BTS Study: Nike Losing Ground With Retailers as Others Gain Favor
Nike continues to be the most popular brand at retail for back-to-school (BTS) footwear by a wide margin, according to Stifel’s 16th Annual Back-to-School Athletic Footwear Survey of major athletic footwear sellers.
Report Forecasts Flattish Online Growth in U.S. for Holiday 2023
Salesforce’s 2023 Holiday Forecast calls for 4 percent global and 1 percent U.S. year-over-year online sales growth across November and December, reaching $1.19 trillion and $273 billion, respectively.
Golf Rounds Played Climb in July
Rounds of golf played advanced 3.2 percent in July and are running up 5.0 percent for the first seven months of 2023, according to Golf Datatech.
EXEC: Department Stores Stung by Apparel Category Woes
Macy’s, Nordstrom, Kohl’s, and Dillard’s saw sales decline in the second quarter as the retailer’s core apparel category faced promotional pressures and weak demand. The active category was a bright spot for Nordstrom, but continued to struggle at Macy’s and Kohl’s.
USPTA Signs Multi-Year Pickleball Deal with Selkirk Sport
The United States Professional Tennis Association announced a three-year agreement with Selkirk Sport. Per the agreement, Selkirk Sport will manufacture the official pickleball and pickleball net of the USPTA.
EXEC: Hibbett Shares Jump on Q2 Beat, Reiterated Guidance
Shares of Hibbett, Inc. surged 22.2 percent, to $45.03 on Friday after Q2 sales arrived in line with guidance due to a strong start to back-to-school selling and as strength in some better footwear brands offset weakness in secondary brands and franchises.
Bass Pro Shops Set to Open In Loveland, CO
Bass Pro Shops announced plans today to open a retail store in Loveland, CO. The opening of the 130,000-square-foot Outdoor World, expected to open in 2025, is the retailer’s sixth Bass Pro Shop in Colorado.
EXEC: Gap Confident in Athleta’s Turnaround Prospects
Athleta’s same-store sales were down in the second quarter for the third quarter in a row but showed improvement sequentially with sales of performance bottoms accelerating. On its analyst call, Gap Inc. officials expressed confidence in the ability of Athleta’s new leadership team, led by former Alo Yoga’s president Chris Blakeslee, to guide the continued recovery.
Hibbett’s Q2 Profits Tumble Year-Over-Year, Top Wall Street’s Targets
Hibbett, Inc.’s second-quarter profits fell 55.9 percent but still topped analyst targets with some strength in footwear offsetting apparel weakness. The sporting goods chain reiterated its full-year outlook, bucking a trend that saw competitors, Dick’s Sporting Goods and Foot Locker, lower guidance this week.
Rhone Opens Store in Westport
Rhone, the men’s athleisure brand, opened a store in Westport, its first in Connecticut and 14th overall at 7 Main Street.
Pinnacle Outdoor Group Names Sarah Maher General Manager
The agency said Maher had been operating in this role since 2022, overseeing strategic development and sales operations in addition to her role as the agency’s Vermont sales rep.
Athleta Q2 Comps Slide 7 Percent; Parent Gap Inc. Swings to Profit
Athleta net sales totaled $341 million for Q2, down 1 percent compared to last year. While sales continue to be impacted by product acceptance challenges, the brand has taken near-term actions to improve product presentation and creative.
Nordstrom’s Q2 Profits Fly Past Analyst Targets
Nordstrom, Inc., reported earnings in the second quarter improved 8.7 percent year-over-year and nearly doubled Wall Street’s consensus target. The upscale department store chain said it benefited from continued progress on key priorities of Nordstrom Rack improvement, inventory productivity and supply chain optimization. Guidance was maintained for the year.
Grassroots Outdoor Alliance Promotes Dana Howe to Vice President
Grassroots Outdoor Alliance (GOA) promoted Dana Howe, director of membership and education, to vice president.
Shein Partners with Sparc to Drive Forever 21’s Growth
Sparc Group Holdings, the joint venture between Authentic and mall operator Simon Property Group, partnered with Shein, the Chinese e-commerce platform, to support the company’s Forever 21 business.
