Big Agnes Inc. has hired Matt McCormick, Jean-Pierre Ouellet and their newly formed agency Authentik Sales to represent the brand in Eastern Canada. They have also hired longtime reps Rob Cairns, Joni Collett and their agency Carpe Diem Marketing Concepts Ltd (CDMC Sales) in Western Canada.
Month: August 2020

Mizuno’s Q1 Revenues Slide 32 Percent
Mizuno Corp. reported a loss in the first quarter ended June 30 as sales declined 32.0 percent.

Callaway Golf Business Bounces Back Faster Than Expected In Q2
Callaway Golf reported second-quarter results came in better-than-expected as the golf equipment business quickly bounced back as stores and golf courses reopened and golf participation spiked. The apparel businesses, Jack Wolfskin and TravisMathew, have also recovered albeit to a lesser degree.

Inside The Call: Vista Outdoor Capitalized On Firearms, Bike And Outdoor Surges In Fiscal Quarter
Vista Outdoor Inc., parent company of Camelbak, Bushnell, Bell, Giro, Federal and many more outdoor-oriented brands, said that outdoor recreation quickly became the go-to form of exercise and entertainment during the COVID-19 shutdown, which drove stronger-than-expected sales in most categories in the fiscal first quarter ended June 28.

SportChek And Helly Hansen Recover In June
Canadian Tire Corp. reported sales dropped 24.9 percent at its SportChek segment during the quarter while sales sunk 21.4 percent at Helly Hansen as both were impacted by store closures. Both businesses turned positive in June, led by online growth.

Inside The Report: Sporting Goods Retail Sector Employment Up 4.4 Percent In July
The overall positive jobs report trend for July got a boost from the sector that includes the sporting goods retail business. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that total nonfarm payroll employment rose by 1.8 million in July and the Establishment Survey Data that includes breakdowns for specific sectors of the market saw the Sporting Goods, Hobby, Book, and Music Stores segment add 18,700 jobs in July, or a 4.4 percent increase, lagging the overall retail sector.

Inside The Call: Lower Winchester Ammo Inventory Will Limit Q3 Sales Gains
Winchester’s sales increased 16.8 percent to $192.6 million for the second quarter, compared to $164.9 million in the second quarter 2019.

July Jobs Report Sees 1.8 Million Jobs Added, 10.2 Percent Unemployment Rate
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) has reported that total nonfarm payroll employment rose by 1.8 million in July, and the unemployment rate fell to 10.2 percent.

Ski Industry Urges Support Of Restart Act
A letter signed by over 100 winter outdoor industry companies, including REI, Burton, Spyder, Aspen Skiing Co. and K2, sent to the leaders of U.S. Congress urges the federal government step in and provide additional long-term support for the ski industry’s small and medium-sized businesses in the next round of stimulus funding.

WFSGI July Survey Finds Some Optimism Amid Pandemic
The July Edition of the COVID-19 Impact Survey from the World Federation of the Sporting Goods Industry (WFSGI) finds that COVID-19 is forecast to impact 86 percent of survey respondent’s business, slightly more compared to last month. But the survey indicated some optimism going forward.

North Point Brands Appoints Chief Marketing Officer
North Point Brands, parent company of Cheeky Fishing and Wingo Outdoors, appointed fishing veteran Peter Vandergrift as Chief Marketing Officer for both brands.

Hyperice Files Patent Infringement Lawsuit Against Theragun
Hyperice filed a lawsuit in federal court against Theragun, Inc., dba Therabody, alleging infringement of Hyperice’s patented vibrating roller technology.

Adidas Obtains Investment-Grade Rating By S&P And Moody’s
Following a thorough assessment by rating agencies S&P and Moody’s over the past months, Adidas has received strong first-time investment-grade ratings by both rating agencies. The ratings make Adidas one of the highest-rated companies both in Germany and in the global sporting goods industry.

Designer Brands Bolsters Financial Flexibility
Designer Brands Inc., the parent of DSW and Camuto Group, announced steps taken to enhance the company’s financial flexibility, including replacing its $400 million revolving credit facility with an equally-sized, asset-based revolving credit facility and completing a $250 million privately placed senior secured term loan. The company also provided further details on recent employee base restructuring actions and an update on store operations.

Callaway Hit By Q2 COVID-19 Restrictions; Takes Wolfskin Charge, Cancels Dividend
Callaway Golf company’s net sales decreased 34 percent to $297 million in the second quarter ended June 30, compared to $447 million for the comparable period in 2019.