Aisle Talk Week Of May 10, 2021

May 14, 2021

»Yue Yuen Sees 27 Percent Sales Gain In First Quarter
Yue Yuen recorded revenue of $2,493.3 million in the three months ended March 31, 2021, representing an increase of 26.6 percent compared to revenue of $1,969.5 million in the same period of 2020. The increase in revenue was attributable to increased orders amidst the ongoing recovery of global demand for the Group’s products and an increase in production efficiency, on top of a low-base effect due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Read more

»Base Performance To Sponsor U.S. Triathlon Teams
USA Triathlon announced that Base Performance, based in Boulder, CO, will serve as the exclusive custom cycling kit for members of the 2020 U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Triathlon Teams that will compete in this summer’s Tokyo Games. Read more

»IHRSA Commends Introduction Of GYMS Act
The Community Gyms Coalition (CGC) and IHRSA applauded the bipartisan introduction of the GYMS Act in the Senate by Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Jerry Moran (R-KS). The GYMS Act would provide direct support to rebuild the fitness industry. Read more

»PHIT Act Reintroduced In House
The Personal Health Investment Today Act (PHIT) has been re-introduced in the House as H.R. 3109 by Congressman Ron Kind (D-WI), along with Representatives Mike Kelly (R-PA), Terri Sewell (D-AL) and Darrin LaHood (R-IL) as co-sponsors. SFIA issued a statement endorsing the legislation. Read more

May 13, 2021

»Dillard’s Sales Rebound In First Quarter
Dillard’s, Inc. reported a profit against a loss in the first quarter ended May 1 as sales surged 73 percent against the pandemic-depressed year-ago quarter. Read more

»Nike To Require Headquarter Employees To Work Three Days A Week In Office
Nike will require employees in its U.S. headquarters in Beaverton, OR work three days a week in the office, with the option to work up to two full days remotely. Read more

»Iconix Brand Group’s Sales Slide In First Quarter
Iconix Brand Group, Inc. reported revenue was $23.6 million in the first quarter, a 15 percent decline, compared to $28.0 million in the first quarter of 2020. Read more

»TUT Fitness Group Secures Funding
TUT Fitness Group has entered into a transaction agreement with AAJ Capital 2 Corp. Read more

»Leatt Corp Reports 71 Percent Quarterly Sales Gain
Leatt Corporation, the maker of protective equipment reported first-quarter revenues of $12.9 million, up 71 percent, compared to the 2020 first quarter. Read more

»Yeti’s Q1 Sales Expand 42 Percent
Yeti Holdings Inc. reported earnings increased three-fold in the first quarter ended April 3 as sales grew 42 percent. Both earnings and sales came in well above Wall Street targets. Read more

»Canada Goose’s Q4 Revenues Climb 34 Percent
Canada Goose Inc. reported sales in its fiscal fourth-quarter ended March 28 rose 33.7 percent and easily exceeded Wall Street estimates. Read more

»SportChek’s Comps Climb 19 Percent In First Quarter
Canadian Tire Corp. reported SportChek’s retail sales increased 10.0 percent in the first quarter and comparable sales were up 18.7 percent over the same period. Read more

»Asics Sees Q1 Sales Climb 25 Percent
Asics Corporation reported sales rose 24.8 percent in the first quarter. Sales in the North America region rose 20.1 percent on e-commerce gains and the region returned to profitability. Read more

»Mizuno Fiscal Year Revenues Decline 11 Percent
Mizuno Corp. reported sales were down 11.4 percent in its fiscal year ended March 31. Sales in the Americas region fell 6.4 percent but profitability improved. Read more

»Troy Industries Relocating To Tennessee
Troy Industries announced it will relocate its headquarters and manufacturing plant from West Springfield, MA, to Clarksville, TN. Read more

»Adidas Supervisory Board Extends Appointment Of Martin Shankland
Adidas’ Supervisory Board extended the appointment of Executive Board member Martin Shankland, responsible for Global Operations, by five years beyond 2022 until 2027. Read more

»Genesco Appoints Chief Strategy And Digital Officer
Genesco Inc. announced that Parag Desai has been named Genesco’s senior vice president, chief strategy and digital officer. He previously served as senior vice president, strategy, and shared services since December 2014. Read more

May 12, 2021

»Outdoor Retailer To Require Masks At Summer Denver Show
Outdoor Retailer posted its “Health + Safety Plan” for the Outdoor Retailer Summer Show to be held this August in Denver, CO, which includes temperature checks and mandatory face masks. Read more

»La Sportiva Appoints Southeastern Sales Rep
La Sportiva announced that John and Brad Dorough, co-owners of Vertical Momentum Rep Agency, will represent La Sportiva NA in the Southeast effective immediately. Read more

»The Beachbody Company Names Chief Strategy Officer
The Beachbody Company LLC announced the appointment of Kathy Vrabeck to the newly created role of chief strategy officer, reporting to Beachbody co-founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Carl Daikeler. Read more

»Boot Barn’s Q4 Comps Expand 26.9 Percent
Boot Barn Holdings Inc. reported earnings increased more than four-fold in the fourth quarter ended March 27 as same-store sales grew 27 percent. Read more

»Camping World Announces Proposed Refinancing
Camping World Holdings Inc. announced plans to refinance its senior secured credit facilities. Read more

»NSGA’s Sports Participation Report Reflects Effects Of Pandemic
The effects of COVID-19 are evident in the 64 sports and activities tracked by the NSGA in the 2021 Edition of its Sports Participation In The U.S. Report. Read more

»Under Armour’s Debt Ratings Outlook Upgraded
S&P Global Ratings raised its debt outlook for Under Armour Inc. to Stable From Negative. S&P said Under Armour’s strong first-quarter results “indicate its financial metrics are improving amid the coronavirus pandemic.” Read more

»TaylorMade Sold To Centroid Investment Partners
KPS Capital Partners, LP announced that it has signed a definitive agreement to sell its portfolio company, TaylorMade Golf Company, Inc. to Centroid Investment Partners (“Centroid”), a Seoul, Korea-based private equity firm. Read more

»Wolverine Worldwide Raises Full-Year Outlook On Strong First-Quarter Results
Wolverine World Wide Inc. lifted its annual guidance after reporting adjusted earnings grew 45 percent in the first quarter on a 16 percent sales gain. Merrell revenue grew nearly 25 percent, and Saucony revenue was up nearly 60 percent. Online sales surged 84 percent. Read more

May 11, 2021

»Backcountry Appoints VP Of Owned Brands
Backcountry welcomed former Nike executive Lynsey Lambert to lead strategy and growth as VP of owned brands. Lambert was most recently senior director brand merchandising, global footwear, Nike. Read more

»Lodging At Southeast Destinations Continues Recent Momentum
Once again, in contrast with destination lodging around the U.S., the Southeast region is barreling into the third month of the six-month summer season with exceptional performance when compared to last year’s pandemic season and well ahead of the summer of 2019, which posted records for occupancy and rates, according to DestiMetrics, a division of Inntopia. Read more

»Fanatics Partners With The Phoenix Suns
Fanatics reached a long-term partnership to operate online and mobile commerce at shop.suns.com for the Phoenix Suns. Fanatics will also run its retail experiences at Phoenix Suns Arena for the Suns, WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury and other events hosted at the venue following the conclusion of the current NBA season. Read more

»Schoeller Textil Welcomes Two New Sales Directors For North America
Schoeller Textil AG announced that Megan Fulton and Jack McPheron have joined its North America team as sales directors, covering the Western U.S. and parts of Canada. Read more

»Sequential Brands Secures Further Waivers From Lenders
Sequential Brands was granted a waiver that extends existing defaults on its credit agreement until June 7, according to a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. Read more

»Nike Partners With Howard Payne University Through BSN Sports
The Howard Payne University athletic department entered into a five-year sponsorship and product supply agreement with Nike through BSN Sports to be its official apparel, footwear and uniform provider for athletics. Read more

»JD Sports Acquires Manchester-based Menswear Retailer
JD Sports has acquired Oi Polloi, an independent men’s fashion boutique located in Manchester. Read more

»Sun Valley Company Appoints Vice President And General Manager
Sun Valley Company announced the appointment of Pete Sonntag as VP and GM of Sun Valley Resort, effective June 7, 2021, reporting to Bruce Fery, CEO, Grand America Hotels & Resorts. Read more

»REI To Open In Tallahassee And Palm Beach Garden
REI Co-op, with five stores in Florida, will open new locations in Spring 2022 in Tallahassee and Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. Read more

»Rapala USA President To Retire
Tom Mackin, president of Rapala USA and executive vice president of distribution and brands in North America for Rapala VMC Corporation, will retire from the company on December 31, 2021. Read more

»C&G Sporting Goods Owner To Retire
Ronnie Groom, the owner of C&G Sporting Goods in Panama City, FL, plans to retire. Read more

»Champion Aiming To Become $3 Billion Brand By 2024
HanesBrands Inc. unveiled Full Potential, a three-year growth plan designed to drive approximately $1.2 billion in incremental revenue and expand operating margins to 14.3 percent by 2024. The plan calls for Champion to become a $3 billion global brand by 2024, up from projected 2021 sales of approximately $2 billion. Read more

»HanesBrands Sees 25 Percent Q1 Revenue Gain
HanesBrands Inc. announced results for the first quarter of 2021, with continued sales momentum across the company’s global innerwear and activewear businesses driving strong adjusted operating profit and cash flow. Champion sales increased 34 percent over prior year and revenue from the company’s other activewear brands increased 16 percent. Read more

May 10, 2021

»Everlane Appoints Global Creative Director
Everlane appointed Shu Hung as global creative director. She previously worked for Uniqlo and Nike. Read more

»Callaway Golf’s Q1 Revenues Surge 47 percent
Callaway Golf Company reported sales jumped 47 percent in the first quarter ended March 31. Full-year 2021 adjusted EBITDA is now anticipated to exceed full-year 2019 levels for the legacy Callaway business and to meet or exceed the full twelve-month 2019 levels for the recently acquired Topgolf business. Read more

»Clarus’ Q1 Revenues Climb 41 Percent
Clarus Corporation reported sales in the first quarter Increase 41 percent year-over-year. Black Diamond sales were up 13 percent while Sierra sales were up 203 percent, or 94 percent excluding Barnes. Read more

»Nautilus Delivers Second Consecutive Record-Breaking Quarter
Nautilus Inc. reported a significant hike in earnings for the three-month transition period ended March 31 as sales catapulted 120 percent. The quarter marked the fitness company’s second consecutive quarter of record-breaking results and the highest quarterly revenue in its company’s 35-year history. Read more

»Academy Sports Appoints Board Member
Academy Sports and Outdoors Inc. announced the appointments of Beryl B. Raff to its Board of Directors and Compensation Committee and Wendy A. Beck, currently a member of the Board and its Audit Committee, as a member and chairperson of the Nominating & Governance Committee. Read more

»New  Store Openings Set For City Gear And Hibbett Sports
Hibbett announced store openings plans for one Hibbett Sports in Houston and two City Gear locations in Florida. Read more

»Nuun To Be Sold To Nestlé Health Science
Nuun, the hydration supplement brand, has entered into an agreement to be acquired by Nestlé Health Science. Read more

»Centric Brands Adds To Leadership Team And Board Of Directors
Centric Brands LLC  announced the addition of two new roles at the company. Sid Keswani joins as president, and Ruth Hartman joins the company’s Board of Directors. Read more

»Clarus Nominates Board Member
Clarus Corporation announced the nomination of Susan Ottmann to its Board of Directors. Read more

»Retail Cargo Imports Set New Record As Economy Recovers
Imports at retail container ports hit a new record this spring and volume during the first half of 2021 is expected to be a third higher than last year as the economy continues to recover from the pandemic, according to the monthly Global Port Tracker report released by the National Retail Federation. Read more

»Remington Announces Partnership With Blackbird Products Group
Remington Ammunition announced a licensee agreement with Blackbird Products Group, parent company to Mammoth Coolers. Read more

»Adidas Forms Global Licensing Agreement With Timex Group
Timex Group entered into a global licensing agreement for watches under the Adidas Originals brand. Read more

»JD Sports Announces Board Change
JD Sports Fashion Plc announced that Andy Rubin has stepped down from the Board as a Non-Executive Director, effective May 6. Andy Rubin will be replaced by Andy Long, former CEO of Pentland Brands. Read more

»OBIT: Paul Van Doren, Vans Co-Founder
Paul Van Doren, the co-founder of the Vans brand, passed away at the age of 90. Read more

Photos courtesy Yeti, Lauren Spalding