November Sales Show Small Gain, Tops Expectations
The Commerce Department reported that retail sales rose 0.3 percent in November over the prior month, stronger than the 0.2 percent decline in October and better than the Dow Jones estimate for a decrease of 0.1 percent.
EXEC: Foot Locker Earns Upgrade On Turnaround Prospects
Shares of Foot Locker rose 10.1 percent Thursday after Piper Sandler & Co. upgraded Foot Locker from “Neutral” to “Overweight.” Piper analyst Abbie Zvejnieks believes the sneaker retailer’s turnaround potential compares favorably to other turnaround stories in the active lifestyle space, including Allbirds, Under Armour, VF Corp., and Wolverine Worldwide.
Nordstrom Rack to Open in Noblesville, IN in Fall 2024
The 25,000-square-foot store, located in Hamilton Town Center, which includes Ulta, Ross, Dick’s Sporting Goods, and Total Wine, is owned and managed by Simon Property Group.
Survey: 142 Million Shoppers Expected for Super Saturday
According to the National Retail Federation, the number of expected shoppers is up significantly from the last time Super Saturday fell on December 23, when 126 million consumers were expected to shop on that day in 2017.
Rossignol Opens Brand Store in the French Alps
The new store in Courchevel, a summer and winter vacation destination in the French Alps, sells its full range of apparel and winter sports equipment.
Fabletics GM Moves to MeUndies as Chief Revenue Officer
MeUndies reported it hired Ariel Stoddard as chief revenue officer, leading performance marketing and customer experience, reporting to Founder and CEO Jonathan Shokrian.
EXEC: McKinsey Identifies Tech Outerwear Among Hot Fashion Trends For 2024
In its The State of Fashion 2024 study, McKinsey & Co. provided a bullish outlook for technical outerwear, stating the category “has been propelled by consumers post-pandemic embrace of healthier lifestyles as well as ‘gorpcore,’ and is likely to accelerate even further in 2024.”
Outerstuff’s Debt Ratings Lowered on Default Risk
S&P Global Ratings reduced the debt ratings on youth licensed sports apparel maker Outerstuff LLC as a missed payment on its term loan is expected to constitute a default. The rating agency noted that Outerstuff received an extension of the maturity of its term loan that is expected to provide “some liquidity relief.”
Vuori Opens Stores In New York City and Chicago
Vuori opened new stores in New York City and Chicago, representing a second location for the brand in each city. The NYC store opened on the Upper East Side, the Chicago storefront in Lakeview.
Sports Direct Parent Acquires Menswear Retailer John Anthony
Frasers Group, the U.K.-based parent of Sports Direct, reported it acquired John Anthony, a U.K.-based retailer offering a mix of designer collections from new and established labels.
Nike Extends Agreement with University of Cincinnati
Nike, Inc. reported it extended its sponsorship agreement with Cincinnati University through 2029. The new program begins in 2025, with Nike providing the team uniforms, shoes and other accessories to the Cincinnati Bearcats.
Sam’s Club to Reopen Store In Grapevine, TX
Sam’s Club reported plans to reopen in Grapevine, TX, in late 2024 after closing the store due to storm damage incurred in December 2022.
Li-Ning Buys Commercial Property to Support New Hong Kong HQ
Based in Beijing, Li-Ning announced plans to acquire a 25-story mixed office and retail building in Hong Kong for $2.2 billion (US$282 million) to house its headquarters.
Study: Retailers See Online Sales Boosted by Store Openings
ICSC quantified the impact of opening or closing physical stores on online sales and retailers’ overall performance. Its latest study, the third installment in ICSC’s research on the halo effect of brick-and-mortar retail on online sales, is said to again prove the power of physical retail by demonstrating that a new store boosts online sales, while a closed store impedes them.
PVH Appoints New Leadership
PVH Corp. hired Sophia Hwang-Judiesch as president of Tommy Hilfiger North America and promoted Amba Subrahmanyam to chief people officer.