Report: RV Shipments Inch Up in March on Towable RV Growth
Towable RVs, led by conventional travel trailers, ended the month up 5.9 percent compared to last March. For the first quarter, RVs are up 9.3 percent compared to the year-ago Q1 period last year with 85,941 units shipped through March.
Report: U.S. Footwear Market Flat Year-Over-Year in First Quarter
Circana is reporting that the footwear market turned a corner in the first quarter, in terms of retail sales, as U.S. footwear industry sales revenue remained on par with Q1 2023, at $9.1 billion, and units sold experienced a 1 percent lift.
Newell Brands Sees Turnaround in Sight, but Outdoor Segment Continues Shrinking
The parent company of Marmot, Ex Officio, Stearns, Bubba, Coleman, and Contigo, among others, saw the Outdoor segment fall 25 percent in Q1, reflecting a core sales decline of 20.3 percent and the impact of unfavorable FX and certain business exits.
Beacon Athletics and Aer-Flo Sports Announce New VP of Sales and Marketing
Gregg Nelson joins the organizations with “an extensive background in the sports business and deep experience leading sales and marketing teams that have sold to universities, pro teams, architects, and both contractors and general contractors.”
Report: Sporting Goods Manufacturers’ Sales Grew 4.2 Percent in 2023
In 2023, the sporting goods industry grew 4.2 percent compared to 2022, reaching $121.66 billion, according to the SFIA report, and grew 26.8 percent compared to 2019 pre-pandemic levels.
Crunch Fitness to Officially Open 63rd Crunch Franchise
Crunch Fitness, is opening Crunch Poinciana, a 35,000-square-foot fitness facility in Poinciana, FL with a grand opening on April 27.
Hike Doggie Welcomes First Franchise
Barrett Marcum leads the Denver South franchise who reportedly is “a passionate advocate for the well-being of animals, an outdoor enthusiast and a former Hike Doggie hiker.”
Olin’s Winchester Segment Q1 Sales Grow on Stronger Ammo Shipments, White Flyer Deal
The increase in Winchester sales was primarily due to higher commercial ammunition shipments, higher domestic and international military sales, and White Flyer sales.
Skechers USA Gets International and DTC Lift to Post Solid First Quarter Results
DTC sales grew 17.3 percent to $829.8 million for the quarter, including increases in APAC of 16.5 percent, AMER of 10.5 percent, and EMEA of 62.4 percent. Direct-to-consumer volume increased 15.5 percent and average selling prices increased 1.6 percent.
Columbia Sportswear Ups 2024 Profit Guide, Maintains Sales Decline
First quarter net sales decreased 6 percent to $770.0 million. The decline primarily reflects lower wholesale net sales in the U.S. and Canada, driven by retailer cautiousness, a challenging competitive environment and generally soft consumer demand.
TruFit Athletic Clubs Appoints Acting CEO
The company reported that the new acting CEO, Joe Pritchard, has a background in healthcare leadership and a commitment to wellness and brings over 45 years of business experience to TruFit.
Ammo, Inc. Acquires Tooling Manufacturer
The owner of GunBroker.com acquired a tooling manufacturer that provides resources toward the production of ammunition in its Manitowoc, WI factory.
Alterra Mountain Co. Completes Acquisition of BC Heli Ski Operation
Alterra Mountain Company closed on the purchase of Mike Wiegele Helicopter Skiing in Blue River, BC, Canada, further expanding the company’s heli-skiing portfolio, complementing CMH Heli-Skiing & Summer Adventures.
Hoka to Open New Retail Store in Honolulu
Ala Moana Center, Hawaiʻi’s largest open-air shopping center, located steps away from Ala Moana Beach Park, will welcome Hoka as a tenant next month.
Escalade Inc. Swings to Q1 Profit as Gross Margins Spike
Total net sales increased 0.7 percent year-over-year to $57.3 million in the first quarter, primarily due to a return in normalized seasonal demand for basketball products, outdoor games and archery.
