Umbro worldwide year-to-date sales are up 4.7%, according to a company stock market update to investors and analysts. The company also reported that pre-season orders for England licensed product are already ahead of Euro 2004 sales. Umbro's sales expectations for 2006, when the World Cup is scheduled, are in excess of 20% over the 2004 figures, which were influenced heavily by the Euro 2004 Championships, which England lost in the quarterfinals to host Portugal.
Umbro's joint venture in China with its Asian licensee, Team & Sports Ltd, sales to-date are up 63% from 2004, with full year expectations in excess of $30 million. In the U.S., sales of footwear in 2005 have tripled to 670,000 pairs, primarily through Foot Locker.
In 2006, Umbro will launch two new product ranges, “u by Umbro” and “Philip Treacy for Umbro,” aimed at increasing the brand's presence in the sports lifestyle market. They plan to launch the England kit in a Web cast in March.
