
Mad Engine Global Sets Transition Plan with Dominic Farrell as New CEO
Danish Gajiani will transition from his role as CEO to executive chairman of the company’s Board of Directors. He will reportedly continue to work closely with Farrell and the company to ensure a seamless transition for all key stakeholders.

EXEC: Target Inks Champion Distribution Deal with Authentic
Target called the program an “extensive line” featuring more than 500 pieces. It includes “stylish” apparel, accessories and slides as well as sporting goods, accessories and bags for adults and kids.

TJX Companies Ramps Up Sierra Store Count to 117 Doors
The TJX Companies, Inc., parent of the TJ Maxx, Marshalls, HomeGoods and outdoor-oriented Sierra retail nameplates, reported net sales for the 13-week fourth quarter ended February 1 were $16.4 billion, flat versus the 14-week fourth quarter of fiscal 2024.

Hoka Opens Second Store in Paris’ Marais District
Hoka continues its expansion in France by opening a roughly 3100-square-foot store at 14 Rue Sainte-Croix de la Bretonnerie in the heart of the Paris’ Marais district; this follows the sports apparel and equipment brand’s first Parisian store, which opened in April 2024.

EXEC: Big 5 CEO Looks for End of Weak Winter in Hopes of Spring Baseball Rebirth
The West Coast and Mountain state retailer continues to focus on managing the expenses within its control, considering the ongoing economic challenges, while it waits for the annual floor shift to spring sports and a hopeful lift from youth baseball season.
Big 5 to Continue Closing Stores as Weak Q4 Sales Trends Drift into Q1
Same-store sales decreased 6.1 percent for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2024. For the fiscal 2025 first quarter, the company expects same-store sales to be down in the mid- to high-single-digit range compared to the fiscal 2024 first quarter.

EXEC: Salomon Sneaker Sales Exceed $1B in 2024; Winter Sports Equipment Falters
Salomon footwear and apparel now represent approximately two-thirds of the Outdoor Performance segment that also includes the Salomon, Atomic and Armada snow sports equipment brands, up significantly from the 54 percent share in 2022.

EXEC: Arc’teryx Brand Surpasses $2 Billion Mark in 2024 as Sales Grow 36 Percent
Amer Sports CEO James Zheng told analysts and investors on the company’s Q4 conference call that strong growth at Arc’teryx came across all regions, channels, and categories — especially in footwear and women’s, which grew faster than the brand overall.

New Helly Hansen Parent Kontoor Brands Gets Nice DTC Lift to Post Solid Q4
The denim brand spin-off from VF Corporation, primarily comprised of the Wrangler and Lee brands, posted revenue of $699 million in the 2024 fourth quarter, a 4 percent increase in reported terms or a 5 percent on constant currency.

EXEC: Amer Sports Posts Strong DD Q4 Growth Across Big Three Brands
The company saw continued strong results in Greater China and Asia Pacific, accelerating growth in North America and EMEA. The Technical Apparel segment, including Arc’teryx and Peak Performance brands, led growth with a 34 percent year-over-year increase.

Sports Paradise Welcomes Team Sales Account Executive
Maggie Egan brings four years of experience in the sports and nutrition field to Sports Paradise with a proven track record working with coaches and teams as a market development associate for Gatorade throughout New Jersey and Staten Island, NY.

Callaway Takes $1.45B Non-Cash Charge Against Topgolf Goodwill and Certain Assets
Fourth quarter net revenue increased 3.0 percent year-over-year to $924.4 million, primarily driven by increases in Golf Equipment. On a GAAP basis, the loss from operations increased $1.43 billion due primarily to a non-cash $1.45 billion impairment of the Topgolf goodwill and intangible assets.

REI Co-op Names VP of Enterprise Systems
Vignesh Pratap was, most recently, at Nike, Inc., where he worked over three years as senior director of Engineering, Global Technology.

EXEC: REI Co-op Raises $230 Million Through Sale-Leaseback Deals for Four DCs
The chain specialty outdoor retailer has entered into a long-term sale-leaseback agreement with Madison Capital, a New York-based real estate investment firm, for its four Class A distribution center properties.

Former Nike and TNF Exec Nicole Otto Joins Ruggable as CEO
For nearly 17 years, Otto worked for Nike, Inc. ascending through the ranks to run Nike Direct for North America. She was with VF Corporation for over two years as global brand president of The North Face until June 2024.