The Top National stories and the Latest headlines across the Active Lifestyle Market for the week of March 1, 2021 covered in the SGB Updates and delivered to your inbox every business day.
March 5, 2021
•Under Armour Debuts Its Fastest Running Shoe
Under Armour dropped its UA Flow Velociti Wind, its “fastest running shoe yet.” There’s no outsole just a grippy, supportive single foam compound that allows you to run to achieve your “flow state.” Read more
•Mastercard: U.S. Retail Sales Grew 4.6 Percent In February
U.S. retail sales climbed 4.6 percent in February after adjusting for the fact that 2020 was a leap year, according to data from Mastercard’s SpendingPulse. Read more
•Compass Diversified Expands Debt Offering
Compass Diversified increased its offering of senior unsecured notes due 2029 to $1 billion from $750 million. The 5.25 percent notes will be the company’s senior unsecured obligations. Read more
•HanesBrands Names General Counsel, Corporate Secretary And Chief Compliance Officer
HanesBrands announced that Tracy Preston has been named general counsel, corporate secretary and chief compliance officer, effective March 29, 2021. Read more
•Hibbett Sports Fourth Quarter Earnings Surge
Profits at Hibbett Sports Inc. catapulted 168 percent in the fourth quarter ended January 30 as same-store sales ran up 21.9 percent. Mike Longo, president and chief executive officer, said in a statement, “The strong momentum that we experienced in our business in the second and third quarters continued into the fourth quarter.” Read more
March 4, 2021
•Self Esteem Brands Makes Executive Appointments
Self Esteem Brands, the parent of Anytime Fitness, Basecamp Fitness, The Bar Method, and Waxing the City, announced three executive appointments. Read more
•Athleta’s Comps Climb 26 Percent In Q4
Gap Inc. said Athleta’s sales increased 29 percent in the fourth quarter with comparable sales up 26 percent. Gap said it plans to open 20 to 30 Athleta stores in fiscal 2021. Read more
•Smith & Wesson’s Q3 Revenues Double
Smith & Wesson Brands Inc. reported significant improvement in earnings in the third quarter ended January 31 as revenues jumped 102.2 percent. Read more
•Spalding Named Game Ball Provider Of 2021 ACC Basketball Tournaments
Spalding has reached a deal to become the official game ball provider of the 2021 Atlantic Coast Conference men’s and women’s basketball tournaments. Read more
•Reebok Appoints VP Of Apparel
Reebok announced the appointment of Portia Blunt to vice president, apparel. Blunt most recently served as director of apparel operations at New Balance. Read more
•Whoop Becomes Official Wearable Of CrossFit
Whoop signed on to become the Official Wearable of CrossFit. The partnership will help CrossFit athletes benefit from Whoop data around training, sleep and recovery. CrossFit also plans to share athlete data via integrations into its broadcast programming and other digital and on-site channels. Read more
•USA Cycling Hires Chief Marketing Officer
USA Cycling has named Matt Heitmann as chief marketing officer overseeing marketing and membership. Heitmann joins the organization after leading marketing efforts of multiple industry organizations, including The Pro’s Closet, Canyon and BMC. Read more
•Florida A&M Announces New Partnership With Nike, LeBron James
Florida A&M Athletics announced a six-year agreement with Nike Inc., to make Nike the official athletic footwear, apparel and equipment provider for the Rattlers beginning July 1, 2021. The team will be outfitted with LeBron James uniforms, apparel and footwear. Read more
•Dunham’s Sports Returns To Marquette
Dunham’s announced plans to return to Marquette, MI this summer with a store set to open in the Westwood Mall in the old Yonkers location. Read more
•Burlington Stores Q4 Same-Store Sales Flat
Burlington Stores reported earnings fell 24.2 percent in the fourth quarter on flat comp sales. The off-price retailer also set a new store target to reach 2,000 stores, up from the previous goal of 1,000 stores. Read more
•Buckle’s Comps Climb 5.3 Percent In February
Buckle Inc. announced that comparable store net sales, for stores open at least one year, for the 4-week period ended February 27 increased 5.3 percent year-over-year. Read more
•Selkirk Sport Partners With Troon
Troon, the largest golf management company, has signed Selkirk Sport to become its first “Preferred Pickleball Partner” and an official partner of the company’s Cliff Drysdale Tennis division. Read more
•NICS Background Checks Growth Slows In February
The FBI completed 1.38 million gun background checks on an NSSF-adjusted basis in February, an increase of 7.2 percent compared to the February 2020 NSSF-adjusted NICS figure of 1.29 million. The increase follows strong double-digit gains in recent months, including a 75.2 percent hike in January and 40.6 percent for the fourth quarter. Read more
•Topgolf Announces Plans To Open Venue In Fort Myers
Topgolf Entertainment Group announced plans to open a venue in Fort Myers, FL in late 2021. The location will bring the total number of open venues serving Floridians to seven. Read more
•Academy Sports Appoints Board Member
Academy Sports and Outdoors Inc. announced the appointment of Tom Nealon to its Board of Directors, effective today. With the addition of Nealon, Academy’s Board comprises ten directors. Read more
March 3, 2021
•New Balance Extends Partnership With Lille OSC
New Balance extended its partnership as kit supplier to the French football club Lille OSC. Read more
•True Fitness Welcomes VP Of Operations
Fitness, the manufacturer of commercial cardio and strength equipment, announced the addition of Ed Kurzontkowski as vice president of operations. He spent 28 years with Cybex International. Read more
•VF Corp. Appoints Global Brand President, Timberland
VF Corporation announced the appointment of Susie Mulder as global brand president, Timberland. Mulder joins the Timberland brand from clothing brand NIC+ZOE where she served as CEO since April 2012. Read more
•NRF: 2021 Could See Record Retail Sales Growth
A wide array of economic indicators point toward potentially record retail sales growth during 2021, but the coronavirus pandemic remains the biggest challenge for the year, according to a prediction from the National Retail Federation (NRF). Read more
•RECALL: Haro Bicycles
About 510 Masi Evoluzione and Gran Corsa Bicycles from Haro Bicycles are being recalled. Read more
•HanesBrands Names Chief Design Officer, Global Innerwear
HanesBrands announced that Jane Newman has been named chief design officer, global innerwear. Read more
•Black Diamond Initiates Fast Track Voluntary Product Recall Program For PIEPS DSP Avalanche Transceivers
Black Diamond announced it is working under the guidance of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and Health Canada and has initiated a Fast Track voluntary product recall program for its PIEPS DSP Avalanche Transceivers. Read more
•Headsweats Partners With US Open Pickleball Championships
Headsweats has partnered with the US Open Pickleball Championships as the official headwear sponsor of the world’s largest Pickleball event. Read more
•Earvin “Magic” Johnson Appointed To Fanatics Board Of Directors
Fanatics announced the appointment of Earvin “Magic” Johnson to its Board of Directors. Johnson joins Mindy Grossman, CEO of WW International, and Jerry Storch, Founder and CEO of Storch Advisors and veteran retail executive, as Fanatics’ independent board members. Read more
•VF’s CEO Joins Best Buy’s Board
Best Buy Co. Inc. appointed Steve Rendle, chairman, president and CEO of VF Corp., to its board of directors. Read more
•Urban Outfitters’ Q4 Comps Decline 7 Percent
Urban Outfitters Inc. reported total company net sales for the three months ended January 31 decreased 6.9 percent over the same period last year to $1.09 billion. Comparable Retail segment net sales decreased 7 percent. Read more
•Adidas Expands Streetwear App Confirmed To UK And Europe
Adidas has expanded Confirmed, its streetwear-inspired app, to the UK, France, Italy, Poland, Spain, Germany and the Netherlands. Read more
•The VF Foundation Issues its First Impact Report
The VF Foundation, the VF Corporation’s philanthropic arm, published its inaugural report outlining the positive impact of its financial grants and charitable partnerships. Read more
•Rapala VMC Corporation Strengthens Sales And Finance Operations With Promotions
Rapala VMC Corporation announced promotions that will continue to accelerate the growth and performance of the company’s U.S. operations. Read more
•Primary Arms Optics Appoints Senior Operations Manager
Primary Arms Optics announced the promotion of Marc Jardell to the position of senior operations manager. In the senior operations manager position, Jardell will build on Primary Arms Optics’ operational advantages, including its 100 percent in-house quality inspection and elevated customer satisfaction standards. Read more
March 2, 2021
•Head Named Official Tennis Ball, Racquet And String Of Laver Cup
Laver Cup organizers announced that Head has signed a multi-year deal to become a global sponsor of the event starting with this year’s edition to be held at the TD Garden in Boston from September 24-26, 2021. Read more
•Trigon Sports Acquires Practice Partner
Trigon Sports Int., Inc. announced the acquisition of Practice Partner, Inc. located in Wilmington, NC, effective March 1, 2021. The merged business will continue operating in Memphis, TN. Read more
•Nordstrom’s Q4 Revenues Slump 20 Percent
Nordstrom Inc. reported a sharp decline in fourth-quarter earnings but results topped Wall Street’s target. Net sales decreased 20 percent, which improved sequentially by 600 basis points relative to the third quarter, after adjusting for a shift of the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale. Read more
•Ross Stores Q4 Comps Drop 6 Percent
Ross Stores Inc. reported earnings fell 47.8 percent in the fourth quarter as same-store sales declined 6 percent. The off-pricer said an upsurge of the virus resulted in lower-traffic, especially in California, its largest state. Read more
•SFIA National Health Through Fitness Day Cancelled For 2021
For the second year in a row, National Health Through Fitness Day will not occur in March. Read more
•Big 5’s Q4 Profits Soar, Forecasts Strong First Quarter
Big 5 Sporting Goods Corp. reported a significant hike in earnings in the year ended January 3 as same-store sales jumped 10.5 percent. The sporting goods chain also hiked its dividend by 50 percent and predicted same-store in the first quarter would climb approximately 20 percent. Read more
•Globe International Sees 60 Percent Growth In First Half
Globe International Limited, based in Melbourne, reported a significant increase in sales and profitability in the first half ended December 31. The company’s four brands, Impala, FXD, Globe and Salty Crew, all grew. Read more
•Jordan Brand President Joins Capital One’s Board
Craig Williams, president of Jordan Brand at Nike, has been appointed to the board of directors at Capital One Financial Corporation. Read more
•Natural Indigo Maker Stony Creek Colors Raises $9M Series B
Stony Creek Colors, based in Springfield, TN, has raised over $9 million in a Series B financing round. Read more
•Jockey Partners With Pac-12
The Pac-12 announced that Jockey will become the official apparel partner of the Pac-12 under a new multi-year partnership. Read more
•Canada Goose And NBA Announce Multiyear Partnership
Canada Goose announced a multi-year partnership with the National Basketball Association that makes Canada Goose the Outerwear Partner of the NBA All-Stars. Read more
•Slinger Bag and Wilson Sporting Goods Enter Into Strategic Collaboration In North America
Slinger Bag and Wilson Sporting Goods Co. announced a new strategic collaboration. Slinger Bag will collaborate on co-branded products and promotional initiatives with Wilson. Read more
•Target’s Q4 Earnings Run Up 58 Percent
Target Corp. reported adjusted EPS in the fourth quarter improved 58.0 percent to $2.67 from $1.69 a year ago and ahead of Wall Street’s consensus estimate of $2.49. Same-store sales grew 6.9 percent. Read more
•Macy’s Announces Changes To Its Senior Leadership Team
Macy’s Inc. announced changes to its senior leadership team, including the exit of its COO and a new CIO and head of real estate. Read more
•Camping World Announces Deal To Acquire EZ Living RV In Illinois
Camping World Holdings Inc. announced an agreement to acquire EZ Living RV in Braidwood, IL. Read more
•Kohl’s Adjusted Earnings Climb 12 Percent In Q4
Kohl’s Inc. reported earnings on an adjusted basis grew 12.3 percent in the fourth quarter to easily top Wall Street’s targets. Sales were down 10.1 percent. Read more
March 1, 2021
•Nike’s GM North America Exits
Nike Inc. announced that Ann Hebert, vice president and general manager, North America geography, has departed from the company, effective today, March 1. Read more
•ISSA Acquired By Private-Equity Firm
Tailwind Capital has closed on its acquisition of the International Sports Sciences Association (ISSA), the eLearning platform for the fitness and wellness industry. Read more
•Gaia’s Q4 Revenues Climb 27 Percent
Gaia Inc. reported revenues in the fourth quarter increased 27 percent to $18.6 million from $14.7 million in the year-ago quarter. This was primarily due to growth in members and an increase in average revenue per member. Read more
•Compass Diversified Announces Proposed Private Offering Of $750 Million Of Notes
Compass Diversified (CODI) said it intends to commence an offering of $750 million of senior unsecured notes due 2029 in a private offering.
Read more
•NOBULL, CrossFit Ink Three-Year Games Title Sponsor, Apparel, Footwear Deal
CrossFit announced NOBULL will replace Reebok as title sponsor of the CrossFit Games and Official Footwear and Apparel Sponsor of CrossFit. Read more
•Tonal To Open Shops Inside Nordstrom
Tonal has partnered with Nordstrom to open 40 Women’s Active departments featuring the smart home gym in 40 Nordstrom locations. The introduction is part of a bigger push by Nordstrom into the active lifestyle space. Read more
•Dick’s SG Announces Grand Opening Of Four Stores In March
Dick’s Sporting Goods will expand its footprint with the opening of three Dick’s Sporting Goods locations and one Warehouse Sale location in March. Read more
•Camping World To Acquire Triple A RV Center
Camping World Holdings Inc. announced that an agreement has been signed to acquire Triple A RV Center in Medford, OR. The acquisition is anticipated to close in March. Read more
•Berkshire Hathaway Sees 6 Percent Decline In Apparel/Footwear Sales In 2020
Berkshire Hathaway reported apparel and footwear revenues declined 6.1 percent in 2020 compared to 2019. Read more
•Olin Announces Refinancing Transaction
Olin Corporation, the parent of Winchester, announced the execution of an amendment to its existing credit agreement, which increased the term loan facility by $315 million. Read more
•JS Industries Opens New North American HQ In Oceanside
JS Industries officially opened its North American headquarters in Oceanside, CA. Read more
Photo courtesy Under Armour/UA Flow Velociti Wind
