Authentic Brands Group Taps Shaq to Run Reebok Basketball
Reebok appointed Shaquille O’Neal as president of Reebok Basketball with Allen Iverson serving as vice president of the division. Both NBA legends have longstanding relationships with Reebok and its parent company, Authentic Brands Group.
EXEC: Sports Direct Parent Expands Stake in Norwegian Retailer
Shares of XXL, the struggling Oslo-listed sports retailer, are reportedly surging after the company reported that Frasers Group, the UK-based parent of Sports Direct, purchased 117.4 million shares of the company, bringing its total holding to 162.1 million.
EXEC: BRC Sees Weaker UK Retail Growth in September as Non-Food Sales Decline
The British Retail Consortium reported that total UK retail sales were 2.7 percent in September, against a growth of 2.2 percent in September 2022, supported by a 9.5 percent inflation rate.
EXEC: JD Sports Completes Shares Purchase of Iberian Sports Retail Group
Effective October 10, JD acquired 49.98 percent of shares of ISRG from Balaiko Firaja Invest, S.L. and Sonae Holdings, S.A. for cash consideration of €500.1 million ($531.2 million) and now owns 100 percent of ISRG shares.
Ross Stores Opens 51 New Stores in September and October
The company opened 43 Ross Dress for Less and eight DD’s Discounts stores across 22 states in September and October, completing the company’s store growth plans for fiscal 2023, adding 97 new locations.
Iconix Brand Founder Neil Cole Gets 18-Month Prison Term
Neil Cole, the founder and former CEO of Iconix Brand Group, was sentenced to 18 months in prison, after his second trial in a criminal case. Last November, Cole was convicted of securities fraud and other charges for misleading investors about the company’s earnings.
Sporting Insights Appoints Joint Managing Director
The U.K.-based market research firm announced that Richard Payne has taken on a new position as joint managing director of the company, alongside managing director, John Bushell.
Pure Hockey to Open Two Stores In Ohio
Pure Hockey announced plans to open two stores in Ohio in mid-October in Columbus and Mayfield Heights. The openings mark the retailer’s entrance into Ohio.
Report: UK Holiday Spending Increase Will Fall Short of Inflation Growth
The 3.4 percent growth for the holiday selling period, driven by 9.3 percent inflation for the year, still falls short of last year’s increase and marks a second quarter of slowing growth in 2023.
NRF: Import Volumes Slowing Heading Into Holiday Selling
Import cargo volume at the major container ports in the U.S. has hit its expected peak for the year and should gradually slow moving into the holiday season, according to the Global Port Tracker report released by the National Retail Federation(NRF) and Hackett Associates. Ports have not reported September numbers, but Global Port Tracker projected the month at 1.94 million TEU, down 4.3 percent year-over-year. October is also forecasted at 1.94 million TEU, down 3.1 percent year-over-year.
Industry Analyst Joins Edelman Smithfield
Edelman Smithfield, a financial communications firm, announced that Kimberly Greenberger, a veteran Wall Street analyst covering the apparel and footwear space, has joined the firm as a senior advisor.
EXEC: Report Sees Crocs, Hoka, New Balance, and On Increasing Teen Appeal
Crocs, Hoka, New Balance, and On were among the brands in the active lifestyle space that increased their appeal with teens in Piper Sandler’s 46th Semi-Annual Taking Stock With Teens Survey. Nike dominated teen mindshare in footwear and apparel but lost brand appeal in the performance category, while Adidas, Converse, Under Armour, and Vans ost ground with teens. Lululemon had a mixed performance.
Nordstrom, Inc. to Open New Rack Store in Mooresville, NC
The 28,000 square-foot Nordstrom Rack store is scheduled to open in the Mooresville Crossing shopping center in fall 2024.
REI Opens Distribution Center In Tennessee
REI Co-op started fulfillment from its new state-of-the-art distribution center in Lebanon, TN, supporting its steady growth in the Midwest and Southeast.
GroupeStahl Names Chief Revenue Officer
GroupeSTAHL, the heat printing technology company, promoted Josh Ellsworth to the position of chief revenue officer. He has worked for the company since 1999.
