EXEC: An Unvarnished Look Inside the ~$1.3 Trillion Outdoor Recreation Economy
EXEC: Coats Group Execs Outline Product and Financial Upside from Ortholite Integration
EXEC: Sports Direct Owner Frasers Group Acquires Near 6 Percent Stake In Puma SE
EXEC: Assessing Under Armour’s and Mizuno’s Q4 Business in South America
EXEC: The Footwear and Apparel Brands Bringing the Brand Heat in 2026
SGB Update
Johnson Outdoors’ CFO to Retire
Johnson Outdoors, Inc. reported that David Johnson, VP and long-time CFO, intends to retire later this year, according to a regulatory filing. The company is commencing a succession process to identify a successor.
Revel Bikes Appoints Global Brand Strategist
Revel Bikes announced that Chris Reichel has returned to the company as global brand strategist. Previously, Reichel was Revel’s marketing director from May 2019 to January 2023. Most recently, Reichel was the marketing director at Esker Cycles.
Nike to Record $300M in Restructuring Charges to Cover Layoffs
Nike, Inc. said in a regulatory filing that it expects to take a pretax charge of about $300 million, mostly in the fiscal third quarter, because of employee severance costs over a nine-month period ending February 28. Nike did not specify how many jobs the company had cut.
Costco’s Fiscal Q2 Earnings Rise 14 Percent
Profits at Costco Wholesale Corporation climbed 13.8 percent in the fiscal second quarter ended February 15 on a 9.1 percent sales gain.
Smith & Wesson Cranks Out 17 Percent Fiscal Q3 Revenue Gain
Smith & Wesson Brands, Inc. reported earnings on an adjusted basis catapulted 157 percent in the fiscal third quarter ended January 31 as sales climbed 17.1 percent on robust handgun sales. The company expects fiscal fourth-quarter sales to increase roughly 10 percent to 12 percent.
SGB Executive
EXEC: An Unvarnished Look Inside the ~$1.3 Trillion Outdoor Recreation Economy
Numbers from the U.S. Commerce Department indicate that the Real GDP of the outdoor recreation economy in 2024 grew at roughly HALF the rate year-over-year than it did in 2023 — and that sounds more like what the outdoor retail industry has been feeling, at least directionally.
EXEC: Journeys Stars Again in Genesco’s Q4 with Double-Digit Comp Encore
Genesco, Inc. reported fourth-quarter results that handily topped initial expectations as its flagship Journeys banner delivered a 12 percent same-store hike on top of 14 percent growth the prior year. The teen girls’ chain has benefited from a focus on adding more premium products, including new brands such as Nike, Hoka, and Saucony over the last year.
EXEC: Coats Group Execs Outline Product and Financial Upside from Ortholite Integration
The acquisition of OrthoLite has accelerated the company’s strategy to create a “leading Tier 2 supplier in footwear components by adding an exciting, high-growth and high-margin business to the Coats Group portfolio.” The CEO said, “OrthoLite brings with it compelling revenue and cost synergy opportunities.”
EXEC: Athleta’s Q4 Comps Slide 10 Percent, Continued Declines Expected in First Half
Gap, Inc. reported that same-store sales at its Athleta banner declined 10 percent in the fourth quarter and 9 percent for the year. Gap officials told analysts they expect Athleta to show negative mid- to high-single-digit sales declines in the first half of the current year. CEO Richard Dickson said, “Progress will take time, but I am confident we are attracting the right talent to rebuild Athleta.”
EXEC: Tecnica Group’s Revenues Climb 4.7 Percent in 2025
Tecnica Group, the Italian parent of Nordica, Blizzard, Tecnica, Lowa, Moon Boot, and Rollerblade, reported sales grew 4.7 percent in 2025, to €541.3 million ($628 mm). Profits were down due to cost pressures from factory wages and U.S. tariffs.
