roll Forward]
Balance, beginning of period	1,558	3,487
Balance, end of period	2,319	1,892
Foreign Currency Translation Adjustment
AOCI Attributable to Parent, Net of Tax [Roll Forward]
Balance, beginning of period	4,790	7,796
Other comprehensive income before reclassifications	700	(1,700)
Amounts reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income	0	0
Tax effects	0	0
Balance, end of period	5,490	6,096
Unamortized Loss on Defined Benefit Pension Plans
AOCI Attributable to Parent, Net of Tax [Roll Forward]
Balance, beginning of period	(3,232)	(4,309)
Other comprehensive income before reclassifications	0	0
Amounts reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income	82	138
Tax effects	(21)	(33)
Balance, end of period	$ (3,171)	$ (4,204)

PENSION PLANS (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
PENSION PLANS (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Dec. 27, 2019	Dec. 28, 2018
Retirement Benefits [Abstract]
Pension plan contributions	$ 44	$ 45
Components of net periodic benefit cost:
Service cost	0	0
Interest on projected benefit obligation	276	265
Less estimated return on plan assets	214	191
Amortization of unrecognized losses	82	138
Net periodic benefit cost	$ 144	$ 212

EARNINGS PER SHARE (“EPS”) (Tables)

3 Months Ended

Dec. 27, 2019

Earnings Per Share [Abstract]

Dividends Declared

Dividends per share for the three month periods ended December 27, 2019 and December 28, 2018 were as follows:



	Three Months Ended
	December 27, 2019		December 28, 2018
Dividends declared per common share:
Class A	$	0.17	$	0.14
Class B	$	0.15	$	0.13

REVENUE (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Dec. 27, 2019	Sep. 27, 2019	Dec. 28, 2018
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Contract with customer, asset	$ 1,112
Contract with customer, liability	3,819	$ 4,440	$ 3,741
Topic 606
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Contract with customer, asset	763
Contract with customer, liability	2,725
Accrued Discounts And Returns
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Contract with customer, liability	$ 3,394

LEASES

3 Months Ended

Dec. 27, 2019

Leases [Abstract]

LEASES

Adoption of Topic 842

On September 28, 2019, the Company adopted ASU 2016-02 and all subsequent ASUs that modified accounting standards Topic 842 using a modified retrospective adoption method, in which right-of-use ("ROU") assets and lease liabilities are recognized in the condensed consolidated balance sheets. Under the effective date transition method, financial results reported in periods prior to fiscal year 2020 are unchanged. The Company also elected the package of practical expedients permitted under the standard, which does not require reassessment of prior conclusions related to contracts containing a lease, lease classification and initial direct lease costs. As an ongoing accounting policy election, the Company will exclude short-term leases (terms of 12 months or less) from the balance sheet presentation and will account for non-lease and lease components in a contract as a single lease component for most asset classes. All leases in which the Company is the lessee are classified as operating leases, and the Company does not have any finance leases or sublease agreements. Additionally, the Company does not have any leases in which it is the lessor.

The adoption of the new standard had a significant impact on the Company's condensed consolidated balance sheet due to the recognition of approximately $41 million of lease liabilities with corresponding ROU assets for operating leases. The new standard did not have a significant impact on the condensed consolidated statements of operations or cash flows, and did not impact our debt covenant compliance under our current credit agreements.

The Company determines if an arrangement is a lease at inception. The Company leases certain facilities and machinery and equipment under long-term, non-cancelable operating leases. As of December 27, 2019, the Company had approximately 200 leases, with remaining terms ranging from less than one year to 15 years. Some of the leases contain variable payment terms, such as payments based on fluctuations in the Consumer Price Index (CPI). Some leases also contain options to extend or terminate the lease. To the extent the Company is reasonably certain to exercise these options, they have been considered in the calculation of the ROU assets and lease liabilities. Under current lease agreements, there are no residual value guarantees or restrictive lease covenants. In calculating the ROU assets and lease liabilities, several assumptions and judgments are made, including whether a contract is or contains a lease under the new definition, and the determination of the discount rate, which is assumed to be the incremental borrowing rate. The incremental borrowing rate is derived from information available at the lease commencement date based on lease length and location.

As of December 27, 2019, the components of lease expense recognized in the condensed consolidated statements of operations were as follows:



	Three months ended
	December 27, 2019
Lease Cost
Operating lease costs	$	1,776
Short-term lease costs	483
Variable leases costs	43
Total lease cost	$	2,302

Included in the amounts in the table above, was rent expense to related parties of $246 for the quarter ended December 27, 2019.



	Three months ended
	December 27, 2019
Operating leases:

Operating lease ROU assets	$	40,302

Current operating leases liabilities	5,835
Non-current operating lease liabilities	35,133
Total operating lease liabilities	$	40,968

Weighted average remaining lease term (in years)	10.67

Weighted average discount rate	2.83		%

Cash paid for amounts included in the measurement of lease liabilities	$	1,571

Future minimum rental commitments under non-cancelable operating leases with an initial lease term in excess of one year at December 27, 2019 were as follows:



Year	Related parties included in total			Total
Remainder of 2020	$	781		$	6,286
2021	1,067			6,184
2022	179			3,895
2023	—			3,362
2024	—			3,362
Thereafter	—			23,322
Total undiscounted lease payments	2,027			46,411
Less: Imputed interest	(38		)	(5,443		)
Total net lease liability	$	1,989		$	40,968

As of December 27, 2019, the Company did not have any additional significant operating leases commitments that have not yet commenced.

Disclosures related to periods prior to adoption of Topic 842

Rental expense under all leases was $2,274 for the three months ended December 28, 2018. Rent expense to related parties was $249 for the three months ended December 28, 2018.

Future minimum rent commitments under non-cancelable operating leases with an initial lease term in excess of one year at December 28, 2018 were as follows:



Year	Related parties included in total		Total
2019	$	755	$	5,792
2020	1,036		7,187
2021	1,067		5,835
2022	179		3,719
2023	—		2,517
Thereafter	—		24,832
Total	3,037		49,882

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (unaudited) (Parenthetical) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Dec. 27, 2019	Sep. 27, 2019	Dec. 28, 2018
Property, plant and equipment, accumulated depreciation	$ 146,453	$ 143,028	$ 133,958
Class A
Common stock, shares issued (shares)	8,858,611	8,834,169	8,825,790
Common stock, shares outstanding (shares)	8,858,611	8,834,169	8,825,790
Treasury stock, shares (shares)	36,354	29,225	29,225
Class B
Common stock, shares issued (shares)	1,211,602	1,211,602	1,211,602
Common stock, shares outstanding (shares)	1,211,602	1,211,602	1,211,602

ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Dec. 27, 2019	Sep. 27, 2019	Dec. 28, 2018
Receivables [Abstract]
Allowances for doubtful accounts receivable	$ 3,062	$ 2,550	$ 1,327
Accounts receivable, net	$ 78,249	$ 44,508	$ 55,558

INCOME TAXES (Tables)

3 Months Ended

Dec. 27, 2019

Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]

Summary of Earnings Before Income Taxes, Income Tax Expense and Effective Income Tax Rate

For the three months ended December 27, 2019 and December 28, 2018, the Company’s earnings before income taxes, income tax expense and effective income tax rate were as follows:



	Three Months Ended
(thousands, except tax rate data)	December 27, 2019			December 28, 2018
Profit before income taxes	$	8,589		$	4,331
Income tax expense	2,159			810
Effective income tax rate	25.1		%	18.7		%

Summary of Tax Jurisdictions of Entities with Valuation Allowances

The significant tax jurisdictions that have a valuation allowance for the periods ended December 27, 2019 and December 28, 2018 were:



December 27, 2019	December 28, 2018
France	France
Indonesia	Indonesia
Switzerland	Switzerland

Summary of Income Tax Examinations

As of the date of this report, the following tax years remain open to examination by the respective significant tax jurisdictions:



Jurisdiction	Fiscal Years
United States	2016-2019
Canada	2015-2019
France	2016-2019
Germany	2017-2019
Italy	2018-2019
Switzerland	2009-2019

STOCK-BASED COMPENSATION AND STOCK OWNERSHIP PLANS (Narrative) (Details) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Dec. 27, 2019 USD ($) plan shares	Dec. 28, 2018 USD ($) shares	Dec. 13, 2019 shares
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Number of plans with shares available for future issuance \| plan	2
Shares available for grant (shares) \| shares	492,411
Common stock, shares authorized \| shares			500,000
Award performance period	3 years
Class A
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Employee stock purchase plan shares issued (shares) \| shares	0	0
Issuance of stock under employee stock purchase plan	$ 7	$ 18
Non-Vested Stock
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Shares tendered for tax withholding (shares) \| shares	4,054	3,381
Stock-based compensation expense, net of forfeitures	$ 240	$ 116
Unrecognized stock-based compensation expense	1,367
Fair value of vested restricted stock	$ 839	1,237
Non-Vested Stock \| Director \| Class A
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Award vesting period	1 year
Non-Vested Stock \| Employees \| Class A
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Award vesting period	4 years
Restricted Stock Units (RSUs)
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Stock-based compensation expense, net of forfeitures	$ 420	402
Unrecognized stock-based compensation expense	2,986
Fair value of vested restricted stock	$ 1,426	$ 2,944
Shares tendered back to company (shares) \| shares	3,075	6,509
Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) \| Vesting Period 1
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Award vesting period	1 year
Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) \| Vesting Period 2
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Award vesting period	3 years
Minimum
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Bonus achievement target level	80.00%
Bonus payout as a percentage of target award	50.00%
Employee stock purchase plan, purchase price	85.00%
Maximum
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Bonus achievement target level	120.00%
Bonus payout as a percentage of target award	150.00%

LEASES (Future Minimum Rental Commitments Under Non-Cancelable Operating Leases) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Dec. 27, 2019	Dec. 28, 2018
Finance Leases, After Adoption of 842:
Remainder of 2020	$ 6,286
2021	6,184
2022	3,895
2023	3,362
2024	3,362
Thereafter	23,322
Total undiscounted lease payments	46,411
Less: Imputed interest	(5,443)
Total net lease liability	40,968
Operating Leases, Prior To Adoption of 842:
2019		$ 5,792
2020		7,187
2021		5,835
2022		3,719
2023		2,517
Thereafter		24,832
Total		49,882
Affiliated Entity
Finance Leases, After Adoption of 842:
Remainder of 2020	781
2021	1,067
2022	179
2023	0
2024	0
Thereafter	0
Total undiscounted lease payments	2,027
Less: Imputed interest	(38)
Total net lease liability	$ 1,989
Operating Leases, Prior To Adoption of 842:
2019		755
2020		1,036
2021		1,067
2022		179
2023		0
Thereafter		0
Total		$ 3,037

FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS (Tables)

3 Months Ended

Dec. 27, 2019

Fair Value Disclosures [Abstract]

Summary of Financial Assets Measured at Fair Value

The following table summarizes the Company’s financial assets measured at fair value as of December 27, 2019:



	Level 1		Level 2		Level 3		Total
Assets:
Rabbi trust assets	$	20,978	$	—	$	—	$	20,978

The following table summarizes the Company’s financial assets measured at fair value as of September 27, 2019:



	Level 1		Level 2		Level 3		Total
Assets:
Rabbi trust assets	$	19,092	$	—	$	—	$	19,092

The following table summarizes the Company’s financial assets measured at fair value as of December 28, 2018:



	Level 1		Level 2		Level 3		Total
Assets:
Rabbi trust assets	$	15,982	$	—	$	—	$	15,982

Effect of Changes in the Fair Value of Financial Instruments



		Three Months Ended
	Location of (income) loss recognized in Statement of Operations	December 27, 2019			December 28, 2018
		December 27, 2019			December 28, 2018
Rabbi trust assets	Other (income) expense, net	$	(1,192	)	$	2,277

WARRANTIES (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
WARRANTIES (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Dec. 27, 2019	Dec. 28, 2018
Movement in Standard and Extended Product Warranty Accrual, Increase (Decrease) [Roll Forward]
Balance at beginning of period	$ 9,190	$ 8,499
Expense accruals for warranties issued during the period	3,335	2,195
Less current period warranty claims paid	2,082	1,673
Balance at end of period	$ 10,443	$ 9,021

LEASES (Narrative) (Details) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
LEASES (Narrative) (Details) $ in Thousands	Dec. 27, 2019 USD ($) contract	Dec. 28, 2018 USD ($)	Sep. 28, 2018 USD ($)
Lessee, Lease, Description [Line Items]
Total net lease liability	$ 40,968
Right of use assets	$ 40,302
Number of contracts \| contract	200
Rent expense		$ 2,274
Minimum
Lessee, Lease, Description [Line Items]
Remaining lease term	1 year
Maximum
Lessee, Lease, Description [Line Items]
Remaining lease term	15 years
Accounting Standards Update 2016-02
Lessee, Lease, Description [Line Items]
Total net lease liability			$ 41,000
Right of use assets			$ 41,000
Affiliated Entity
Lessee, Lease, Description [Line Items]
Total net lease liability	$ 1,989
Operating lease, cost	$ 246
Rent expense		$ 249

BASIS OF PRESENTATION	3 Months Ended
BASIS OF PRESENTATION	Dec. 27, 2019
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
BASIS OF PRESENTATION	BASIS OF PRESENTATION The condensed consolidated financial statements included herein are unaudited. In the opinion of management, these statements contain all adjustments (consisting of only normal recurring items) necessary to present fairly the financial position of Johnson Outdoors Inc. and subsidiaries (collectively, the “Company”) as of December 27, 2019 and December 28, 2018, and their results of operations for the three month periods then ended and cash flows for the three month periods then ended. These condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and notes thereto included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended September 27, 2019 which was filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on December 6, 2019. Due to seasonal variations and other factors, the results of operations for the three months ended December 27, 2019 are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the Company’s full 2020 fiscal year. See “Seasonality” in the Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations included elsewhere herein for additional information. The Company considers all short-term investments in interest-bearing accounts and all securities and other instruments with an original maturity of three months or less, to be equivalent to cash. Cash equivalents are stated at cost which approximates market value. Short-term investments consist of certificates of deposit with original maturities greater than three months but less than one year. All monetary amounts, other than share and per share amounts, are stated in thousands.

SEGMENTS OF BUSINESS (Tables)

3 Months Ended

Dec. 27, 2019

Segment Reporting [Abstract]

Summary of Operations by Business Unit

A summary of the Company’s operations by business segment is presented below:



	Three Months Ended
	December 27, 2019			December 28, 2018			September 27, 2019
Net sales:
Fishing:
Unaffiliated customers	$	99,193		$	78,707
Interunit transfers	85			90
Camping:
Unaffiliated customers	7,505			5,814
Interunit transfers	9			6
Watercraft Recreation:
Unaffiliated customers	4,803			4,319
Interunit transfers	6			6
Diving
Unaffiliated customers	16,458			15,529
Interunit transfers	1			9
Other / Corporate	95			70
Eliminations	(101		)	(110		)
Total	$	128,054		$	104,440
Operating profit (loss):
Fishing	$	15,018		$	11,422
Camping	66			(686		)
Watercraft Recreation	(1,563		)	(1,492		)
Diving	205			(707		)
Other / Corporate	(6,925		)	(2,559		)
	$	6,801		$	5,978
Total assets (end of period):
Fishing	$	216,783		$	174,412		$	153,926
Camping	32,815			31,788			31,525
Watercraft Recreation	20,611			19,218			14,436
Diving	64,799			54,597			57,682
Other / Corporate	151,115			111,099			178,875
	$	486,123		$	391,114		$	436,444

LEASES (Other Information Related to Operating Leases) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Dec. 28, 2018	Dec. 27, 2019
Operating leases:
Operating lease ROU assets		$ 40,302
Current operating leases liabilities		5,835
Non-current operating lease liabilities		35,133
Total operating lease liabilities		$ 40,968
Weighted average remaining lease term (in years)		10 years 8 months 1 day
Weighted average discount rate		2.83%
Cash paid for amounts included in the measurement of lease liabilities	$ 1,571

STOCK-BASED COMPENSATION AND STOCK OWNERSHIP PLANS (Tables)

3 Months Ended

Dec. 27, 2019

Share-based Payment Arrangement [Abstract]

Schedule of Non-Vested Stock Activity

A summary of non-vested stock activity for the three months ended December 27, 2019 related to the Company’s stock ownership plans is as follows:



	Shares		Weighted Average Grant Price
Non-vested stock at September 27, 2019	41,608		$	51.78
Non-vested stock grants	9,457		64.51
Restricted stock vested	(12,885	)	27.75
Non-vested stock at December 27, 2019	38,180		63.04

Schedule of RSU Activity

A summary of RSU activity for the three months ended December 27, 2019 follows:



	Number of RSUs		Weighted Average Grant Price
RSUs at September 27, 2019	58,708		$	62.13
RSUs granted	27,517		64.51
RSUs vested	(18,094	)	43.12
RSUs at December 27, 2019	68,131		68.14

EARNINGS PER SHARE (“EPS”)

3 Months Ended

Dec. 27, 2019

Earnings Per Share [Abstract]

EARNINGS PER SHARE (“EPS”)

Net income or loss per share of Class A common stock and Class B common stock is computed using the two-class method. Grants of restricted stock which receive non-forfeitable dividends are classified as participating securities and are required to be included as part of the basic weighted average share calculation under the two-class method.

Holders of Class A common stock are entitled to cash dividends equal to 110% of all dividends declared and paid on each share of Class B common stock. The Company grants shares of unvested restricted stock in the form of Class A shares, which carry the same distribution rights as the Class A common stock described above. As such, the undistributed earnings for each period are allocated to each class of common stock based on the proportionate share of the amount of cash dividends that each such class is entitled to receive.

Basic EPS

Basic net income or loss per share is computed by dividing net income or loss allocated to Class A common stock and Class B common stock by the weighted-average number of shares of Class A common stock and Class B common stock outstanding, respectively. In periods with cumulative year to date net income and undistributed income, the undistributed income for each period is allocated to each class of common stock based on the proportionate share of the amount of cash dividends that each such class is entitled to receive. In periods where there is a cumulative year to date net loss or no undistributed income because distributions through dividends exceed net income, Class B shares are treated as anti-dilutive and, therefore, net losses are allocated equally on a per share basis among all participating securities.

For the three month periods ended December 27, 2019 and December 28, 2018, basic income per share for the Class A and Class B shares has been presented using the two class method and reflects the allocation of undistributed income described above.

Diluted EPS

Diluted net income per share is computed by dividing allocated net income by the weighted-average number of common shares outstanding, adjusted for the effect of dilutive stock options, restricted stock units (“stock units” or “units”) and non-vested restricted stock. Anti-dilutive stock options, units and non-vested stock are excluded from the calculation of diluted EPS. The computation of diluted net income per share of Class A common stock assumes that Class B common stock is converted into Class A common stock. Therefore, diluted net income per share is the same for both Class A and Class B common shares. In periods where the Company reports a net loss, the effect of anti-dilutive stock options and units is excluded and diluted loss per share is equal to basic loss per share for both classes of stock.

For the three month periods ended December 27, 2019 and December 28, 2018, diluted net income per share reflects the effect of dilutive stock units and assumes the conversion of Class B common stock into Class A common stock.

Non-vested stock that could potentially dilute earnings per share in the future which were not included in the fully diluted computation because they would have been anti-dilutive totaled 40,312 and 38,562 for the three months ended December 27, 2019 and December 28, 2018, respectively. There were no stock options outstanding and no stock units that could potentially dilute earnings per share in the future for either of the three month periods ended December 27, 2019 and December 28, 2018.

Dividends per share

Dividends per share for the three month periods ended December 27, 2019 and December 28, 2018 were as follows:



	Three Months Ended
	December 27, 2019		December 28, 2018
Dividends declared per common share:
Class A	$	0.17	$	0.14
Class B	$	0.15	$	0.13

STOCK-BASED COMPENSATION AND STOCK OWNERSHIP PLANS (Schedule of Non-Vested Stock Activity) (Details) - Non-Vested Stock	3 Months Ended
	Dec. 27, 2019 $ / shares shares
Shares
Beginning Balance (shares) \| shares	41,608
Grants (in shares) \| shares	9,457
Vested (shares) \| shares	(12,885)
Ending Balance (shares) \| shares	38,180
Weighted Average Grant Price
Beginning Balance (USD per share) \| $ / shares	$ 51.78
Grants (USD per share) \| $ / shares	64.51
Vested (USD per share) \| $ / shares	27.75
Ending Balance (USD per share) \| $ / shares	$ 63.04