EXEC: Interactive Strength Files Suit Against Sportstech Brands and Founder Over Loan Default
EXEC: Mizuno Breaks Records for Fiscal 9-Month Period But Americas Profit Hurt by Tariffs
EXEC: Thule Reports Flat Organic Sales in Q4; North America Shows Recovery
EXEC: Shimano Gets Nice Europe Lift in Bicycle Components in 2025 to Offset Sharp China Decline
Report: REI Could Lose Lease on Milford, Connecticut Store After Center is Sold
SGB Update
Varsity Brands Appoints Chief Technology and Product Officer
Varsity Brands, a platform for team sports and spirit solutions through its divisions BSN Sports and Varsity Spirit, has hired Satish Mehta to the newly created role of chief technology and product officer.
Life Time Opens Fourth Fitness Club in Greater Raleigh Market
The fitness club operator has opened a new member club in Cary, NC, marking its second location in the city, fourth in the greater Raleigh region, and fifth in North Carolina.
Saks Global to Close Nine Stores
Saks Global, which filed for bankruptcy protection on January 14, plans to close eight Saks Fifth Avenue stores as well as its Neiman Marcus Boston store, as it focuses on its “most profitable businesses.” Closures are based on performance and lease economics.
Cascale Names New CEO
Cascale, formerly the Sustainable Apparel Coalition, hired Ying McGuire as chief executive officer, effective June 1, 2026. She replaces Harsh Saini, who has served as interim CEO since August 2025, who will continue to serve as interim CEO through May 31.
Burlebo Appoints James Mohan Head of Design
Mohan has led his own design company, Mohan Design, for the past 14 years and collaborated with Asics, Nike, Sport Obermeyer, Spyder, Under Armour and other industry brands.
SGB Executive
EXEC: Yonex Company Posts Strong Sales and Solid Profits for Fiscal Q3 Year-to-Date Period
Net sales amounted to ¥120.4 billion for the nine-month (YTD) period ended December 31, representing an 18.4 percent year-over-year (y/y) increase versus the prior-year YTD period. The increase came despite negative translation effects of the stronger yen on overseas operations.
EXEC: Interactive Strength Files Suit Against Sportstech Brands and Founder Over Loan Default
The complaint seeks full repayment of the outstanding balance together with default interest and enforcement costs equaling $6 million. The company further announced that a public auction of 100 percent of the shares in Sportstech, pledged to Interactive Strength, will be held on March 11 in Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
EXEC: Top Asia Footwear Factories Start 2026 with Similar Weak Trend Seen in 2025
It appears that the new year has not produced enough new energy to offset the recent declines or flat business in 2025 for at least two of the footwear manufacturers (Stella has not reported by press time) that started 2026 in a similar manner to how 2025 ended.
EXEC: Citi Downgrades Under Armour to “Sell” on Competitive Pressures
Citi Research downgraded Under Armour to “Sell” from “Neutral,” warning that the company’s North America (NAM) turnaround faces challenges against heightened competition and a reliance on promotions.
EXEC: Mizuno Breaks Records for Fiscal 9-Month Period But Americas Profit Hurt by Tariffs
While the company said overseas economies also experienced steady growth, it also took a respectful Japanese swipe at the U.S. tariff situation by noting that “uncertainty persisted both domestically and internationally due to factors such as trade policies of various countries and rising prices affecting personal consumption.”
