<p>Moody’s Ratings upgraded Varsity Brands, Inc.’s debt ratings due to improving EBITDA margin, stronger free cash flow generation, and declining leverage, supported by momentum in both its BSN and Varsity Spirit businesses.</p>
<p>With President Trump moving the goalposts once again by continuing the pause in increased tariffs until early August, and perhaps later, importers, manufacturers, exporters, retailers, brands, and consumers all seem to be walking around with a big question mark above their heads.</p>
<p>The manufacturer and installer of synthetic turf for sports and outdoor living applications, based in Chattanooga, TN hired Colin Drafts as vice president of manufacturing.</p>
<p>Wolverine World Wide, Inc. appointed Cheryl Abel-Hodges, current CEO of Tommy John, and Jack Boyle, the former head buyer for Fanatics, to its Board of Directors, effective July 1, 2025.</p>
<p>Tthe outdoor retail chain based in Birmingham, AL, opened its first South Carolina location at the Columbiana Centre in Columbia. The company now has 28 stores, including stores in Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, Florida, and Utah.</p>
<p>Altor Fund VI, a Swedish private equity firm, has acquired a majority stake in Imbox Protection A/S, a Danish company specializing in footwear protection technology, while entering into a partnership with the company’s former founder and owners, Réné Marker and the Grundtvig family.</p>
<p>The company promoted Brian Burnett to senior vice president, chief merchandise officer and Molly Hartney to chief digital officer, a newly created role. Burnett has been with Rack Room Shoes for nearly nine years, having previously served as general merchandise manager. Hartney joined the company as chief marketing officer in 2021.</p>
<p>Placer.ai noted that June 2025 shopping center traffic fell slightly following two straight months of year-over-year visit growth – although indoor malls continued to show the strongest performance, with just a 0.7 percent drop in year-over-year June visits.</p>
<p>Peak Ski Co., founded in 2021 by ski legend Bode Miller and resort veteran Andy Wirth, has closed its headquarters and laid off its staff as it seeks to avoid a bankruptcy filing. Ski icons, Chris Davenport and Michelle Parker, whom the company hired as product designers, are threatening to sue for breach of contract over significant amounts owed to them.</p>
<p>Mazur is said to bring over a decade of sales, marketing and operational leadership from top-tier golf brands, including Srixon, Cleveland Golf and OnCore Golf.</p>
<p>Harry Kane, striker for the German professional football club Bayern Munich, wore the white and turquoise shoe last week at the FIFA Club World Cup quarter finals in the U.S. The new Skechers SKX_2 boot and the complete Skechers Football collection are available through Skechers and specialty football retailers worldwide.</p>
<p>The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) reported that the June 2025 NSSF-adjusted National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) figure slipped 5.1 percent year-over-year, marking the fifth consecutive month of declines. June still marked the 71st consecutive month of exceeding one million sales-related background checks.</p>
<p>Brandon Maddox founded Silencer Central in 2005 to simplify the silencer purchasing process for sportsmen and firearm enthusiasts. The NSSF appointed Maddox to its Board of Governors during the NSSF’s recent mid-year meeting.</p>
<p>Amazon’s four-day Prime Day event, running from July 8 to 11, is expected to drive online spending across U.S. retailers to $23.8 billion, representing 28.4 percent year-over-year (YoY) growth and the equivalent of two Black Fridays, according to data from Adobe Analytics.</p>
<p>The models, including Pressure ADR (Road Endurance), Pressure II (Road Race) and King Zydeco II (Gravel Race), are now being built at the Cinelli Logistics Center in Ames, IA.</p>
