Aisle Talk Week Of January 25, 2021

The Top National stories and the Latest headlines across the Active Lifestyle Market for the week of January 25, 2021 covered in the SGB Updates and delivered to your inbox every business day.

January 29, 2021

•Dunham’s To Open Store In Salina, KS
Dunham’s Sports is opening a store at the Central Mall in Salina, KS. Read more

•Adidas Extends Partnership With The Portland Trail Blazers
The Portland Trail Blazers and Adidas announced a multi-year partnership extension showcasing Damian Lillard’s tie to Oregon and Rip City. Read more

•Winchester Achieves Record Quarterly Q4 Earnings
Olin Corp. reported sales in its Winchester segment grew 120 percent in the fourth quarter ended December 31 to $340.6 million from $154.7 million a year ago. Operating profit reached $44.8 million, up from $7.0 million a year ago. Read more

•Academy Sports Sees Holiday Comps Climb 17 Percent
Academy Sports + Outdoors reported that same-store sales over the nine-week period ended January 2 are estimated to have grown approximately 16.6 percent. Read more

January 28, 2021

•Neiman Marcus Plans Supply Chain Investments, Makes Key Hires
Neiman Marcus Group announced a number of new hires and said it is investing $85 million gross in supply chain innovation, specifically systems and fulfillment centers. Read more

•RunSignup’s Annual RaceTrends Report Shows 48.1 Percent Participation Decline
RunSignup’s Annual RaceTrends Report for 2020 shows a 48.1 percent drop in participation amongst the cohort of races that were on the RunSignup platform in 2019 and did hold an event of some type in 2020. Read more

•Dick’s SG To Open Store In Grand Junction, CO
Dick’s Sporting Goods Inc. plans to open a store at Mesa Mall in Grand Junction, CO. Read more

•Honey Stinger Partners With Alterra Mountain Company
Honey Stinger has entered into a two-year partnership with Alterra Mountain Company, the owner and operator of 15 North American mountain destinations. Read more

•Silver Crystal Sports Appoints Sales Director
Silver Crystal Sports welcomed Mike Danischewsky as sales director. Read more

•RYU Apparel Appoints COO
RYU Apparel Inc. hired Rob Blair as its new chief operating officer. Blair has worked with Red Bull, Duer, Lululemon, Gap Body, and Nike. Read more

•Oiselle Hires Director Of Sports Advocacy
Oiselle hired Alison Mariella Désir as its director of sports advocacy. Read more

•Jack Wolfskin Opens First North American Showroom In Park City
Jack Wolfskin announced the opening of the brand’s first North American showroom located in downtown Park City, UT. With 549 retail locations in over 40 countries worldwide, Jack Wolfskin is looking to expanding its footprint with North American customers. Read more

•Academy Sports + Outdoors Announces Pricing Of Secondary Offering
Academy Sports + Outdoors Inc. announced the pricing of the previously announced underwritten secondary offering by certain of its stockholders, including affiliates of Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co., of 12 million shares of common stock of Academy. Read more

•Nike Loses Appeal In Fleet Feet Lawsuit
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit refused to undo a trademark ruling that forced Nike Inc. to halt an advertising campaign centered on the slogan “Sports Changes Everything.” The ruling stemmed from a 2019 lawsuit filed by Fleet Feet. Read more

•Huk To Sponsor MLF Big5
Major League Fishing (MLF) announced that Huk, the maker of fishing apparel, has signed on as the exclusive apparel sponsor of the MLF BIG5 for the 2021 season. Read more

•Decathlon Named Official NBA Licensee
Decathlon has reached a multi-year merchandising agreement with the NBA, representing its first alliance with a North American sports league. Read more

•Pelican Products Promotes Murphy To Lead Marketing for U.S.
Pelican Products, Inc. promoted Kevin Murphy to vice president of marketing for its U.S. sales division. In his new role, Murphy will oversee the U.S. Commercial, Government and Consumer marketing teams and all brand and creative initiatives. Read more

January 27, 2021

•TSC Apparel Expanding To A Larger Distribution Center In Southern CA
TSC Apparel is expanding to a larger distribution center in Moreno Valley, CA. Read more

•NC Outdoor Recreation Coalition Announces New Leadership And Agenda
The North Carolina Outdoor Recreation Coalition announced its 2021 Legislative Agenda and elected Dave Petri as its new Board Chair to drive the organization’s work on policy and advocacy objectives. Read more

•Unifi Sees Incremental Improvement In Q2
Unifi Inc. reported sales of $162.8 million in the second quarter ended December 27, a decrease of 4.0 percent year-over-year, but an increase of 15.0 percent sequentially from the first quarter of fiscal 2021. Revenues from Repreve Fiber products represented 37 percent of consolidated net sales, a quarterly record. Read more

•Columbia Sportswear Appoints Chief Digital Information Officer
Columbia Sportswear Company announced the appointment of Skip Potter to executive vice president, chief digital information officer, effective April 1. Most recently, he spent four years as Nike’s chief technology officer. Read more

•Roc Nation Sports Names COO Head Of Strategy And Business Development
Roc Nation Sports named Brodie Van Wagenen, as COO and Head of Strategy and Business Development of Roc Nation Sports. Van Wagenen will report to Shawn (Jay-Z) Carter and Roc Nation Sports President Juan Perez. Read more

•Belk’s Debt Ratings Downgraded Following Restructuring Move
S&P Global Ratings lowered its debt rating on Belk Inc. due to the Charlotte, N.C.-based department store operator’s announcement that it intends to restructure its debt. S&P views the proposed transaction as distressed and representing less than the original promise of its term loans. Read more

•Vista Outdoor’s Debt Ratings Upgraded
Moody’s upgraded the debt ratings of Vista Outdoor Inc. because Vista repaid a significant amount of debt over the last two years. The rating agency also expects the company’s operating performance to remain strong over the next 12 to 18 months as ammunition demand remains robust and as the company continues to work through its material backlog. Read more

•Lectric eBikes Secures Investment
Bertram Capital announced that it has made an investment in Phoenix, AZ-based Lectric eBikes, a designer and direct-to-consumer retailer of electric bicycles and accessories. Read more

•REI To Open New Store In Orland Park
REI Co-op will open a new store in the Village of Orland Park, IL in fall 2021, representing the Co-op’s fifth location in Illinois. Read more

•Hyperice Acquires RecoverX
Hyperice announced the acquisition of RecoverX, a San Diego-based technology company specializing in intelligent thermal technologies. Read more

•United Legwear & Apparel Acquires TicTacToe
United Legwear & Apparel Co. has acquired TicTacToe, manufacturer of infant, toddler and children’s legwear, accessories and apparel. Read more

•VF’s Q3 Revenues Slide 6 Percent
VF Corp. reported sales dropped 6 percent in the third quarter ended December 26. Sales for the Vans brand were down 6 percent while sales for The North Face were flat, though the company’s entire outdoor segment fell 5 percent. Earnings came in just ahead of Wall Street’s consensus estimate but were below year-ago levels. VF nonetheless raised its guidance for the year. Read more

January 26, 2021

•2nd Skull Partners With Guardian Sports
2nd Skull, Inc. announced that it has entered into an agreement with Guardian Sports. The agreement enables Guardian Sports to directly market and sell 2nd Skull’s product line to teams, leagues, schools, and other athletic organizations across North America. Read more

•Belk Plans Bankruptcy Filing To Restructure Debt
On Tuesday afternoon Belk said it plans to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection to complete a debt-for-equity exchange designed to reduce its debt load by $450 million. Suppliers are expected to be unimpaired. Read more

•Unifi Appoints Board Member
Unifi Inc. announced the election of Emma Battle to its Board of Directors. Battle is currently president and CEO of MarketVigor, a business services company she founded. Read more

•Expresso Fitness Appoints CEO
Expresso Fitness named Jeff Veldhuizen as chief executive officer. Veldhuizen previously served as vice president of direct to consumer for Zwift and held senior roles for more than a decade at Nike. Read more

•Hyperice Announces Hyperice Performance Advisors
Hyperice announced the launch of its Hyperice Performance Advisors, a health advisory board of industry leaders. Hyperice App users will be able to leverage the expertise, research and education of each advisor. Read more

•JD Sports Explores Funding Options To Fuel Expansion
JD Sports, the U.K. retailer that owns Finish Line and Shoe Palace in the U.S., confirmed on Tuesday that it was exploring additional funding to support growth. Read more

•Former Senior Marketing VP Of Under Armour Joins SquadLocker’s Board
SquadLocker announced that Jim Mollica, digital marketing executive and former senior vice president of global consumer engagement and digital at Under Armour, has joined its board of directors. Read more

•Target Giving $500 Pandemic Bonuses To 375,000 Frontline Employees
Target said it would reward its frontline workers with $500 bonuses for their efforts during a “year unlike others” in 2020. Members of Target’s executive team, store leaders and distribution center leaders will net bonuses of $1,000 to $2,000. In total, Target is giving out $200 million in bonuses after a successful holiday season. Read more

•Blackbird Products Group Adds Union Sales Agency
Blackbird Products Group, LLC, the parent company of Mammoth Coolers, Mammoth PPE Products, and American Buffalo Knife & Tool,  announced a new partnership with Union Sales Agency. Read more

•Belk Exploring Restructuring In Bankruptcy Proceedings
Belk Inc. is nearing a deal to file for bankruptcy protection to support a pre-arranged conversion of debt to equity, sources told Bloomberg. Read more

•NPD Report: Athletic Footwear And Activewear Sales Decline in 2020
U.S. athletic footwear dollar sales declined in the mid-single-digits in 2020 although sport-lifestyle, running and golf outperformed, according to The NPD Group. Activewear sales were also down in the mid-single-digits for 2020, but sweatshirts and underwear posted gains. Read more

•Powdr Corp. Debt Downgraded
S&P Global Ratings lowered its debt ratings on Powdr Corp., the privately held ski resort operator, as capacity limitations and travel restrictions are having a significant negative impact across the ski industry and at the company’s resorts in the U.S. and Canada. Read more

January 25, 2021

•Golf Scores Record Gains In Equipment Sales And Rounds In 2020
Golf Datatech LLC’s National Golf Performance Report showed that golf rounds soared 13.9 percent and equipment sales increased 10.1 percent in 2020 over 2019. The data-tracking organization said the surge in rounds and retail sales is primarily a result of golf being positioned as a near-ideal socially distancing activity during the pandemic. Read more

•Academy Sports Announces Secondary Offering Of Common Stock
Academy Sports and Outdoors Inc. announced that certain of its stockholders, including affiliates of Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. L.P., intend to offer for sale, in an underwritten secondary offering, 12 million shares of common stock of Academy Sports. Read more

•TuffStuff Prevails In Patent Dispute With Hoist Fitness Systems
TuffStuff Fitness International Inc. secured another victory before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit in its long-running patent dispute with competitor Hoist Fitness Systems, Inc. The lawsuit concerned TuffStuff’s line of patented Selectorized Bio-Arc exercise machines. Read more

•Boot Barn’s Q3 Profits Climb 19.5 Percent
Boot Barn Holdings Inc. reported earnings rose 19.5 percent in the third quarter ended December 26 on a 6.5 percent revenue gain. Read more

•Cole Haan Withdraws IPO Plans
Cole Haan Inc., in a regulatory filing, applied for the withdrawal of its S-1 registration statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission supporting a planned initial public offering. Read more

•Golf Rounds Played Surge In December
Golf rounds played jumped 37.3 percent for the month of December and grew 13.9 percent in total for 2020, according to Golf Datatech. The biggest regional gains were seen in New England, West North Central and the Mid-Atlantic. Read more

•Feetures Undergoes Executive Changes
Feetures announced executive changes as part of succession planning. The changes include national sales manager for footwear specialty retailers, Steve Hallinan, becoming key accounts manager, John Gaither becoming chief operations officer and Joe Gaither, executive vice president. Read more

•Rocky Brands To Acquire Original Muck Boot Company and Xtratuf
Rocky Brands, Inc. announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire the performance and lifestyle footwear business of Honeywell International, Inc. including The Original Muck Boot Company and Xtratuf footwear brands, for a $230 million. Read more

•PeopleForBikes Appoints Vice President Of Business Network
PeopleForBikes announced the addition of Ravi Rajcoomar as its vice president of the organization’s business network. Rajcoomar will serve on the trade association’s senior leadership team and guide the organization in creating an environment where cycling and its bike business grow. Read more

•Planet Fitness Franchisee National Fitness Partners Grows Footprint
Planet Fitness franchisee, National Fitness Partners, announced the acquisition of 16 Planet Fitness clubs, including 15 locations in the Cleveland and Akron-Canton, OH markets and one location in central Pennsylvania from two different sellers. Read more

•TightSpot Quiver Announces BuckVentures Partnership
TightSpot Quiver announced its new partnership with BuckVentures, a resource for hunting entertainment and education. Read more)

•Corlex Capital Closes Debt Refinancing For Largest Anytime Fitness Franchisee
Corlex Capital announced the closing of a senior secured credit facility to refinance and provide growth capital for Bandon Holdings, the largest franchisee of Anytime Fitness. Read more)

•Mindbody Introduces Its First Virtual Consumer Membership Program
Mindbody announced the launch of Mindbody Flex, its first membership offering that includes virtual access to more than 350 studios. Read more

•Therabody Announces Settlement Of Patent Infringement Lawsuit
Therabody announced it has reached settlement agreements with sellers of vibration massage devices, Revolution Hustle LLC, and Elevate Brands LLC. Read more